Table of Contents

Contents 3
Chapter 1: Don’t Try 5
The Feedback Loop from Hell 7
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a Fuck 12
So Mark, What the Fuck Is the Point of This Book Anyway? 16
Chapter 2: Happiness Is a Problem 18
The Misadventures of Disappointment Panda 20
Happiness Comes from Solving Problems 22
Emotions Are Overrated 24
Choose Your Struggle 25
Chapter 3: You Are Not Special 29
Things Fall Apart 32
The Tyranny of Exceptionalism 38
B-b-b-but, If I’m Not Going to Be Special or Extraordinary, What’s
40
the Point?
Chapter 4: The Value of Suffering 42
The Self-Awareness Onion 46
Rock Star Problems 49
Shitty Values 52
Defining Good and Bad Values 55
Chapter 5: You Are Always Choosing 58
The Choice 58
The Responsibility/Fault Fallacy 61
Responding to Tragedy 65
Genetics and the Hand We’re Dealt 67
Victimhood Chic 69
There Is No “How” 71
Chapter 6: You’re Wrong About Everything (But So Am
73
I)
Architects of Our Own Beliefs 76
Be Careful What You Believe 77
 The Dangers of Pure Certainty 81
Manson’s Law of Avoidance 85
Kill Yourself 87
How to Be a Little Less Certain of Yourself 88
Chapter 7: Failure Is the Way Forward 92
The Failure/Success Paradox 93
Pain Is Part of the Process 95
The “Do Something” Principle 98
Chapter 8: The Importance of Saying No 102
Rejection Makes Your Life Better 105
Boundaries 106
How to Build Trust 112
Freedom Through Commitment 114
Chapter 9: . . . And Then You Die 117
Something Beyond Our Selves 120
The Sunny Side of Death 123
Acknowledgments 129
About the Author 130
Credits 132
Copyright 133
About the Publisher 134