Shaun Connell
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Stop Caring 101: How to Not Care What People Think About You

Caring too much about what other people think about you puts you on the fast track to a life that is dissatisfying, hollow, and unnecessarily painful. Assuming that isn't what you want, this article serves as a crash course in Stop Caring 101.

Our human instinct to desire the approval of other people might have been necessary for survival in the cave days, but it doesn't mesh well with modern life.

If you're ready to take charge of what you can control in life and make yourself into the person you want to be, shifting your energy away from other peoples' thoughts and opinions about you should be high on your priority list.

Do yourself a favor and read through this entire article. If you stop caring about what other people think about you, you'll feel a sense of liberation you've never experienced before.

Why Do We Care What Other People Think?

Before I get into how to stop caring what other people think, it's important to dive into why we care in the first place.

Evolutionary Reasons

Back in the days when humans co-existed in the wilderness with saber-toothed tigers and wooly mammoths, people had every reason to not want to get left behind.

santa cruz cuevas de las manos
The instinct to care what people think has evolutionary roots that stretch back far before modern civilization.

Before the safety net of civilization, the world was filled with perils we don't think much about anymore-- starvation, exposure, and predators, to name a few. Staying alive depended on being a part of a close-knit tribe or clan. To survive in that world, group inclusion was a must.

In a modern context, though, this instinct can manifest itself in ways that are practically absurd. A few thousand years ago, you might have understandably felt tremendous fear when kicked out of the group to fend for yourself in the wilderness. Sounds pretty reasonable, doesn't it?

These days, however, the same anxiety and terror might arise in response to the mere idea of receiving negative comments online or being judged for your clothes, looks, profession, or personality.

From an evolutionary standpoint, caring what other people think makes perfect sense when you only have two choices: belong or die.

We don't live in that world anymore, though, and fixating on the perspectives of others will most likely keep you from living a productive, meaningful, and fulfilling life.

Neurological Reasons

So, what is happening in our brains when other people approve of us?

One study from University College London and Aarhus University in Denmark found that when other people agree with and validate our own opinions, the area of our brains associated with reward is much more active.

These researchers also found that some people seemed to be more influenced by the opinions of other people than others, which they could actually predict by looking at their brain activity.

If you are guilty of caring too much about what other people think, you can cut yourself some slack by realizing that we are, to some extent, evolutionarily and biologically programmed to value the opinions of others. That being said, it is possible to overcome this impulse and improve your life dramatically.

A Brief Disclaimer

One more thing before we jump in: there are definitely benefits to having a sense of belonging within a group. This primer on how to stop caring what people think is not advising that you should stop being empathetic and alienate yourself from everyone you've ever known.

aerial image of people on pavement alienated from one another
There is a fine line between learning how to stop caring what other people think and losing your ability to be empathetic and learn from others.

Humans are fundamentally social creatures, and it's important to have deep connections with other people. Experiencing a feeling of belonging with a group can help us manage stress, be more resilient, and support the stability of our mental health, to name just a few of the benefits.

After all, one of the greatest gifts and joys of life is the wealth of family and friendship-- truly knowing and loving other people.

On top of that, the feedback and opinions of other people can be incredibly valuable. Not caring what other people think about you doesn't mean closing yourself off from the useful perspectives of others.

Sometimes, people you love and respect can hold a mirror to you in a way that helps you grow. No one is born perfect, and we can learn a lot from others. The point is to be able to stay centered in yourself and discern valuable feedback from superfluous, judgmental, or superficial opinions.

Many of us, however, go way too far when it comes to caring what others think.

It is far too easy in our modern world to let other people's opinions (or worse, our lousy guesses of what we think other people will think) dictate what we do, how we act, what we say, and, ultimately, who we are.

Caring About What People Think of You: The Potential Costs

Ok, so now we have a picture of why we tend to care way too much about what other people think.

The next step is to understand what this might be costing you.

“Care about what other people think and you will always be their prisoner.”

—Lao Tzu

Never Really Knowing Yourself

This is a big one.

It's possible to go through your whole life letting other people define who you are without even realizing it.

When this happens, you deny yourself one of your greatest powers: the ability to deepen your relationship with yourself over the course of your life.

man looking in mirror to know himself better and stop caring what others think
If you focus your attention on what other people think about you, you could go through your entire life without ever knowing your true self.

“The greatest fear in the world is of the opinions of others. And the moment you are unafraid of the crowd you are no longer a sheep, you become a lion. A great roar arises in your heart, the roar of freedom.”

– Osho

When you don't know yourself, how can you know what you want out of life? How can you know what your goals and purposes are? Hint: you can't.

Being a Pushover

When you value what other people think over your own thoughts, opinions, and beliefs, you're on a one-way path to becoming a pushover. The fear of negative judgment can leave people unable to stand up for themselves and make them easy to influence or manipulate.

Disappointment

When you care too much about what other people think, you're bound to spend your life disappointed.

Why, you ask? Because you can't actually ever please everyone.

woman on a dock by a lake disappointed by the opinions of others
Caring too much what other people think and trying to please them will likely lead to disappointment and unnecessary pain.

Even when you do everything in your power to fit in and be accepted, you simply can't control what other people think. This means that you could spend your entire life expending energy in a way that is ultimately fruitless.

Not Pursuing Your Goals

What do you want to do with your life? When you're old and gray, what do you want to look back on your life and know you've done? What will you regret not having done?

“Most people are other people. Their thoughts are someone else’s opinions, their lives a mimicry, their passions a quotation.”

— Oscar Wilde

When you're too concerned with what other people think, it can keep you from pursuing your life goals or even knowing what they are.

Valuing Other People's Thoughts and Opinions Over Your Own

Caring too much about what other people think isn't a new phenomenon. The infinitely wise Roman Emperor and Stoic philosopher, Marcus Aurelius, observed this aspect of human nature nearly 2,000 years ago:

“We all love ourselves more than other people, but care more about their opinion than our own.”

Marcus Aurelius

crowd of people that judge other people
Why is it so easy to assume that other peoples' perspectives are more valuable than our own? If we can overcome this, it can rid of us unnecessary anxiety and let us live the lives we want.

If you put too much stock into what others think, you'll be devaluing your own perspectives. It might even mean you don't know what your own perspectives are.

Anxiety

If you are fixated on what other people think about you, you likely deal with a good deal of anxiety. Caring about what others think can lead to constantly burning energy obsessing over how you will be judged or praised for any little action.

Anxiety can range from unpleasant to debilitating. No matter the scope, it can seriously get in the way of actually living the life you want. On top of that, it can lead to a long list of physical ailments.

If you want to free yourself from anxiety, learning how to stop caring what people think about you will go a long way.

Not Living the Life You Want

Finally, you probably won't live the life you want if you're prioritizing what other people think.

woman in field with arms open no longer caring what others think
If you're too concerned with what other people think, it can mean you never engage with what is truly meaningful to you.

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.”

— Steve Jobs

You want your loved ones to live fulfilling and purpose-driven lives, don't you? So why wouldn't you want the same for yourself?

One of the first steps on that journey is letting go of the attachment you have to other people's affirmation, validation, and positive opinions of you.

Our lives on earth are finite. Once you stop caring what other people think about you, you can begin living the life you want.

Stop Caring 101: How to Not Care What People Think

Now it's time to look at some of the practical things you can do to stop overprioritizing the opinions and thoughts of others.

Get to Know Yourself

It is terrifyingly easy to go through your whole life never really knowing yourself.

If you don’t know who are you, you’re a lot more likely to let other people’s opinions define you and your sense of self-worth. When you don’t have an intimate relationship with your true self, there’s a good chance you will live your life driven by external forces or focused on pleasing other people rather than fulfilling your dreams, goals, and purposes.

man walking in forest getting to know himself
Getting to know yourself can be scary at first if you've spent your whole life overvaluing the opinions of others.

The importance of getting to know yourself is quite clear: when you don’t know who you are, how can you possibly be making the best decisions that define your life?

“Nothing gets us into greater trouble than our belief in untested advice; our habit of thinking that what others think as good must be good; believing counterfeits as being truly good; and living our life not by reason, but by imitating others.”

— Seneca

If you’ve never spent much time getting to know yourself, starting the process can be scary. After a while of some dedicated self-work, though, you’ll find priceless wealth inside yourself.

Getting to know yourself is a process you can go through for the rest of your life. One of the best things you can do to discover your true or inner self is to simply sit quietly. We are constantly inundated with other people’s thoughts, ideas, images, marketing tactics, etc.

boy sitting on bench by tree not caring what others think
You probably won't get to know yourself any better staring at that screen. Make a habit of putting down your phone and finding a nice place to sit quietly with your own thoughts.

Sitting quietly with your own thoughts can be surprisingly difficult if you’ve never made a habit of it. In a time before radio, TV, the internet, and smartphones, quiet meditative time was often built into the daily life of humans around the world. These days, we have to purposefully seek it out.

“Everyone rushes elsewhere and into the future, because no one wants to face one's own inner self.”

– Michel de Montaigne

When you’re getting to know yourself, remember to not be too hard on yourself. It’s also important to recognize when you’re focused on who you think you should be rather than who you are. Instead of judging the thoughts and feelings that come up, realize that finding the truth of who you are is the most important thing.

The more you are in touch with who you are and what you want out of life, the less likely you will be to let other people’s opinions bother you. Even if you do find yourself caring about what people think way too much, you’ll always be able to return to your inner resources and stay on your chosen path.

Identify Your Core Values

What are your values? What are the underlying principles you hold that dictate your sense of what is important in life? What are the core ideas that are driving you to do what you do day in and day out?

If you have no idea, don’t worry. It’s possible that by discovering what your values are, you will be much less likely to care about what others think about you.

