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Fuckup Nights Manifesto Fuckup Nights the movement that helps people break free from limiting paradigms...
By:
Fuckup Nights
March 9, 2020
We operate in 300 cities across 90 countries
As a movement that helps people break free from the paradigms that limit their lives, we have a presence in 300 cities across 90 countries. We advocate for a new way of working together as humans in society, and for rethinking and rewriting the “norms” that have defined our lives for generations. It’s a complex mission!
Pepe Villatoro, Fuckup Nights , explains why it’s important to have our own manifesto:
“As I thought about how to share this experience and feeling with more people, I realized that other movements have manifestos that tend to be inspirational and somewhat utopian. I decided to create our own manifesto in a very fuck-up way. A manifesto that would invite you to… fuck up, but also to let go of some societal limitations.”
To illustrate these points, we’d like to share some quotes from the authors of *The Fuckup Book* (2015), a collection of fuckups and reflections on the manifesto:
Get rejected
“Sometimes, it can be really hard to accept ‘no’ for an answer, and this is one of the main triggers of tantrums for both children and adults. Remember that not trying something is the same as trying and getting a ‘no.’ The only way to get a ‘yes’ is by making sure you try.” –Leticia Gasca
Have a setback
“There is no greater lesson than the existential wake-up call that comes from a setback, and what you build from that. It’s not that we’re out to get you; misfortune, bad luck, a mishap—it’s simply the nature of existence.” -Tasha Russman, Diego Olavarría, Tatiana Maillard, and Leticia Gasca
Get a bad grade
“It’s okay to fail even after working hard. We all learn from our mistakes. Maybe that academic setback was exactly what you needed to get a good grade next time.”
-Tatiana Maillard
Get fired
“The idea of having a job ‘for life’ doesn’t exist anymore. We’re aware of the risks and financial responsibilities, but it feels so good to tell your boss how you really feel and to leave a job where you’re not happy. Even if you end up getting fired unintentionally from a great job, see point 2.” -Nicko Nogués
Lose a tournament
“We tend to bow down to boring and unattainable perfection and high performance. From a young age, we’re taught that life is a competition. We need to move from irrational ‘competitiveness’ to intelligent ‘cooperation’.”
-Lilian López Camberos
It messes up the system.
“Fuck the right. Fuck the left. Fuck the manifestos. Fuck everyone who tells you ‘don’t do this, do that.’ Fuck your fears. Fuck machismo. Fuck you. Fuck me. Fuck the fuck-up. Fuck up the system. FUCK EVERYTHING that doesn’t feel good. Send everything you hate far, far away.” -Nicko Nogués
Perfection is just talk
“Rhetorical and boring. No highs or lows, no challenges or goals, no flaws. Perfection is the ideal that inspires you, but failure is a great teacher.”
-Tatiana Maillard
Reach for the things you value
“Reflect on what you value, what truly matters, and ask yourself whether this isn’t just the subtle imposition of modern values.”
-Lilian López Camberos
Keep it simple
“Seek to find the essence. Focus all your attention and talent on the search, because when you find the essence, you’ll have (almost) everything. Remember Occam’s Razor: the simplest answer is often the right one.”
-Nicko Nogués
You're probably going to fail
“Don’t let the fear of failure paralyze you. If you accept that possibility from the start, life will be more enjoyable, and it will be easier to take on new adventures and risks.”
-Nicko Nogués
If you're looking for recognition, stop
“Recognition should come from within, based on our own expectations and definitions of failure and success. And, after all, there will always be someone who doesn’t find you very charming.”
-Tatiana Maillard
If you take yourself too seriously, don't
“It simply doesn’t let you fail or move on to the next stage of life. To learn to fail gracefully, it is essential to accept that you are just one of billions of human beings, and that you are imperfectly perfect, just like everyone else.” -Leticia Gasca & Pepe Villatoro
Be vulnerable
“If we never allowed ourselves to be vulnerable, we would always be on edge, living in fear: we would shut ourselves away, barricaded inside, stuck, paralyzed. In other words: we wouldn’t be living.”
-Diego Olavarría
Laugh at your failures and share them with the world
“Almost anything tragic can be turned into comedy. All failures, given time, can be turned into laughter. Turning tragedy into comedy is the only way to protect yourself from it, and to let others learn from it through humor.” -Lilián López Camberos
Embrace your flaws and lovingly help others grow
“Embrace your flaws as an act of acceptance, not conformity: you can always change course unexpectedly. And if life gives you the chance to teach someone else, teach them to be better with kindness, without putting them down.”-Tatiana Maillard
Learn new things
“When you’re passionate about something, curiosity drives you to learn and experiment, creating a virtuous cycle: you try (you might fail), you learn, you become an expert, you ‘succeed’ (maybe you go broke and get invited to Fuckup Nights talk about your failure), and you keep on going.” —Diego Olavarría
Do one thing a day that scares you
“The fear of failure can become the cause of failure itself. In the social sciences, this is known as ‘the self-fulfilling prophecy theory.’ Fear paralyzes us, clouds our judgment, narrows our perspective, and leads us to make poor decisions.”
-Nicko Nogués
Be the person you want to be
“You have to realize that you don’t have to be everything society says you should be. Be the person you want to be. Discover yourself.”
-Nicko Nogués
Go out and persevere in the face of challenges
“Persistence, by definition, requires effort. It doesn’t matter whether you’re looking for a job or spiritual enlightenment—it will take hard work. But poorly applied persistence can easily turn into stubbornness; know when to stop.”—Diego Olavarría
Rise above conflict
“You can cry one day, but the next day you’ll have to get up and keep going, because the world keeps turning. Spend some time alone to think. Go for a walk, write, let off steam. Talk to friends. It’s important to avoid wallowing in self-pity. It’s okay to feel down, but it’s not okay to stop. See point 21.” -Tatiana Maillard
Don't stop until you get what you want
“If it’s about doing something you truly love, explore every possible resource and opportunity before giving up.”
-Leticia Gasca
Your true potential is unknown
“You know yourself—or at least you think you do. The truth is, you never know if things could have turned out better. See point 16.”
-Lilian López Camberos
Defeat your ego
“The main reason we hide our failures is that without ego, you can be more compassionate toward yourself and remember that you’re only human when things go wrong.”
-Leticia Gasca
Be bold and live life to the fullest
“Embrace the risk of doing things you’ve never done before. Every new project is a leap into the unknown—the kind of leap that only crazy people, brave people, and occasionally, even foolish people take.”
-Tatiana Maillard
So there you have it! The Fuckup Manifesto. And since we know you loved it, here’s a printable poster so you can hang it in your room for motivation, or in your office to spark interesting conversations at work!
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