Sure, self improvement is important. We need a healthy dose of goal setting and productivity in life, absolutely.
But too much of a good thing is real. When we become addicted to achievement at the expense of our inner well being—foregoing feelings of gratitude, self-love and joy for life’s simple moments—then our desire for success becomes toxic.
And yet, we do live in a society that promotes this kind of behavior. So much so that anytime someone goes against the grain and beats the drum of “settling,” people often find it a breath of fresh air.
And that’s why people absolutely love comedian Tom Fell’s anti-motivational video encouraging us all to “get out there and stop grindin.”
Filmed like a cheesy infomercial (music and all) Fell sports a checkered shirt and plaster on smile while delivering tongue-in-cheek aspirational lines like:
“I’m tired of having goals!”
“I’m at peace with never reaching full optimization!”
“I don’t wanna hit metrics or milestones, I don’t wanna look back at how far I’ve come, I don’t wanna overcome adversity and emerge as a better person!”
“Learning and growing sucks!”
“The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step…and I don’t wanna take it!”
“This is who I am. Any improvement is purely accidental!”
And then things start to take a slightly more serious turn as Fell exclaims:
“I wanna aimlessly meander until I wander off a cliff!”
“I’m being pulverized by the crushing weight of daly structure!”
“Life is chaos and so many things are outside of my control!”
But beyond all his wisecracks, Fell does deliver a rather poignant message (and clever Kurt Vonnegurt quote):
“No thing brings my happiness. It only comes from within. We’re here on earth to fart around. Don’t let anyone tell ya different.”
@tomfellisheokay Happy Monday get out there and stop grindin. #work #comedy #kurtvonnegutquote ♬ Business Success Motivation – TimTaj
Fell’s anti-hustle stance clearly resonated with a lot of folks across social media, many who noted finally feeling seen.
“I know this is a joke but…I feel this in my BONES,” one viewer wrote on TikTok.
Another added, “No one talks about how tiring constant self improvement is. Sometimes I only have the energy to be a potato.
Meanwhile on Reddit, one viewer wrote, “Wow. This guy is just like speaking to my soul. I finally feel like I’m not the only person in the world who feels this way.”
Another wrote, “Representing 97% of humanity,” suggesting that maybe this perspective isn’t as unconventional as one might assume.
So, if you’re feeling productivity fatigue, and like you’d much rather coast through life while simply enjoying existing, know that you’re not alone. As important as ambition is, maybe it’s not the most important thing.
Catch even more of Fell’s funny content on his TikTok.