“If an action or utterance is appropriate, then it’s appropriate for you. Don’t be put off by other people’s comments and criticism. If it’s right to say or do it, then it’s the right thing for you to do or say.”

– Marcus Aurelius

If you start to look into the concept of values in ethics and social sciences, it can start to make your head spin. There is some debate about whether some ideas that are considered values are intrinsic while others are better classified as vices or virtues. Don’t get too caught up in this level of thinking when you’re starting out– instead, just focus on the ideas that you believe are important and that inform the decisions you make.

Some examples of personal values, in no particular order, are:

  • Loyalty
  • Family
  • Empathy
  • Integrity
  • Compassion
  • Humility
  • Self-reliance
  • Honesty
  • Generosity
  • Altruism
  • Freedom
  • Gratitude
  • Courage
  • Wisdom
  • Patience
  • Dependability
  • Open-mindedness
  • Personal growth
  • Frugality
  • Flexibility
  • Self-responsibility

We all pick up values along the road in life, whether we realize it or not. Maybe you have values that you learned from your religious faith, your parents, your community, or your culture. Maybe some of your values developed during your own path of personal growth.

man jumping with courage knows his values and doesn't care what others think
Values-- like courage-- can be instilled in us by our culture, religion, community, and family. We can also deliberately cultivate values and overcome vices through careful attention and practice.

When you’re making a list of your values, try not to censor yourself too much.

Don’t write down the values you think you should have, write down the values you feel really guide you. If there is a discrepancy between your values and how you act, this is a great way to discover it and begin a new, exciting process of growth.

When you have a sense of your values, you basically possess a map that you can carry with you through life. This can be of tremendous benefit to you if you feel that you care too much about what others think of you.

If someone expresses a negative opinion about you or accuses you of doing something wrong, you can simply refer to this map.

Are you acting based on the values you believe in? If not, you can be grateful to the person for helping you realize that you’ve wandered off your desired path. If you are, though, you have a lot more mental strength to not be bothered by criticism or judgment.

Learn to Take Ownership of Your Feelings

You might think that caring what other people think is a sign of a selfless, humble person.

In reality, though, it can also be a symptom of not taking responsibility for your own thoughts and feelings.

When you obsess over what people think and let their opinions dictate your life, you're essentially letting them live rent-free in your head.

smiley faces in a box not caring what people think
Taking responsibility for your own thoughts, feelings, and perspectives can help you overcome the urge to care too much about what other people think.

You don't have control over what people say about you. What you do have control over is how you react to the negative, baseless, or unflattering opinions of others.

"You have power over your own mind - not over events. Realize this, and you will find strength."

Marcus Aurelius

From a Stoic standpoint, you'll want to learn to accept things you can't control and focus on the things you can control.

What other people say, do, or think isn't something you have direct power to change. What you can control are your mindset, reactions, attitude, opinions, and beliefs. You can control your own mind, and if you succeed in doing so, you will change your life.

Stop Trying to Be Perfect

It's great to aim high in life, but being a perfectionist can seriously hold you back. What is perfection, anyway? Whose definition of perfection are you using?

“Some people say you are going the wrong way, when it’s simply a way of your own.”

— Angelina Jolie

If you care too much about what other people think, it can mean you do everything in your power to not be seen in a negative light. While it might feel nice for our ego to never have anyone witness us make a mistake, mistakes are how we learn, grow, and mature.

"The perfect is the enemy of the good."

— Voltaire

When we focus too much on being perfect, we can value the feedback we receive from others far more than our own personal growth. If we're more concerned with avoiding failure than bettering ourselves, we're seriously holding ourselves back. In the words of Theodore Roosevelt, "the only man who makes no mistakes is the man who never does anything."

Escape the Affirmation Cycle

The affirmation cycle is something that pretty much everyone gets caught up in at some point in their lives. Some people even spend their entire lives there.

No, I’m not talking about the New Age sense of affirmations where you say positive things to yourself every day to achieve success in life.

I’m talking about the affirmation and approval that we seek and receive from others throughout our lives. Maybe you received validation for being good at sports, creatively talented, or for getting good grades. Maybe it's for your looks or personality.

It’s all too easy to get addicted to receiving the approval of others, so much so that you let the expectations and opinions of others rule you’re entire life.

On the other hand, maybe you didn’t receive enough affirmation in your life. Maybe you were constantly seeking the approval of your parents or another authority figure, always to be left hanging. This can keep you scrambling for pats on the back in your life, rather than fulfilling your own goals and purposes.

When you are so focused on receiving affirmation and validation from other people, you tend to:

  • Feel anxious about leaving your comfort zone
  • Avoid doing things that matter to you because you are worried about what others will think
  • Burn time and energy concerned about what other people expect from you
  • Reject opportunities that could be growth experiences because you’re afraid of failing and not receiving the affirmation you need

It is, sadly, possible to go through one’s entire life without ever really getting in touch with the inner self, the true self. It is possible to only be concerned with what other people think is good, what other people want, and what other people give you validation for. This is a terrifying premise, to me at least, and I expect that it is to you, too.

Realize You Can’t Control the Opinions of Others

It’s natural to want to have control over our lives. The reality is, though, that a lot of the things we encounter are completely out of our control.

girl with hands on her head looking out window thinking about other peoples opinions
Trying to control the way that other people see you is an easy way to drive yourself mad, and you have to accept that what other people think is ultimately out of your control.

If you’re a student of Stoicism, this is probably an idea you’re familiar with. If you aren’t, stick with me for a minute.

Your entire life can change if you start to distinguish between the things you can control and the things you don’t have control over. It might seem distressing at first to accept that there are things you can’t control. After all, if you don’t have any sway over what happens, isn’t life just chaos?

If you sit with this idea for a while, though, it can be incredibly liberating.

According to Epictetus, one of the great ancient Stoic philosophers (and a slave for the first chunk of his life), we have control over very little. We don’t have control over:

  • External events that affect us
  • What other people say or do
  • Our own bodies
  • Our property

That’s right– not even our bodies are fully under our control.

You might be wondering, what does this even leave for us to have control over?

The answer: our opinions, our thoughts, our desires, our aversions, and our own actions.

That’s right. You have control over how you think and feel. You have control over how you react to the things that happen to you. You have control over what you do and do not do.

What that means is that other people don’t have control over how you think or feel.

This is one of the most powerful ways to stop caring what other people think about you.

You don’t have to let other people’s opinions get under your skin or make you feel unworthy. You don’t have to let your imagination of what other people will think dictate what you think, believe, and do.

At the same time, this way of thinking can help you realize that other people are just as in control of their own thoughts and actions as you are. The more you value the freedom you have in controlling your own opinions and behavior, the more you will respect that same freedom in other people.

If you contemplate this idea frequently and incorporate it into your daily life, you’ll realize that your entire mentality shifts. Seriously– it’s a game-changer.

Don’t Assume You Know What People Think

Have you ever had anyone assume they know how you’re feeling and what you’re thinking in a way that was totally off-base? Of course, we can sometimes glean a general idea of what others are thinking without them saying anything– body language, facial expressions, and general vibes are also incredibly communicative.

two people whispering while a third looks back at them from bench worried what they think
It's possible to get all wrapped up in the opinions you assume other people have when you're actually completely off-base. This means you're simply subjecting yourself to unnecessary anxiety and pouring your energy in a completely futile direction.

That being said, it can be pretty annoying when other people make assumptions about where you’re coming from when you haven’t told them what you’re thinking. When you expect other people are judging you, you are guilty of the exact same thing.

In the same way that other people don’t always know what you’re thinking, you can’t know with certainty what other people are thinking.

If you’re walking around with the idea that everyone is judging you, making fun of you, or otherwise belittling you in their minds, there’s a good chance that you’re completely missing the mark.

When you zoom out on this illustration it’s pretty remarkable. Picture yourself walking around a grocery store, for example, with thought bubbles that are wholly concerned with what other people are thinking. All the other people in the store have their own thought bubbles, that are fairly benign and completely unrelated to you.

Seems kind of silly, doesn’t it?

That’s usually what’s happening when you assume you know what people think.

Remember How Much You Think About Yourself

We think about ourselves a lot. According to an article from Scientific American, people spend 60% of conversations talking about themselves, on average. When communicating on social media platforms, 80% of communication is just people talking about themselves.

woman on couch looking in mirror thinking about herself
We all spend a lot of time thinking about ourselves, which means that other people likely aren't thinking about us nearly as much as we expect.

If we spend this much time talking about ourselves to other people, one can only imagine how much time we spend thinking about ourselves.

“You probably wouldn’t worry about what people think of you if you could know how seldom they do.”

― Eleanor Roosevelt

Sometimes, we can get caught in cycles where we are super self-conscious of who we are, what we look like, and everything about us. We go to a party and are consumed with the idea that everyone is paying attention to us. Our hearts start pounding and our mind is racing, obsessing over the fact that everyone is talking about just how lame we are.

What’s most likely happening, though, is that almost no one is thinking about you. I don’t mean this to be mean– it’s not that you don’t matter. If you can realize how much time you spend focusing on yourself, though, it can give you a window into what everyone else is most likely thinking about: themselves.

Why waste your time worrying about what others think when they might not be thinking about you at all? If we’re all just walking around thinking about ourselves most of the time, why not use that time productively? And that brings me to my next section… understanding the opportunity cost of caring about what other people think.

Understand the Opportunity Cost

When you spend time thinking about something, you are (consciously or unconsciously) choosing to focus on that topic rather than absolutely everything else you could be thinking about or doing.

The truth is that our time is limited. We only have so many hours in the day and we all have only so many days in our lives.

“Don’t waste the rest of your life worrying about others — unless it is for some mutual benefit. The time you spend wondering what so-and-so is doing, saying, thinking or plotting is the time that’s lost for some other task.”

