7 Things That Are Worth Fighting For If You Want To Live A Fulfilling Life
“People are strange: They are constantly angered by trivial things, but on a major matter like totally wasting their lives, they hardly seem to notice.”— Charles Bukowski
I’m not a very confrontational person. To be honest, I avoid confrontation like I avoid the gym. I give up very easily, not because I’m lazy, but many times I just don’t see the point in fighting or putting massive amounts of energy into something when I could easily sit back and let life happen as it should.
I liked to think that “going with the flow” is a much better attitude to have about life, and will bring me more peace than trying to fight for all these things I think I want and need.
However, as I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that fighting for things is the whole point of living. In a world in which nothing is handed to you (unless you’re Paris Hilton), the only way to get what you want is to fight for it and the only way to figure out what’s important to you is to see what you’re willing to fight for.
There are universal things that no one should give up easily. Things that all people should stand their ground against and fight for until they either die trying or get what they want. But I know fighting for things can be hard.
Fighting for things means putting your ego aside and admitting that this is important to you. It means embarrassing yourself or maybe hurting yourself in the process. But isn’t that the point of life? To live so dangerously and passionately that you forget you're going to die at the end of it all?
Your Dream Job
“Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” — Thomas Edison
If you want to be one of the few people in life who actually enjoys going to work every day, you need to fight for that job. No dream job is ever handed to anyone, otherwise everyone would be going to work as actresses, astronauts, artists and late night talk show hosts.
There are millions of people with the same aspirations as you and the only way to beat them is to consistently fight for it. Because in the end, the winners are the ones who didn’t stop fighting, who never gave up and who outlasted the rest.
Your Reputation
"It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently." -Warren Buffett.
At the end of the day, your reputation is all you have. Whether it’s the way people remember you or what you’re known for, keep your reputation guarded and close to your heart.
Make people talk about you the way you want to be talked about and remember you the way you deserve to be remembered. Fight for your reputation, fight for the person you’ve worked so hard to become.
Don’t let anyone tear you down without your approval. This is your life and you deserve to be remembered the right way for it.
People Who Make You Laugh
“Laughter is the evidence that we’re still here, the proof that our tragedies will not define us forever. Laughter is the language of the survivor.” — Josh Riebock
Friendships become hard to maintain as you get older and it becomes important to learn which friends are worth fighting for and which you need to let go.
Just know that the ones who make you laugh, who help you forget your pain and remember that life is good are always worth fighting for. Because laughter, in a world of stress and sorrow, is the only thing that will keep you going.
When everything else is horribly wrong, that one friend who can make you laugh when you’re about to cry might just save your life.
The Truth
“Believe those who are seeking the truth. Doubt those who find it.” — André Gide
Never settle for the truth told to you by someone else. The people who live their lives as beautifully and determined as possible always search for the truth and fight for it themselves.
The truth is not only what will set you free, but what will show you the world. Fight for your right to the truth. Fight for your right to see everything as it deserves to be seen.
Don’t let anyone put blinders over your eyes or tell you lies. You deserve to see everything as it is: the good, bad and the very, very beautiful.
Change
“Don’t accept the limitations of other people who claim things are ‘unchangeable.’ If it’s written in stone, bring your hammer and chisel.” — Peter McWilliams
Never let your life stagnate. Keep it interesting, moving and, most importantly, constantly changing. Monotony is like quicksand; the ease of daily routine and a predictable future can pull you in and be hard to escape from.
You must fight to keep your life different. You must force yourself out of the monotony of life and work to keep it unique and surprising. Never let the daily grind stop you from progressing. Fight to be inspired, unique and unpredictable.
The Person You Love
“You never lose by loving. You always lose by holding back.” - Barbara De Angelis
Whether they love you back or not, fight for them. This may be the hardest fight of all, especially when you are fighting for people who don't know they love you yet. But love is one of the only things worth living for. So if you don’t fight for love, what’s the point of living at all?
It’s better to die in the pursuit of real, passionate love than to live an empty, hollow existence, never giving yourself the real chance to have experienced the joys of love. Fight for your right to love and be loved, for that, there is no better reason to fight.
Your Freedom
“Do yourself a favor: Become your own savior.” — Daniel Johnston
Only you can fight for the life you imagined for yourself. Do not let anyone hold you back, put you in a corner or tell you that you can’t have that type of life. Your life is yours and if you want to be rich, famous or live in Africa, then do it.
Your freedom is the most basic right you have and refusing to fight for it is like dying before your heart stops beating. Never give up your right to freedom, which is your right to be, do and see anything you want. You are as free as you fight to be.
