What Is “Sucking?” What Is “Abundance?”
December 8th, 2007
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The “before” George McFly, Back To The Future (1985)
The tagline of this website is “Stop sucking and live a life of abundance.” To start this whole thing off, we have to clarify what these terms mean.
“Sucking” refers to any major discrepancy between the life you have and the life you want. The criteria for making this determination are entirely up to you. Don’t let anyone else tell you that your life is good enough when you think it’s not, or tell you that you should change if you really like things the way they are.
If you’re a single parent making minimum wage at a job you hate, but you have a newborn baby that’s your whole world, and you’re so happy because nothing else matters to you, then you don’t suck—you have the life you want. On the other hand, if you’re making $250,000 a year as a corporate executive, but your job has you so stressed that you’re just miserable, then you do suck—you don’t have the life you want.
You can see that sucking is not an objective condition, but it’s relative to your own perception. It’s not a judgment bestowed by someone else, and it’s not even related to what anyone else thinks. Sucking means that as of right now, your life hasn’t turned out the way you wanted it to. It means something is bothering you, eating away at you, and you can’t just let it go and pretend everything is fine.
If you look around, it’s not hard to see that sucking is a major problem. Symptoms can include being too poor, too lazy, too stressed, too tired, too fat, too undervalued, too uninspired…anything, really. What matters is that it’s something that you really want to change. If you want to “stop sucking,” that means you’ve decided that there is a problem, and you want to fix it.
The “after” George McFly, Back To The Future (1985)
The other part of the tagline is “live a life of abundance.” This shows what we’re working towards. We don’t need to accept scarcity, thinking that the world’s resources are too limited for us to have what we want. We can work towards a life of abundance: abundance of time, money, health, happiness, excitement, self-respect, sense of purpose, etc.
For the most part, we just stumble into the life that we get. We go to school, get a job, and do what we think we’re supposed to do. Then one day we decide that we’re not happy with our life. Maybe we don’t want to struggle to pay the bills, or we don’t want to be stressed all the time, or we don’t want to devote our lives to working for someone else. We might decide that it’s time for a change, but it’s hard to know what to do.
The fact is, we live in a world where it’s really easy to be average, but really hard to be above average. But just because something is hard doesn’t mean it’s not achievable or worthwhile. Nothing is more important than having the life you want. Nothing! Always remember that you don’t have to blindly accept the default life you’ve stumbled into. We have the power to change, but we need to decide what we want and consciously pursue it. Only then can we stop sucking and live a life of abundance.
January 31st, 2008 at 2:17 am
I say Amen to that, Hunter,
Too often people play the blame game. “I was raised poor”, “My Dad said I would never amount to anything”, “I have low self esteem, because my boyfriend beats me”..blah, blah, blah
I like the advice Dr. Phil give people: “And how is that working?”
Once we are adults, we have choices. Choices to become wealthier, healthier, smarter, etc. It’s all up to us. Unfortunately, too often, people would rather have a life that sucks, and continue blaming it on others.
Great post, and great tag line for your blog.
Barbara’s last blog post..Test Proves Fatal In Internet Explorer (IE)
February 1st, 2008 at 12:50 am
Barbara, I didn’t know Dr. Phil said that, but great line! I can be sympathetic to people in a bad situation, but at the same time, the only way it’s ever going to change is if they do something about it.
April 11th, 2008 at 1:19 pm
Very inspirational, as a new blogger I have found just the right place to go for information and inspiration. Since I am new to blogging I find myself being very timid, I cant wait to find my inner blogger!!!
April 11th, 2008 at 7:33 pm
Hi, Laurie. I was a brand new blogger four months ago, so I still remember what that’s like.
Although I’m obviously a blogger, I try not to write much specifically about blogging. I like to keep everything generic so it applies to more people.
Based on your timing and the fact that you said “find my inner blogger,” I assume you found me through Darren Rowse’s post about my ebook “The Zen of Blogging.” I put a bunch of my thoughts about blogging into an ebook because I didn’t want to write a bunch of posts about blogging that would hijack my blog (which is not about blogging).