— Marcus Aurelius

Every time you think about what people would think if you wore that outfit, quit your job, or started a band, you are doing so at the expense of every other possibility in the universe.

At the same time, you’re pouring your energy into these topics in a way that most likely impedes your growth. What if you took that energy and put it elsewhere? What if you took that energy and put it toward something you actually had control over-- like who you are, what you accomplish, and what your life is like?

Practice Self-Care and Self-Acceptance

In order to not care what other people think, a few things are necessary.

man laying in hammock at dusk outside taking care of himself
Being honest with yourself about your mistakes and weak points is an important part of personal growth, but you also need to practice self-care and self-acceptance.

You need to believe in yourself. You need to trust yourself. You need to take care of yourself.

You need to accept yourself.

When you have these tools in your arsenal, you're much less likely to get completely bowled over when someone expresses negative opinions about you. You can't control other people, but you can control how you feel about yourself. The truth is, the more you do in life, the more criticism you will receive no matter how selfless or genius your actions.

“There is only one way to avoid criticism: do nothing, say nothing, and be nothing.”

― Aristotle

Accepting yourself isn't easy, but with dedicated self-work and attention, it's possible.

Don’t Necessarily View All Opinions Equally

We are all connected to hundreds or even thousands of people through our family, friends, school, work, and social media. When you find yourself fixated on the opinions of other people, it’s important to ask yourself who this person is and why their opinion matters to you.

“Who are these people that you want to be admired by? Aren’t they the same ones whom you used to call crazy? Well, then, do you want to be admired by madmen?”

– Epictetus

You'll also want to distinguish between actual feedback and the anxious ramblings of your own mind-- i.e., did someone actually give you their opinion, or are you just letting your imagination run wild?

It’s possible that someone's opinion does matter to you. Maybe you are receiving constructive feedback from your grandfather about a life decision you are making, and you have learned to trust and respect his opinion over the years. If this is the case, you might find that learning what other people think about you is incredibly valuable and useful to your life and growth as a person.

On the other hand, maybe you are feeling judged by someone that you basically don’t know at all. Should you let this person live rent-free in your mind? Why would you let their opinion impact your life at all?

It’s not that you should necessarily go through life completely unwilling to entertain what other people think about you. Sometimes, people have useful feedback that can legitimately change your life. No one is perfect, and sometimes we need some help from the outside.

But you also shouldn’t go through life trying to win validation from people you don’t actually know, care about, or respect. There are plenty of things to concern yourself with in life, but the snarky comment that girl you knew in middle school left on your Instagram photo probably isn’t one of them.

Distance Yourself From People That Only Judge

Have you ever heard the Jim Rohn quote that “you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with”?

good friends around campfire
Having a close group of friends can be a huge asset and a source of joy in life. If your friends seem to always want to bring you down, though, it might be time for a change in scenery.

Depending on your social circle right now, this thought might be absolutely terrifying. The reality is that we are a lot more influenced by the people that we know than we might want to admit.

If you find that you care too much about what other people think, it’s possible that it’s all in your head. On the other hand, it’s also possible that you’re around people that are constantly judging you, criticizing you, and pulling you down.

Are the people you’re around disrespectful to you and not supportive of you? Do you feel more beaten down than lifted up by your friends? If so, it might be time for a change of scene.

Get Off of Social Media

According to the Pew Research Center, about two-thirds of Americans say that social media has “a mostly negative effect on the way things are going in the country today.”

Social media has also been found to be a “significant contributor” to stress, anxiety, and low mood. On top of that, several studies have linked social media use with a greater risk for depression, and research has also found that people that use social media often are more likely to have sleep troubles.

couple hugging on beach looking at smart phones caring too much what others think
Social media has revolutionized how we relate to one another, and not necessarily for the better.

The list of negatives about social media goes on and on. Studies have found that social media sites make “more than half of users feel inadequate” according to one survey and that looking at other people’s selfies is correlated with lower self-esteem.

Another study found that the more time people spent on Facebook, the more their life satisfaction declined over time and the worse they would feel later on in the same day.

Think that’s all the bad news about social media? Not at all. Studies have found that social media can have a negative impact on relationships, can instigate feelings of frustration driven by envy, and make people feel more lonely.

“Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice.”

– Steve Jobs

Don’t get me wrong– there are definitely some incredible things about social media. It’s a truly powerful tool that can be used to connect people across geographic barriers, teach you about things you never would have learned about otherwise, and provide valuable and meaningful entertainment. You can use your social media as a marketing tool for your business that allows you to reach way more people than you could without these platforms.

However, many of us aren’t very conscious about how we’re using social media. It’s easy to just grab your phone and start scrolling whenever you have a free minute or otherwise don’t know what to do with yourself.

It’s amazing how much time can be spent staring at our phones and taking in information that is not particularly useful or interesting to us.

When you look at the increasingly large number of studies that have been done about social media and mental health, it implies that we might want to step back individually and as a society and learn to be more conscious of our social media use.

After all, we only have so much time in our lives.

Do you want to look back on your life when you’re old and realize you spent a good chunk of it staring at other people’s selfies?

Let’s face it: social media can make us feel terrible about ourselves. It can leave us comparing ourselves to the carefully curated images of other people, that more often than not don’t even really reflect their lives.

It can also create pressure within us to produce an online personality that is accepted, affirmed, and validated by other people. It is all too possible to put almost all of your energy every day towards carefully orchestrating the persona we project online.

At the end of the day, this activity comes down to caring way too much about what others think. We look at social media and we judge others, we look at social media and we feel judged by others. This aspect of the relatively new social phenomenon isn’t healthy for anyone.

If you feel like you care way too much about what other people think, try staying off social media for a week. Heck, try staying off it for a day. There’s a good chance you’ll find a lot of benefits in logging off and focusing on yourself and doing something else with your time.

Curate Your Media Intake

In our hyperconnected world, it's easy to never spend any time with your own thoughts. If you're always plugged into the opinions of others without spending any time with your own, you're much more likely to fixate on what other people think.

Remember, you have control over how you spend your time and what you spend your time thinking about. If you feel like you care too much about what people think, try to pull back on how much content and media you consume. If the media you're consuming is garbage and you know it, find your self-control and stop.

A terrifying number of people spend most of their free time mindlessly consuming content without balancing this out with productive self-growth activities or working to achieve goals.

If you're all wrapped up in what other people are saying, it might be time to log off and recenter.

Lead a Growth-Oriented Life

If you think life is about impressing other people, you probably won't realize one of the most profound truths of life: mistakes are how you learn and challenges are opportunities for growth.

sprout growing out of bark representing growth oriented mindset
Cultivating a growth-oriented mindset means that you understand that mistakes, obstacles, and adversity are essential learning experiences in your path to becoming your best self.

Do you want to grow? Do you want to become the best possible version of yourself before you die?

If you answered yes to these questions, it means you have (or aspire to have) a growth-oriented mindset rather than a fixed mindset. A growth-oriented mindset means you aren't afraid of mistakes or obstacles-- in fact, you welcome them as ways to learn, grow, change, and become your best self.

“One day, in retrospect, the years of struggle will strike you as the most beautiful.”

― Sigmund Freud

I've had a lot of setbacks in my life that were actually golden opportunities.

Years ago, I almost gave up and sold my blog when it wasn't taking off. It was easy to feel like a failure, to feel like other people would judge me for my unsuccessful venture.

“Adversity causes some men to break; others to break records.”

– William Arthur Ward

Luckily, I didn't let my fear of what other people thought dictate my actions.

Instead of throwing in the towel, I doubled down. In less than ninety days, the blog made a million dollars.

Here's another example: In 2011 I lost everything when Google changed its algorithm basically overnight.

I could have spent my time feeling ashamed that my project had failed. I could have gotten all caught up in what my friends and family might think, or even about the opinions of random strangers.

But I didn't.

Instead, I put my nose to the grindstone. I rebuilt from the ground up. Just four short years later, I was able to retire a multi-millionaire.

I'm not trying to brag. The point is to show that your choice to have a growth-oriented mindset or a fixed mindset can have a very well impact on your life.

Scrutinize Your Own Opinions and Beliefs

The journey to being your best self is a fascinating one– you both have to practice self-acceptance while also constantly scrutinizing your own opinions and beliefs. You have to, at once, believe in yourself and doubt yourself.

A lot of this advice so far has been about the fact that you shouldn’t let other people’s opinions bring you down or dictate your life.

At the same time, though, none of us are perfect. We make mistakes, we hold opinions we haven’t thought through, and we act from beliefs we don’t understand in ways that contradict the values we want to hold.

One of the worst things that you can do in life is be unwilling to question your own opinions.

Sometimes, we can believe that our thoughts, beliefs, and opinions are so central to our identity that we assume we wouldn’t know who we were if we changed them. In reality, though, if we are unwilling to question the contents of our own minds, we can get stuck in our ways and close ourselves off from opportunities in life.

Sadly, some people get trapped believing that the personality they picked up somewhere around middle school is fixed, and they don’t let themselves grow because they are too afraid to doubt themselves.

Learning how to change your mind is a huge asset to living a fulfilling life.

It can also make you more forgiving of other people because you recognize that the perspectives they hold now might not be the same as those they hold in a few months, years, or decades. At the same time, it helps you learn to forgive yourself and recognize that every time you’ve thoughtfully changed your mind, you’ve grown a little.

Get Out There and Do Something

It is all too easy to get stuck in your own head. You can spend hours, days, weeks, or an entire life laying around worrying about what other people think.

Concerning yourself with the opinions of others can be paralyzing, as it can make you question everything you do. The less you do and the more you stay in your head, though, the more intense this cycle can get.

If you feel like you care way too much about what others think, get out there and do something. Anything.

man running aross frozen lake doing something to escape anxiety about what others think
If you're too worried about what other people think, it might be time to stop thinking and go do something.

