We find our call
That separates us amongst all
Those others who lack vision
Understanding there is no division
In our decisions, religions, quit with
The juxtaposition
Eyes open wide buries this divide
Allowing the mind, soul, body to thrive
Creating one hell of a rowdy ride -
So let’s fly and open our eyes…
To be free | To be famous
To be Famous:
You know what this means – those who try to become an influencer (Instagram famous), actor, youtuber (like Mr. Beast), music artist, etc. This is not the same as “free” because many famous people are actually NOT free! There are many stories/podcasts that you can find on the internet to confirm this. Also, this can be easily understood through rational empathy – if you couldn’t walk down the street without the paparazzi chasing, are you actually free?
Now, this is a relevant topic about “fame” because many of us (Gen Z, millenials) have felt the wave of “wanting to be famous” at some point. Not everyone to be clear, some have simplicity/humility built into the hardware. However, I can say for myself – and certainly others – that the rise of social media (media in general) – celebrities (think “the kardashians”) and this amorphous blend of “making money” combined with “lifestyle” has created the thirst in the culture to be famous. Is this what will bring us together as one community, or drive us apart?
Well, for one example this is not boding well to uplift and improve a space. This “desire to be famous” is what basically killed the integrity and talent of Hip-Hop. This was the biggest music vertical by a long-shot, and now – there is no noise here. Why? Well, the new-up-and coming rappers (mumble rap) consumed all the “real” hip-hop culture and talent just to be famous, bringing no new innovation to the game or any real talent – leaving no more meat on the bone. Most real talent have left rap entirely – Kid Cudi to rock, Post Malone to country, Jack Harlow to R&B, Drake as well, etc.
With this example alone, does pursuing anything on the basis to “make it” or be “famous” look like a route you would recommend to a friend? I’ll go further – beyond the veil of fame (which inevitably leads to more money) there is even more problems. I had a friend who was a professional butler in Aspen (billionaire level mountain town) who worked for Lynda Resnick (billionaire), and the asset manager for Michael Dell (Dell Computers), also billionaire. (Google her, she has her own Wikipedia page and all)! What my friend simply told me was that Lynda was truly “never happy” - always focused on controlling “the next thing.” For example: how the curtains looked, the way certain glass pieces at the stairway were structured to look during different times of the day, etc. Ridiculous right? She was absolutely obsessed with controlling everything – and thus was never happy with what she had – which is obviously, more than 0.01% OF THE ENTIRE WORLD. Yeah, I’m good on being a billionaire actually, and the “fame” or whatever that comes with it. What about you?
To be Free:
There are two fundamental roads within this specific pathway: one for the “homebodies” who inherently prefer more structure, home-grown roots, and satisfaction in the “little things.” We’ll call this homebody freedom. The other is freedom through hustling outside the norms (multiple side-hustle jobs), leaving the “rat race” (keeping up with the joneses) completely and traveling either inside the U.S. or outside for more peace through movement and spontaneous experiences. We’ll call this traveler freedom (I’m going to be a little bias with this one respectfully, however both are great – just depends on each person’s temperament). There are likely more semi-pathways of freedom as well, but these are the two primary I’d like to talk about.
My brother Grant may be better at talking about the first homebody freedom as he has chosen a simple and secure family-first life by setting back up in our hometown of Tulsa as Psychiatrist Dr. Daugherty. He’s a great example because the key for this type of freedom is the structured 9-5 is something he actually likes to do, and is good at (flow-state and enjoyment). Without these within the field of work, this pathway will inevitably lead to burnout, as just showing up to work for a paycheck cannot be sustainable anymore.
Especially with how expensive things are, and the overall cultural wake-up call to how work has changed. In short, to have a successful peace-of-mind and happiness for “homebody freedom” – one must genuinelly enjoy the work, and be paid appropriately to take care of his/her family. Unfortunately, this pathway is becoming increasingly difficult as cost of living everywhere is rising high, income stagnating, and jobs that pay well (without ridiculous amount of school) are usually those that are difficult and challenging day-in-day-out, reducing the chance to “genuinely enjoy the job” more and more.
Traveler Freedom is much different, and on the rise as the whole world is globalized, remote work has blown up (internet is everywhere - even in third world countries such as Philippines), and there is momentum to exit the traditional 9-5 because there is not much difference in pay compared to the ability to live/work anywhere now. In my opinion, this is the truest and most direct form of ultimate freedom, which is a principle that allows me to do my best work. It’s the reason that I’m able to write this right now (in the Philippines), to create and share this newsletter (and other art) that I’ve been able to work on. The additional free-time and inspiration spurring from more “time away from work” has opened many doors in creativity, leading to more ideas and opportunities to make money without having to clock in 9-5 forever. In reality, almost everyone wants this.
Those “homebodies” may say they like their job or whatever, but everyone has keyed into the desire for more free-time for their kids, hobbies, friends, etc. Why not?! There is so much to do, see, travel and explore, and create now! We have all the tools readily accessible in our pocket, AI now to help with managerial tasks, and can book a flight 8000 miles away on a whim. It’s a beautiful, chaotic dance – and I love it. In my humble opinion, it aligns with the speed of the world (as it has sped up substantially) and keeps energy fresh with authentic inspiration backed up movement and experience. Once again to level the playing field – this is NOT for everyone. Some do thrive in structure everyday, and that’s fine! Just not for me – and I wanted to share this part here for those who also understand or want to learn about this pathway.
Feel free to email me back any thoughts about this, or reach out to me directly (or through social media too). I’m always open to conversation – and I’m finding that NOW is the most truly interesting time to be alive! Let’s keep grooving and moving. Cheers fam
Weekly Prompt (Like Lifting Weights, but for your brain):
Have you ever had the urge to live life like a celebrity, or become famous? If so, where do you think this spurred from?
Why do you think the desire to become famous has increased substantially?
Report:
Conditions
Sunrise 6:29 AM
Sunset 7:38 PM
Moonrise 4:55 AM
Moonset 3:45 PM
Air Quality GOOD
Fire Danger Moderate