I see you’re making your way through the boot camp, so pretty soon you’ll see the “blogs about blogging” that I recommend. Thanks for being a visitor!
July 6th, 2008 at 7:19 pm
Hi Hunter,
I just wanted to drop by and say I think your page is wonderful, and I hope it helps me out. I am a 24 year old college grad who, on a whim, decided to move cross country to CA after graduation. Job hunting is a little difficult out here, and I had to get something quick to pay the high rent prices. I recently went on a trip back to see my family from VA and I picked up “The Last Lecture” Where Randy mentioned your site. I enjoyed reading your blog, and I think you have some really good ideas, especially where you mention the symptoms of the job that just gets you by. I have been feeling like I’ve been working way under my potential lately, and a need for change is in the winds…I think I’ll pick up that parachute book:)
Thanks,
Emily
July 6th, 2008 at 8:38 pm
@ Emily, it’s always good to hear from someone else who’s read The Last Lecture! You’ve got some guts to move cross country on a whim, and that should serve you well. In a few days, I’m going to review an ebook that might be helpful as you’re considering a life change…be sure to come back and check it out! Thanks for stopping by, and I’m really glad you like my site.
July 16th, 2008 at 5:34 am
I’ve just finished reading your ebook “The Zen of Blogging.” I found it very inspirational. I’ve been wanting to start my own blog, but I have not found the right time and right answer. After reading your ebook, now I have the answer I’ve been looking for a long time. “If you start a blog, I will cut off your head, and
if you do not start a blog, I will also cut off your head. So, will you start a blog?”
Thanks.
July 16th, 2008 at 10:59 pm
Kolbs, glad you found it helpful. So, what is your answer?
September 2nd, 2008 at 12:49 pm
Good post. I like your George McFly pics–that’s a good example for Suck vs. Abundance. Just starting the BootCamp. Got to you thru Naomi at IttyBiz. I gotta say life IS wonderful. Abundance IS possible. It is EVERYWHERE…and I’m in-process.
Love the Homer-Bart icons, too. So what does it cost you to use these pictures/images? Copyright info? Contact info so I can use ‘em, too? And info on your site designer, etc.?
Your site looks very good; gotta explore it, perhaps ebook it, even affilitate ebook-it.
Gracias, Senor!
September 2nd, 2008 at 10:50 pm
Hi, Ron. I got the Homer-Bart avatar from a site that provides free avatars. I don’t remember which one, but you can search for “free avatars” and look through a few sites. As far as I know, there are no copyright issues. If there are, then the site I got it from is in violation, not just me. I don’t know much about copyright law (or I guess it’s trademark law), but I see that Wikipedia says a lot of the images they use are OK because they’re lo-res.
My banner was designed by Men with Pens. I designed the site myself, but really it’s just the default WordPress theme with some tweaks.
Thanks for visiting, and hope to see you again!
September 3rd, 2008 at 7:16 pm
Greetings Hunter,
I came across your website will reading Randy’s(RIP) book T.L.L. great website.
I am about to do a total transformation and pursure my dream a teaching,speaking,coaching and creating a business that creates wealth and happiness in my life.
I cannot stand my current situation. There is a beast inside that’s fighting to come out. Hunter, I gotta let it out. I can no longer keep in locked up inside.
I love personal finance and come hell or high water I will make tons of money doing what I truley love…..helping people create financialy smart lifestyles so they can do what they want to do whenever they want to do it.
No more suits/ties and cubicles for me!!!
I am going to get some coaching from Clay Collins over at The Growing Life blog.
It’s game time!!!
Peace and blessings Hunter…….
September 3rd, 2008 at 11:19 pm
@ Ron, that sounds great! Gotta love the beast inside! Be sure to let me know when you have a blog or website up. I saw that Clay just started offering coaching, and I’d be interested to hear how that goes as well. Best of luck!