Exercise can be an awesome way to get the right brain chemicals flowing and burn off all of those self-conscious anxieties. Go for a run or a walk, hop on your bike, do some yoga, put on some music and dance, play tennis, shoot some hoops– it doesn’t matter. You might just find that moving around has a huge impact on your tendency to focus too much on what others think.

You can also take up some new hobbies or activities that you find enjoyable. Do something that you wouldn’t normally do for fear of what people would think. Whether it's starting a business, going to a concert alone, or writing a book, there is tremendous value in self-directed action.

Go have fun– you only live once! If other people want to give you a hard time for what you’re doing, that’s their problem, not yours.

Accept That You Can’t Please Everyone

There are people out there that absolutely despise Mother Theresa and the Dalai Lama. Long story short, no matter who you are, you absolutely cannot make everyone happy, no matter how hard you try. As it was once said, “the key to failure is trying to please everyone.”

This can be a hard pill to swallow if you’ve always been a people pleaser. If you run around your whole life, though, simply trying to make everyone happy and ensuring that no one is ever mad at you, you’re going to drive yourself mad. At the same time, you won’t get to do the things in life that really matter to you.

“You can’t be an important and life-changing presence for some people without also being a joke and an embarrassment to others.”

– Mark Manson

If you feel the urge to change who you are to make someone else happy or say something you don’t believe to please another person, stop and take a step back. Ask yourself why you would let this singular other person take control over how you are feeling. Consider the fact that you are totally free to separate how the person thinks about you from your own sense of self-worth.

No matter who you are, no matter how much good you do in the world, there are people that will criticize you. In fact, the more of a stand you take in life, the more opposition you will face. This is, for better or for worse, just a part of the deal of being a person.

The reality is, though, that we are all individually responsible for our own happiness. You can’t make someone else happy.

From this perspective, all we can do is try to be the best people we can be and hope that others do the same. If you encounter some perpetually disappointed people along the way, (which you surely will,) it’s essential to find a way to accept that you simply can’t please everyone.

“Do not fear to be eccentric in opinion, for every opinion now accepted was once eccentric.”

– Bertrand Russell

As a final point, don't let the fear of being "weird" keep you from being your true self. Being normal is boring anyway.

Get Out in Nature

We are human, and it’s easy to get caught up in the human world. If you are actively feeling overwhelmed by what other people think of you, get out of your house and get out in nature.

man in forest learning to stop caring what others think
Spending time in nature has a ton of mental health benefits. On top of that, it can help you get a better perspective on your life that is priceless in your journey to stop caring what other people think.

“If words control you, that means everyone else can control you. Breathe and allow things to pass.”

– Warren Buffett

Whether you head to your local nature path or you take a drive to a nearby mountain, there’s nothing better than spending some time with mother nature to help you gain some perspective.

You might just find that the things you've been fixating on don't really matter that much in the big picture, and help you remember or get in touch with your larger purposes.

Imagine Yourself at the End of Life

We don’t like to think about death in our culture, but that doesn’t change the fact that every single one of us will die someday.

If you find that you’re so concerned with what others think that it’s holding you back from living your life, you might want to try out a practice known as memento mori. Latin for “remember that you [have to] die,” the ancient Stoic philosophers were particularly notable for their use of this discipline.

pile of skulls memento mori to stop caring what others think
Purposefully meditating on your own death can give you a new lease on life and put the opinions of other people in perspective.

When you contemplate the fact that you will die, it can change your entire perspective on life. All of a sudden, the fact that people might make fun of you if you start that YouTube channel or quit your job to pursue your dream business stops being so important.

One particularly useful practice is to imagine yourself on your deathbed at the end of your life. As you're laying there and reflecting on the life you lived, what do you want to know you have done? What would you regret not having done?

This can be a great way to re-orient yourself when you’ve let yourself get pulled away by other people’s ideas, opinions, thoughts, and desires. The more you practice this discipline, the more you won’t let the passing judgments of others affect your ability to live your best life.

Start a Journal

Are you totally consumed with what other people think, even anonymous posters online? To cut through the noise, start a journal.

woman with journal and coffee learning to get over what others think
Journalling can help reduce stress, help you get to know yourself, and give you perspective on your life.

This is a great way to get to know your own thoughts and make sense of your feelings, experiences, beliefs, and life.

Are you finding yourself fixating on what other people think? No problem. Start writing in your journal and reconnect with yourself. You'll likely find whatever is being said doesn't matter much at all in the grand scheme of who you are and what you want to accomplish.

Don't Worry About the Joneses

I've written about how consumerism is the ultimate emotional scam in the past. If your primary concern is the thoughts of other people, you're on a fast track to getting caught up in social status in material wealth instead of the things that really matter in life.

Moving beyond a fixation on keeping up with the Joneses is essential if you want to really stop caring what other people think.

In fact, even if you have the wealth to show off your status with luxury experiences and flashy stuff, there are a lot of reasons why keeping your wealth a secret is the better road.

Recognize the Seasons of Life

If you search on Reddit for “how to not care what other people think about you,” a surprising answer pops up over and over again.

“Get older,” they say.

There is some truth to this. Life consists of many seasons, and we tend to care more about what people think about us when we are younger. That being said, there are plenty of people that are closer to death than birth who are completely consumed with pleasing other people and receiving validation from everyone but themselves.

“We cling to our own point of view, as though everything depended on it. Yet our opinions have no permanence; like autumn and winter, they gradually pass away.”

– Zhuangzi

Getting some perspective on the fact that there are different phases to our lives can help if you feel you simply can’t let go of other people’s opinions.

Work on getting in touch with yourself, practice being self-aware of your own thoughts and feelings, and try to identify what your goals and purposes are. If you can do these things and let time pass, you’ll wake up one day and realize that you don’t spend nearly as much time focusing on other people’s opinions.

Take Yourself and Your Own Life Seriously

Don't let people convince you that what you do in your own life doesn't matter. Don't let the people you're around convince you that you should "stay in your lane" or that your goals are pipedreams.

Take yourself seriously. When you do this, other people take you seriously, too.

“Lend yourself to others, but give yourself to yourself.”

– Michel de Montaigne

If you don't take your life seriously, you probably won't live a life that you're proud of. You might get in the habit of sabotaging yourself and even resenting people that do take themselves seriously.

That's no way to live.

"Make the most of yourself, for that is all there is of you."

– Ralph Waldo Emerson

Remember, you are the only person in the entire universe that can make your life what you want it to be. So take it seriously and don't pay any mind to people that give you slack for doing so.

Stop Comparing Yourself to Others

Social media makes it easy to constantly compare yourself to the carefully curated personas of other people.

“Do not overrate what you have received, nor envy others. He who envies others does not obtain peace of mind.”

– Buddha

When we compare ourselves to others too much it can destroy our self-esteem and make us focus too much on what others think. Instead of envying others for what they have accomplished, turn envy into appreciation and use it as motivation and inspiration to be who you want to be.

“Appreciation is a wonderful thing: It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well.”

– Voltaire

Rather than comparing yourself to other people, compare the person you are today with the person you were yesterday. Personal growth is a slow, steady hike-- it's a marathon, not a sprint. As long as you're making progress one day at a time, you're on the right path.

Focus on Curiosity and Practice Gratitude

Instead of being defensive when you receive negative feedback, be curious. This won't just help you build more meaningful relationships with the people you're close to, but it can also mean that you could gain some valuable information that could benefit your growth as a person.

There's a lot of talk these days about the benefits of practicing gratitude, and for a good reason-- it works.

When you arise in the morning think of what a privilege it is to be alive, to think, to enjoy, to love.

– Marcus Aurelius

monk praying in beautiful landscape
Focusing on gratitude can help your concerns about what other people are thinking melt away.

Focusing on what you're grateful for rather than what you don't have can help you stay centered in yourself rather than focusing on the opinions of others.

Learn to Forgive

We all make mistakes. Sometimes, we make big, life-changing mistakes. Maybe your little mishap has become the talk of the town.

It can be hard to forgive yourself when this happens, and it isn't necessarily an overnight process. No matter how big or small the mistake that is weighing on your mind, this is the perfect time to turn inward and find the piece of gold hidden in the experience.

"Every difficulty in life presents us with an opportunity to turn inward and to invoke our own inner resources. The trails we endure can and should introduce us to our strengths."

– Epictetus

Instead of putting all of the value on what other people are saying, reconnect with yourself, learn what you can, and learn to forgive.

Final Thoughts

Letting go of what other people think about you isn't easy, and it can take time to break the habit of fixating on the opinions of others. With attention, effort, and time, though, you can refocus on yourself and stop caring about what other people think about you. The sooner you can shed your fixation on other peoples' opinions, the sooner you can start pursuing your deepest goals and purposes.

So, who am I to be telling you how to stop caring about what people think? You can learn more about me and my projects here.

Have you heard the story of Jim Thorpe?

Not only was he the first Native American to win gold at the Olympics, but he's easily one of the most athletic human beings in history. He didn't just dominate at the 1912 Olympics with minimal training, but he obliterated nearly every sport he tried. During his unbelievable career, he played professional football... and professional baseball... and professional basketball.

Jim Thorpe's story is the story of a man overcoming utterly impossible obstacles in such a way that it seemed almost easy. He had to overcome personal tragedy, unbelievable racism, sabotaging teammates, and the death of multiple family members - including his mother - when he was a child. But he still overcame.

In his legendary 1912 Olympic events, someone stole his shoes - so he simply found two mismatched shoes in the garbage. One was too big and one was too small. Oh, and he still won gold. And then set several records, which you'll learn about later in this essay. The man was essentially unstoppable.

Jim Thorpe is a personal hero of mine and, I believe, the greatest athlete to have ever lived.

Who Was Jim Thorpe?

Jim Thorpe was a legendary Native American athlete who dominated the 1912 Olympics, winning gold. He also played professional football, professional baseball, and professional basketball.

Jim Thorpe: One of the Greatest Athletes of All Time

When you think of the greatest athletes of all time a few names likely come to mind. Michael Jordan, Muhammad Ali, Wayne Gretzky,  and Babe Ruth are some of the world's most famous and skilled athletes and consistently land in the top five when listing out the greatest athletes ever.

Another name that frequents these lists is Jim Thorpe. While his name might not be recognizable to the average American anymore, he was once a household name across the country. I think it's time Thorpe made a comeback. If you want to remember people for their athletic accomplishments, then everyone should know his name and story.

Sketch of Jim Thorpe by Robert Edgren
Jim Thorpe as drawn by the cartoon Robert Edgren in 1922.

Unlike the other legends listed above, Thorpe didn't just excel in one particular sport. When you're talking about who the greatest multi-sport, all-around athlete is, most people would tell you that the answer is undoubtedly Jim Thorpe.

Sure, there are some other incredibly talented multi-sport athletes out there and men with remarkably versatile skills. Deoin Sanders, Carl Lewis, Wilt Chamberlain, and Jim Brown come to mind.

But Thorpe was in a league of his own.

He won the gold in the 1912 Olympic Games in both the pentathlon and the decathlon-- both of which are multi-event games that show his ridiculous versatility.

He didn't stop there, though. He played major league baseball for seven years, professional football for 13 years, and professional basketball for at least two years.

It's really difficult to say which sport Thorpe is best known for.

He was an All-Pro back as a professional football player. He kept the Olympic record for his points total for two decades after winning eight of the fifteen individual events of the decathlon and pentathlon.

As a basketball player, Thorpe displayed his abilities barnstorming all over the country. While his baseball numbers weren't statistically outrageous, the fact that he was able to compete at the highest level of the game certainly says something.

Basically, Thorpe could play any sport he tried with ease. He is a true sports legend and an American icon.

The Story of the Stolen Shoes

If you've ever come across a social media post about Jim Thorpe, there's a good chance it was accompanied by this picture of the legend during the 1912 Olympic Games:

Jim Thorpe 1912 Olympics mismatched shoes
Jim Thorpe at the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm, Sweden

Why, you ask?

Look at his feet-- he's wearing two different shoes.

When this photo was taken, Thorpe had already crushed the field in the pentathlon, placing first in four of the five events. During the 1,500-meter run, he left his opponents in the dust, beating the man in second place by nearly five seconds.

The next week, it was time for him to compete in the decathlon which occurred over the course of three days.

In the pouring rain, Thorpe ran an 11.2-second 100-meter dash. No one was able to match that time at the Olympics until 1948.

Sometime after this event, just about the worst thing that can happen to a track and field athlete during the Olympics happened-- his shoes went missing.

Some accounts say that his shoes were missing on the second day of the decathlon. Others say that they disappeared a few minutes before the 1500-meter race portion of the decathlon was about to begin.

There are a lot of different theories about what exactly happened here-- who took Thorpe's shoes? Why were they missing? Had they been stolen?

Bob Wheeler, the author of the biography Jim Thorpe: The World's Greatest Athlete and the founder of the Jim Thorpe Foundation, believes that it was right before the 1500-meter race that his shoes went missing. He is a fairly credible source, considering that he conducted more than 200 interviews with teammates, friends, and family members of Jim Thorpe while writing his 1979 biography.

According to Wheeler, the story goes like this:

A few minutes between the decathlon's 1500-meter race, Thorpe's shoes were nowhere to be found. One of his teammates gave him one shoe to borrow. The second shoe? He found it in the garbage.

Not only was he wearing two mismatched shoes, but one of them was way too big for his foot and one of them was way too small.

The solution?

Thorpe squeezed his foot into the small shoe and wore extra socks on one of his feet to make the shoe fit better.

Most of us would whine and complain if we had to walk around in a too-big shoe and a too-small shoe for ten minutes at the grocery store.

Thorpe didn't just go out and compete against the world's greatest decathletes in the 1500 meters with mismatched shoes that didn't fit. He went out and won.

This is a timeless story that has a powerful message more than one hundred years later. It says never give up. Never quit. Never let obstacles stop you from attaining greatness.

Jim Thorpe and the King of Sweden

Thorpe was the winner of the final event of the Olympic Games--  the 1500 meter (it's worth noting that Thorpe ran the 1500 meter twice during the Games, once for the pentathlon and once for the decathlon. He smoked the competition both times.)

JIm Thorpe running at the 1912 Olympics
Jim Thorpe running at the 1912 Olympics.

Each gold medalist was crowned with a laurel wreath as they came up to receive their medals by King Gustav of Sweden.

According to the New York Times, the crowd gave a "great burst of cheers led by the King" when Thorpe received his pentathlon gold.

For his decathlon performance, Thorpe wasn't just given his medal. He also received a bust of the king and a Viking ship-shaped jewel-encrusted chalice.

King Gustav of Sweden grabbed Thorpe's hand firmly and said, his voice shaking with emotion:

"Sir, you are the greatest athlete in the world."

What did Thorpe say in response?

"Thanks, King."

The Biography of Jim Thorpe

The Early Years

There is a lot we don’t know for certain about the beginning of Jim Thorpe’s life.

While it’s known that he was born in Indian Territory that would later be known as the state of Oklahoma, and he was baptized as “Jacobus Franciscus Thorpe” in the Catholic Church, no birth certificate was ever found for the American hero.

Map of the Indian and Oklahoma Territories in 1891
When Jim Thorpe won gold at the Olympics, he wasn't even considered a US citizen. This is a map of the Indian and Oklahoma Territories from 1892.

Most biographers believe that Thorpe was born near the town of Prague on May 22, 1887, which is the date that is listed on his baptismal certificate.  However, Thorpe himself once said his birthday was May 28, 1888, in a note to The Shawnee News-Star in 1943. He also said that he was born:

“...Near and south of Bellemont– Pottawatomie County– along the banks of the North Fork River… hope this will clear up inquiries to my birthplace.”

Jim Thorpe grew up fishing, hunting, and learning from elders in what is now central Oklahoma, but what was, at the time, Sac and Fox land. He also played sports growing up, with baseball being an early favorite.

Jim Thorpe’s Parents

Both the parents of Jim Thorpe were of mixed-race ancestry. Hiram Thorpe, his father, was born to a Sac and Fox Indian mother and an Irish father. Charlotte Vieux, his mother, was born to a Potawatomi mother (descended from Chief Louis Vieux) and a French father.

According to popular legend, Jim Thorpe is a descendant of the infamous warrior Chief Black Hawk.

Cheif Black Hawk ancestor of Jim Thorpe
Jim Thorpe is believed to be descended from the famous Sauk leader Chief Black Hawk.

The autobiography of Black Hawk, entitled Autobiography of Ma-Ka-Tai-Me-She-Kia-Kiak, or Black Hawk, Embracing the Traditions of his Nation, was the first Native American autobiography that was published in the United States.

“I am no more proud of my career as an athlete than I am of the fact that I am a direct descendant of that noble warrior [Chief Black Hawk].” – Jim Thorpe

Life as a Sac and Fox Indian and His School Years

The native name of Jim Thorpe was Wa-Tho-Huk, which can be translated to mean “path lit by great flash of lightning,” or, more succinctly, “Bright Path.”

Raised as a Sac and Fox Indian, Thorpe’s native name comes from the fact that the path that led to the cabin where he was born was brightened by lightening around the time of his birth. This was custom for the Sac and Fox, who named their people something that happened near birth time.

Sac and Fox Bark House, JIm Thorpe was raised as a Sac and Fox Native American
A Sac and Fox bark house from somewhere between 1885 and 1900.

Thorpe had a twin brother named Charlie, and the two of them attended the Sac and Fox Indian Agency school in Stroud. Sadly, Charlie died of pneumonia when the boys were nine.

It is known that Thorpe ran away from the school he attended a number of times. Eventually, he was sent to an Indian boarding school (the Haskell Institute in Lawrence, Kansas) by his father. The reason he was sent away? So he would stop running away.

His life was struck by tragedy again when his mother died of complications during childbirth just two years after Thorpe was sent to the Haskell Institute. Understandably, he was left deeply depressed by the death of his mother. After getting into fight after fight with his father, Thorpe decided to leave home in order to work on a horse ranch.

When Thorpe was about sixteen in 1904, he went back to see his father again. He decided to go to the flagship Indian boarding school in the U.S. during the time– Carlisle Indian Industrial School in Carlisle, Pennsylvania. This school was founded in 1879 with the purpose of training Indians for hands-on trades and assimilating them into mainstream culture.

Jim Thorpe at Carlisle Indian Industrial School in 1912
Jim Thorpe in 1912 as a part of the Carlisle Indian School Track Team

It was during this time that Thorpe’s incredible athletic ability was first recognized.

He was coached by one of the most influential coaches of early American football– Glenn Scobey “Pop” Warner.

Soon thereafter, Thorpe’s father died from gangrene poisoning after a hunting accident. This left the young man an orphan, and he dropped out of school once again. Before later returning to the Carlisle School, Thorpe spent another few years working on farms.

Amateur Athletic Career

The College Years

In 1907, In his third year at the school, Thorpe wandered by track and field practice and easily cleared a 5’9” high jump bar wearing his heavy overalls. In his plain street clothes, he beat all of the school’s high jumpers.

Jim Thorpe around 1910
Jim Thorpe circa 1910

He didn’t just impress people with his athletic abilities in track and field, though. During this time, he also competed in:

  • Lacrosse
  • Baseball
  • Football
  • Ballroom dancing

That's right– ballroom dancing. In fact, he won the 1912 intercollegiate ballroom dancing championship.