April 9th, 2009 at 12:03 pm
Hello, Hunter!
I’m a sophomore n high school.
I recently came across “The Last Lecture” n the school library & it instantly became a favorite book of mine! I loved the way Mr. Pausch looked at the world, how he said there’s a reason for every brick wall we face. I don’t think I’ll ever forget the lessons I learned from him.
When I saw that he referred to your site as sharing his mind set, I knew I had to come here. & I’m not disappointed. I really want to read more! But you said to take it one day at a time, so I’ll be patient ^_^
April 9th, 2009 at 7:58 pm
@ Lori, congrats on thinking about this kind of stuff at such a young age. I liked his take on brick walls too…they’re there to stop the other people. BTW, he always insisted that students call him “Randy.”
Glad you want to read more, but try to be patient.
I suggest taking it slow because I think if people read too much too fast, they don’t take the time to really internalize things or put them into practice.
April 16th, 2009 at 7:07 am
Hi Hunter,
I come all teh way from sunny South Africa. When I first heard of Randy Pausch, it was on the “Oprah Show”. I followed his life theirafter, sadly, until his passing.
I have just completed reading “The Last Lecture” & that was were i first heard of your website.
In his book, Randy mentions that you were a student of his. So, you know all about the rollercoaster ride of studying.
Hunter, I feel like I am at such a crossroad in my life right now. I was supposed to have completed my Bachelor of Commerce degree & should have been well on my way becoming a Chartered Accountant (CPA). And then my worst faer came true, I failed – after the first time, I just could not get my head around this. So, i repeated my finla year 3 times & was still not successful. I have thought that maybe I’m not cut out to be in business – but I’m now working in finance & I love it – I have been told that I’m an asset to the company.
so now, I want to study part time to complete my degree. And i know for sure that I’m definitely living below my potential. I was always a high-flyer – in high school & was the top student, i held all leadership roles. But, over these past few years, i don’t know what has happened to me, why I’ve mellowed dowon so much, when i know that I am a confident & head-strong young lady.
Am i just deluding myself? How do i get back on track?
Take care,
Ruby
Ruby´s last blog post..How To Become An Expert
April 17th, 2009 at 9:43 pm
@ Ruby, glad to have you here. From what I’ve heard, becoming a CPA is really tough, so it’s not so bad that you had a hard time with it. If you’ve been told you’re an asset to your company, you’re doing something right. But why have you mellowed out? Did you lose interest in the path you were on, did your confidence get shaken, or what? Start by finding out why you got off track in the first place. Hope you see you around here again!
October 25th, 2009 at 8:24 am
Hi Hunter,
I received Randy’s The Last Lecture book as a gift from my boss’s boss. To tell you the truth, I’m not too much into reading this kind of books, so it remained as a decoration in my living room for a few months. One day I decided I’d better read what this book was about, just in case the boss’s boss ever asked me or said something about it and I wouldn’t know. I found out it is a compilation of great advice and of course, if Randy mentioned your site it had to be for some good reason. So I came immediately to your site and starting reading your different takes on things. Thanks to you too (and Randy) for letting us look at things in a different way and firing us up to be better people.
Regards
October 25th, 2009 at 10:12 pm
@ Ed, I can understand not thinking the book was for you, but I’m glad you came around and decided to read it. And thanks for stopping by. I hope you’re feeling all fired up now.
November 3rd, 2009 at 3:23 pm
I just put down The Last Lecture a minute ago and headed straight here. Last year, at a time like this, I had a tear-splotched list of things I needed and wanted to do accomplish so that I could stop ’sucking’. I may have crossed off a whole bunch of stuff on that list but there’s still more to go. Right now, I’m encouraged to put even more stuff on that list and keep going.
November 4th, 2009 at 7:46 am
@ Miriam, thanks for heading straight here, but be sure to finish the book.
Congrats on crossing so much stuff off your list, and having the courage to add even more.