Though Pop Warner was reluctant to let his best track and field athlete play the intensely physical sport of football, Thorpe convinced him to let him attend practice and try some rushing plays against the school’s defensive team.

Warner permitted this, figuring that Thorpe would quickly give up the idea after being tackled easily.

Of course, that never happened. Instead, Thorpe “ran around past and through them not once, but twice.” After his impressive display, Thorpe flipped Warner the football while saying that “Nobody is going to tackle Jim.”

Jim Thorpe tackling a dummy with Coach Glenn Pop Warner
Jim Thorpe tackling a dummy made of pulley and weights on wire with Coach Glenn "Pop" Warner, 1912

It was in 1911 that the American people started to notice Thorpe’s tremendous athletic ability. In a game against Harvard, a top-ranked team at the time, Thorpe scored all four of the field goals in the 18-15 upset. Amazingly, his team completed this season with a record of 11-1.

Thanks to Thorpe, Carlisle won the national collegiate championship in 1912. During the season, he scored a whopping 198 points and scored 25 touchdowns. By some accounts, he was responsible for 224 points and 27 touchdowns during this time.

Jim Thorpe even played against future President Dwight D. Eisenhower during a 1912 game against the West Point Army team. While the 92-yard touchdown Thorpe made during the game was nullified due to a penalty against a teammate, Thorpe rushed for a 97-yard touchdown in the next play. During the game, Eisenhower injured his knee when attempting to tackle Thorpe.

Eisenhower spoke of Thorpe’s performance during this game in a 1961 speech, stating that:

“Here and there, there are some people who are supremely endowed. My memory goes back to Jim Thorpe. He never practiced in his life, and he could do anything better than any other football player I ever saw.” – Dwight D. Eisenhower

In 1908, Thorpe received third-team All-American football honors. After heading to North Carolina for a time to pitch for the Rocky Mount Railroaders, Thorpe was lured back to Carlisle by Pop Warner. In 1911 and 1912, he was named a first-team All-American.

Even though Thorpe would gain his greatest fame from track and field, he didn’t compete in the sport in 1910 or 1911. Despite his incredible skills in a number of athletic endeavors, football was Thorpe’s favorite sport to play.

Olympic Career

Jim Thorpe started training for the Olympics in the spring of 1912. Initially, he focused on hurdles, shot-puts, and jumps. However, being so incredibly versatile and skilled as an athlete, he added in the javelin, pole vaulting, discus, 56 lb weight, and hammer.

jim thorpe 1912 olympics decathlon
Jim Thorpe competing in one of ten decathlon events at the 1912 Olympics.

He earned himself a spot on the Olympic team thanks to his all-around ability during the Olympic trials held at Celtic Park in New York.

There were two new multi-event sports included in the 1912 Summer Olympics– the pentathlon and the decathlon.

The pentathlon was based on the event that had been a part of the Ancient Olympic Games, and consisted of:

  • Javelin throw
  • Long jump
  • Discus throw
  • 200-meter dash
  • 1500-meter run

The decathlon was also inspired by the pentathlon, but instead of consisting of five events, this one had ten. All the way back in 1884, there had been a ten-event competition known as the “all-around” or “all-round” championship which was quite similar to the modern decathlon.

The first appearance of the modern decathlon as a part of the Olympic Athletics program was at the Stockholm 1912 games– the games where Jim Thorpe displayed his superior athletic abilities.

The decathlon is split into two different days of events:

  • Day 1
    • 100 meters
    • Long jump
    • Shot put
    • High jump
    • 400 meters
  • Day 2
    • 110 meters hurdles
    • Discus throw
    • Pole vault
    • Javelin throw
    • 1500 meters

Since Thorpe was so versatile as an athlete (for example, he had gone to a number of track meets with Carlisle and served as a one-man team,), both of these new Olympic sports seemed the perfect fit for Thorpe.

After entering the trials for both events, Thorpe earned a place on the pentathlon team and was chosen to represent the U.S. in the decathlon.

You would think that competing in these two multi-sport events would be enough for most athletes. Thorpe, though, also competed in the high jump and the long jump at the 1912 games.

The Pentathlon, the High Jump, and the Long Jump

The first competition Thorpe competed in during the games was the pentathlon on July 7. Out of the five events, he won four. The fifth event– javelin– he had never competed in before that year and still placed third.

Thorpe won the gold medal and went on to qualify for the high jump final the same day. A few days later, he participated in the long jump and placed seventh.

The Decathlon

The last event Thorpe participated in during those summer games was the decathlon. This was his first and only decathlon in his entire life.

Jim Thorpe Discus Decathlon 1912 Olympics
Jim Thorpe throwing discus during the decathlon at the 1912 summer Olympics in Stockholm, Sweden, 1912

He went into the competition with some serious competition lined up. Everyone was expecting a strong performance by Hugo Wieslander, a Swedish athlete that had set the inaugural world record for the pentathlon the previous year.

He was no match for Thorpe in these games, though. Jim Thorpe defeated Wieslander in the decathlon by 688 points. Out of the ten events, Thorpe placed in the top four in every single one.

For nearly two decades, his Olympic record of 8,413 points stood strong.

1912 Jim Thorpe pole vaulting in the decathlon Olympics Sweden
Jim Thorpe pole vaulting in one of five events in the decathlon competition at the 1912 Summer Olympics.

Out of the fifteen individual events that made up the decathlon and the pentathlon, Thorpe won eight.

All of this is remarkable on its own. To understand just how incredible his feats were during those games, you have to realize that someone had stolen his shoes just before he was due to compete.

While many athletes might be completely shot down by this occurrence, which their shoes being the most essential gear they have, Thorpe quickly found two replacement shoes. Not only were the shoes mismatched, but he fished one of them out of a trash can.

A true king, he put these ill-matched shoes on and won the gold medal.

Baseball Games

The 1912 Summer Olympics also saw the sport of baseball for the first time in the history of the games. Included as a demonstration sport (meaning it was played to promote it rather than as a regular medal competition,) a game was played between the United States and Sweden.

The U.S. team was made up of various members of the track and field athletics delegation. One of the participating athletes was Jim Thorpe himself, who played in one of the two exhibition baseball games.

The Closing Ceremony

At the closing ceremonies of the games, Thorpe won two gold medals as well as two challenge prizes. These were donated by Czar Nicholas II of Russia for the pentathlon and King Gustav V of Sweden for the decathlon.

King Gustav of Sweden giving Jim Thorpe the Gold at 1912 Olympic closing ceremony
King Gustav V of Sweden presenting Jim Thorpe with a gold medal at the 1912 Summer Olympics closing ceremony.

It is said that King Gustav commented to Thorpe when he was giving him his prize:

"You, sir, are the greatest athlete in the world"

Thorpe is believed to have simply said in return:

“Thanks, King.”

When Thorpe came home, he was given a hero’s welcome. At a ticker-tape parade on Broadway shortly thereafter, he was the star attraction.

Record-Breaking All-Around Champion Performance

After his domination at the Olympics, Thorpe went back to Celtic Park where he had qualified for the games several months earlier. There, he competed in the Amateur Athletic Union’s All-Around Championship.

Out of the ten events held, Thorpe won seven.

What happened in the other three? He came in second, of course.

During his performance, Thorpe broke the previously standing record of 7,385 points that had been set several years earlier in 1909 by achieving a total point score of 7,476.

The broken record had been held by Martin Sheridan, who was the Irish American Athletic Club’s champion athlete. Sheridan himself was no lightweight when it came to athletics, having won five Olympic gold medals.

Martin Sheridan Jim Thorpe
Martin Sheridan at the 1908 Summer Olympics in London. At the 1912 Olympics, Jim Thorpe broke the points record held by Sheridan.

When Thorpe broke his record, he was there to watch it happen.

A good sport, he went up to Jim Thorpe after the event. As he reached out to shake his hand, he said:

"Jim, my boy, you're a great man. I never expect to look upon a finer athlete."

Sheridan went on to sing Thorpe’s praises to a New York World reporter, saying:

"Thorpe is the greatest athlete that ever lived. He has me beaten fifty ways. Even when I was in my prime, I could not do what he did today."

The Olympic Controversy

In 1912, athletes participating in the Olympics were held to strict rules about amateurism. At the time, athletes weren’t considered amateurs if they:

  • Had previously competed against professionals
  • Were sports teachers
  • Had received monetary prizes for competitions

In order to compete in the Olympics, athletes had to be amateurs and not professionals by this definition.

Months after Thorpe’s domination of the games, in January 1913, it was reported that he had previously played professional baseball by the Worcester Telegram. The story was further circulated by newspapers around the country.

In 1909 and 1910, Thorpe received meager pay as a professional baseball player in the Eastern Carolina League. It is reported that he received somewhere between $2 and $35 per week, which, in today’s money, amounts to a range of $58 and $1,018.

The kicker was that college athletes regularly played professionally during the summers to help them earn some money. To sidestep rules against amateurism, most of these players used aliases. Thorpe, however, did not.

The American public didn’t care that Thorpe had briefly played professional baseball. He was an American hero. However, the case was taken very seriously by the Amateur Athletic Union. One of the founders and the secretary of the AAU, James E. Sullivan, was particularly concerned with Thorpe’s previous stint playing professional baseball.

James E Sullivan man who took away Jim Thorpe's medals
James E. Sullivan played a prominent role in the decision to strip Jim Thorpe of his gold medals.

Thorpe wrote a letter to Sullivan to help explain that, while he had played pro baseball, he didn’t know he was doing anything wrong. In fact, he was just following the example of other college athletes.

“I hope I will be partly excused by the fact that I was simply an Indian schoolboy and did not know all about such things. In fact, I did not know that I was doing wrong, because I was doing what I knew several other college men had done, except that they did not use their own names …”

This honest admission, unfortunately, didn’t help his case. Thorpe’s amateur status was retroactively withdrawn, and the International Olympic Committee stripped him of the titles, medals, and awards he had won in the Olympics.

To further complicate the controversy, both the AAU and IOC had broken their own rules in disqualifying Thorpe. Protests had to be made “within 30 days from the closing ceremonies of the games” according to the 1912 Olympics rule book, but the first reports of the issues didn’t pop up until six months after the conclusion of the games.

Beyond that, there’s even some evidence that Thorpe’s time playing pro baseball was known to the AAU before he competed in the Olympics. Only when confronted with this fact did they decide it was a meaningful issue.

It wasn’t until three decades after his death that his status as an amateur was restored in 1982 and his family was presented with two medals in a ceremony.

However, the battle to correct the record wasn’t over.

Even though the IOC had restored his status as an amateur and returned the medals to his family, they didn’t declassify the other medalists from the 1912 games. This means that he was still essentially considered a co-winner, rather than rightfully restored as the sole winner.

Believe it or not, it wasn’t until July 2022, 110 years after the Olympic Games in Sweden, that the IOC announced that Thorpe would be reinstated as the sole Olympic champion in both the pentathlon and the decathlon.

Professional Athletic Career

Being stripped of his medals was devastating to Jim Thorpe. The only positive outcome of the whole ridiculous endeavor was that he started receiving offers from professional sports clubs as soon as it was reported that he had been declared a professional.

Jim Thorpe and Baseball

Thorpe was a free agent at the major league level after the Olympics because his contract had disbanded in 1910 with the minor league team that he had last played for. This was highly unusual for the time because this was during the era of the reserve clause in North American professional sports. This meant that pro athletes rarely had the opportunity to change teams unless they were given an unconditional release.

Jim Thorpe Portland Beavers
Jim Thorpe playing minor league baseball with the Portland Beavers, 1922.

This meant that Jim Thorpe had his pick of the litter when it came to which team to play for.

Turning down an offer with the St. Louis Browns, he decided to join the New York Giants. The Giants had been the National League champions the previous year.

Jim Thorpe New York Giants
Jim Thorpe as a member of the New York Giants, circa 1913-1915.

With the help of Thorpe’s superior athletic abilities, the Giants once again became the National League champions in 1913.

Shortly after the Giants lost the World Series, they embarked on a world tour with the Chicago White Sox. Unquestionably, the celebrity on the tour was Jim Thorpe.

On this incredible journey around the country and the world, Thorpe was able to meet major world figures including Pope Pius X and Abbas II Hilmi Bey. He even played to a huge crowd in London that included King George V.

Thorpe continued to play sporadically for the Giants. He had a short stint with the Milwaukee Brewers (a minor league team) before returning to the Giants and then being sold to the Cincinnati Reds.

Jim Thorpe Cincinnati Reds 1917
Jim Thorpe during his 1917 stint with the Cincinnati Reds.

His team-hopping didn’t end there– he went back to the Giants before being traded to the Boston Braves in 1919.

Until 1922, Thorpe continued to play minor league baseball.

Jim Thorpe's NFL History and Position

While it sounds like Thorpe was pretty busy playing baseball after the Olympics, he hadn’t abandoned his love of football. He played with the Pine Village Pros in 1913 and then with the Canton Bulldogs in 1915.

Jim Thorpe on the Canton Bulldogs
Jim Thorpe, Canton Bulldogs, between 1915 and 1920

The Bulldogs certainly recognized the worth of this incredible athlete. Reportedly, Thorpe was paid $250 per game, which amounts to nearly $6,700 in today’s dollars. At the time, this was a truly incredible wage.

The team got their money's worth, too. Before Thorpe joined the team, about 1,200 would attend their games. For Thorpe’s debut game, 8,000 fans showed up– more than six times more than the average attendance.

Thorpe played for the Bulldogs for a number of years. In one particularly legendary championship game in 1919, Thorpe put the game out of reach to the competition by kicking a (wind assisted) 95-yard punt from the 5-yard line of his own team.

Jim Thorpe Canton Bulldogs football
Jim Thorpe with former Carlisle football stars (Pete Calac and Joe Guyon) as they met on the gridiron for a professional game. The Canton Bulldogs were set to complete their undefeated season and the professional championship. 1919.

The Bulldogs were one of fourteen teams to form the American Professional Football Association in 1920– the organization that would become the NFL in just two years.

Who did they select as the inaugural president of the APFA? Why, Jim Thorpe, of course.

True to his nature, though, Thorpe just spent most of the year playing football for Canton. His tenure as the president of APFA only lasted until 1921.

Between 1921 and 1923, Thorpe helped to organize and played for an all-Native American team, the Oorang Indians.

Even though the team didn’t do that well, Thorpe’s incredible skills during the seasons were recognized. He was selected for the first All-NFL team in 1923, which later was recognized formally to be the league’s official All-NFL team.

After having played football for six different teams between 1920 and 1928 and playing in 52 games, Jim Thorpe retired from professional football at the age of 41.

 Jim Thorpe’s Basketball Career

Believe it or not, Jim Thorpe also had a basketball career that was unknown even to his biographers until 2005. How did they find out about his stint as a pro basketball player? From a ticket was found in an old book.

Jim Thorpe World Famous Indians basketball
Even his biographers didn't know that Jim Thorpe played pro basketball until 2005. Jim Thorpe on the World Famous Indians, 1927.

Thorpe played on a traveling basketball team as the primary feature of the “World Famous Indians” of LaRue. For at least two years, he barnstormed with the team in a number of states.

Jim Thorpe and Hockey

At this point, you must be thinking that we’ve reached the end of Thorpe’s athletic versatility. After all, he dominated in track and field while also playing professional baseball and football all while he was still a young man.

Believe it or not, though, Thorpe also considered going into professional hockey for the Tecumseh Hockey Club in Canada for a brief time in 1913. Imagine being so athletically talented that you could choose to play just about any sport at the pro level!

Jim Thorpe's Wife, Children, Grandchildren, and Family

Over the course of his life, Thorpe married three times and was the father of eight children.

His first marriage was to Iva M. Miller in 1913, who he met at Carlisle Indian Industrial School. Between 1917 and 1923, the couple lived in a home in Yale, Oklahoma that is now known as the Jim Thorpe House.

Jim Thorpe House Oklahoma
Located in Yale, Oklahoma, the Jim Thorpe House is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Together, they had four children:

  • James F.
  • Gale
  • Charlotte
  • Frances

In 1925, Iva filed for divorce on the grounds of desertion.

A year later, Thorpe married for the second time to Freeda Verona Kirkpatrick, who was working for the manager of the baseball team Thorpe was playing on. Together, they had four children:

  • Phillip
  • William
  • Richard
  • John

After fifteen years of marriage, in 1941, Freeda filed for divorce.

Four years later, Thorpe would marry the woman that he spent the rest of his life with. On June 2, 1945, he married Patricia Gladys Askew.

It is unclear how many descendants there are living of Jim Thorpe's. One grandson, Michael D. Koehler of Chicago, was a football star himself in his youth. He went on to be an educator and coach before passing away in 2015. Several of his grandsons were present to receive the AAU Gussie Crawford Lifetime Achievement Award for their grandfather, and a number of grandchildren have been outspoken about their opinions regarding the campaign to reinstate Jim Thorpe’s place as the sole winner of the decathlon and the pentathlon during the 1912 Olympic games.

Jim Thorpe’s Acting Career

Once his athletic career had come to a close, Thorpe struggled working jobs that weren’t related to sports. He found it difficult to provide for his family and never stayed with the same job for very long.

He had worked a ton of different jobs during the Great Depression, including as an extra in a number of movies. In most cases, he was cast in Westerns as an American Indian chief.

Thorpe was cast as himself in a 1932 comedy Always Kickin’, where he played a coach that was instructing young players how to drop-kick.

While the Great Depression was still going strong, Thorpe sold the film rights to his life story for $1,500, which is about $27,000 in today’s money.

In 1940 and 1950, Thorpe was in the films Knute Rockne, All American, and Wagon Master, respectively.

In 1951, the truly legendary athletic career of Jim Thorpe was memorialized in the film Jim Thorpe- All American. There had been a number of rumors that Thorpe didn’t get any money for the film, but Warner Brothers did pay him $15,000 in addition to $2,500 that went towards an annuity for him.

Jim Thorpe’s Later Life

In addition to working in films after his athletic career, Thorpe worked a bunch of different jobs, including:

  • Ditchdigger
  • Security guard
  • Doorman/bouncer

During WWII, Thorpe even briefly joined the Merchant Marines.

In his later life, Thorpe sadly struggled with chronic alcoholism until his death in 1953.

Jim Thorpe Death: How Did He Die?

The later years of Jim Thorpe were plagued with problems, including chronic alcoholism and money troubles. In 1950, he was admitted to a Philadelphia hospital as a “charity case” to treat lip cancer.

While dining with his wife in their Lomita, California home, Patricia, in early 1953, Thorpe went into heart failure for the third time. For a brief period of time, he was able to speak to the people around him after being revived by artificial respiration. Shortly thereafter, though, he lost consciousness and passed away. The world’s greatest athlete died at the age of 65.

The Legacy of Jim Thorpe

Reinstatement of Olympic Awards

Supporters of Thorpe fought for decades for his Olympic titles to be reinstated. Over the years, several attempts were rebuffed by US Olympic officials.

Those that stood between Thorpe and his rightful honors included Avery Brundage, who wasn’t just the president of the IOC but also Thorpe’s former teammate. He was quoted as having said, “ignorance is no excuse.”

The author Robert Wheeler and his wife, Florence Ridlon, were among Thorpe’s most persistent advocates. They established the Jim Thorpe Foundation in 1982 and were able to prove that Thorpe’s disqualification occurred after the time period allowed by the Olympics rules. Thanks to their hard work and the support they gained from the U.S. Congress, the IOC Executive Committee agreed to reinstate Thorpe’s medals.

However, the saga didn’t end there.

Instead of declaring him the sole winner of the events he won, the pentathlon and the decathlon, they announced him to be co-champion with Wieslander and Ferdinand Bie. This is particularly ridiculous considering that both of these athletes had always held that Thorpe was the only champion in their eyes.

Two of Thorpe’s children, Bill and Gale, were presented with commemorative medals in 1983 by the IOC. The original medals had sadly been stolen from museums and never recovered.

Recently, in July 2020, a petition started going around asking that the IOC declare Thorpe to be the sole winner.

Circulated by Bright Path Strong and backed by Pictureworks Entertainment, the IOC finally voted to make Thorpe the only winner of both the pentathlon and the decathlon on July 14, 2022.

Jim Thorpe's Awards and Honors

Jim Thorpe is considered to be one of the best athletes of all time. During his life and posthumously, he has been the recipient of countless awards and honors.

Here’s just a small sampling:

  • Named the greatest athlete of the half-century by the Associated Press sports editors in 1950
  • Elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1951
  • Had a movie made about his life in 1951
  • Elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1984
  • The U.S. Postal Service Issued Jim Thorpe stamp in 1984 and again in 1998

According to Red Smith, a renowned sports writer:

"Thorpe was the greatest athlete of his time, maybe of any time in any land."

Let’s take a look at some of the organizations, events, and in one case, a town, that was named after the greatest athlete of all time.

Jim Thorpe Marathon

Beginning in 2019, Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania, started holding the Jim Thorpe Area Running Festival. A series of races are held during the event, including a 26.2-mile marathon.

Jim Thorpe Association

Based in Oklahoma City, the Jim Thorpe Association is a charity and civic organization that is named in memory of the legendary Jim Thorpe. Since 1986, they have been awarding the Jim Thorpe Award to the top college football defensive back.

The Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame is also a part of the Jim Thorpe Association. Every year, they induct at least two athletes based on their accomplishments.

The Strange Story of Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania

When Jim Thorpe passed away, residents of his hometown had paid to have his body returned from California by train. His funeral was held in Shawnee, Oklahoma at St. Benedict’s Catholic Church. After the ceremony, his body lay in state at Fairview Cemetery.

The original plan was to build a memorial for the legend at the athletic park in Shawnee, and the residents started raising funds for this effort. State legislators were asked for funding by local officials, but the governor vetoed it.

All the while, Thorpe’s wife had his body shipped to Pennsylvania. The rest of his family had no idea this was happening.

She had heard that there were towns in Pennsylvania that were looking for ways to attract tourism and business. According to Jack, Thorpe’s son, she had made a deal with local officials for monetary benefit.

Essentially, the towns of Mauch Chunk and East Mauch Chunk bought the remains of Jim Thorpe.

At his grave, they built a monument to Jim Thorpe, merged the towns, and renamed the new town Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania.

Jim Thorpe was buried in a town he had never once set foot in.

As you might imagine, this didn’t sit well with the rest of Thorpe’s family.

His son filed a lawsuit against the town in an effort to have his father’s remains re-interred near his family members in Oklahoma. After several years of complex legal happenings, the case was effectively brought to a close when the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear it. Thorpe’s remains are therefore still in Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania.

Jim Thorpe Stats

Baseball Stats

Though baseball wasn't Thorpe's best sport, the fact that he could compete at the professional level in so many different sports is truly remarkable. Over his major league baseball career, Thorpe amassed:

  • 82 runs batted in
  • 91 runs scored
  • .252 batting average over 289 games

In his minor league baseball career, he had 7 home runs, a batting average of .252, and 176 hits.

Football Stats

Jim Thorpe played 52 professional football games and started 37 games. He played for 12 seasons professionally.

Jim Thorpe coaching IU punters
Jim Thorpe around 1915 instructing two Indiana University punters

When he played for the Carlisle Indian School, he had 53 touchdowns in 44 games, scoring 421 points. He led the nation in 1912 with 29 touchdowns and 224 points.

Track and Field Stats

Thorpe won gold in both the pentathlon and decathlon in the 1912 Olympic Games held in Stockholm, Sweden.

In his obituary in the New York Times, it was written that:

“He could run the 100-yard dash in 10 seconds flat, the 220 in 21.8, the 440 in 50.8, the 880 in 1:57, the mile in 4:35, the 120-yard high hurdles in 15 seconds and the 220-yard low hurdles in 24 seconds. He broad-jumped 23 feet 6 inches and high-jumped 6 feet 5 inches. He pole-vaulted 11 feet, threw a shot put 47 feet 9 inches, threw the javelin 163 feet, the hammer 140 feet and the discus 136 feet.”

The Jim Thorpe Memorial

Located in Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania, there is a monument erected in the honor of Jim Thorpe at his gravesite. About 100 miles southwest of where he had attended Carlisle Indian Industrial School, the site of the monument contains his tomb, historical markers outlining his life story, and two statues of him posed in athletic positions.

Jim Thorpe's grave in Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania
Jim Thorpe's Grave in Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania

His grave rests on soil that had been brought from Thorpe’s native Oklahoma as well as from the stadium in Sweden where he won his Olympic medals.

Why Was Jim Thorpe Buried In a Town He’d Never Visited?

Considering that Jim Thorpe was so incredibly talented and versatile as an athlete, and he is considered one of the greatest of all time if not the greatest of all time, it’s not a surprise that there is a memorial built around his grave.

What is surprising, though, is that it’s located in a place that he never once visited.

The short story is that Thorpe’s third wife was left in poverty after he passed, and she was frustrated by how long it was taking his hometown to raise the necessary funds to build a memorial.

So she took matters into her own hands and essentially sold his remains to two small towns in Pennsylvania that were looking for something to draw tourists.

The two towns united and were renamed Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania, and his body still rests there under his monument, despite the efforts of his other family members to have his remains exhumed and relocated to his home state of Oklahoma.

Jim Thorpe’s Son Vs. Jim Thorpe, PA: The Lawsuit to Move Jim Thorpe’s Remains

The son of Jim Thorpe sued the town of Jim Thorpe in 2010 in an effort to have his father’s remains moved to Oklahoma. The suit was based on a 1990 law known as the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). The law was designed to help rectify the historical plundering of Native American burial grounds.

While a federal district court agreed with him, the decision was reversed by the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in 2014.

When they tried to bring the case in front of the U.S. Supreme Court, they refused to hear it. For now, that’s where the story ends, and his body remains in Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania.

Movies About Jim Thorpe

Jim Thorpe: All American - About the 1951 Movie

Titled Man of Bronze in the UK, this film was produced by Warner Bros. in 1951 and was directed by Michael Curtiz. Thorpe was played by Burt Lancaster and the story was a biographical look at the life of the incredible athlete.

Bright Path: The Jim Thorpe Story, The Jim Thorpe Movie by Angelina Jolie

The film Bright Path: The Jim Thorpe Story, will be produced by Angelina Jolie and star Martin Sensmeier as the incredibly talented Thorpe. Jolie has stated that she has already spent time with Bill Thorpe and that she will be working with the Thope family and the Tribes will creating the film.

Partnering with Indian Country to create the film, the filmmakers say they are dedicated to telling the authentic story.

There’s a lot of excitement and hype around this film, but there’s no known release date as of yet.

Books About Jim Thorpe

Jim Thorpe, Original All-American, Joseph Burchac

If you're looking for a solid summary of the life and achievements of Jim Thorpe, this is a great source. Interviewing people knowledgeable about Thorpe and using old letters to substantiate the book's claims, this is a well-researched text about his life.

Undefeated: Jim Thorpe and the Carlisle Indian School Football Team, Steve Sheinkin

Native American Son: The Life and Sporting Legend of Jim Thorpe, Kate Buford

Some people consider this to be the definitive biography of Jim Thorpe. Highly detailed, this is a good book for individuals that are looking for a thoroughly-researched look at the entire life of the American icon.

Jim Thorpe: World’s Greatest Athlete, Robert W. Wheeler

This is another well-researched biography about the legend Jim Thorpe. Wheeler was a driving force behind Thorpe's medals being reinstated-- Sports Illustrated credits him with primary responsibility for his Olympic god medals being restored in 1982.

Carlisle Vs. Army: Jim Thorpe, Dwight Eisenhower, Pop Warner, and the Forgotten Story of Football’s Greatest Battle, Lars Anderson

This narrative nonfiction book by Lars Anderson takes a look at one of the greatest contests in the history of college football. In a classic David vs. Goliath matchup that pits Jim Thorpe against future president Dwight D. Eisenhower, this is a tremendous story that will delight Jim Thorpe fans, football lovers, and American history buffs alike.

Over the years, a lot of books have been written about Jim Thorpe. Here are some other titles you might want to check out:

  • Jim Thorpe: A Biography, William A. Cook
  • Jim Thorpe’s Bright Path, Joseph Bruchac
  • All American: The Rise and Fall of Jim Thorpe, Bill Crawford
  • Jim Thorpe: An Athlete For the Ages, Ellen Labrecque
  • Walter Lingo, Jim Thorpe, and the Oorang Indians: How a Dog Kennel Owner Created the NFL’s Most Famous Traveling Team, Chris Willis
  • The Real All Americans: The Team That Changed a Game, a People, a Nation, Sally Jenkins

Children’s Books About Jim Thorpe

The story of Jim Thorpe is a wonderful way for children to learn about overcoming obstacles, the history of sports, and the difficulties faced by Native Americans in the early twentieth century.

Here are some of the books about Jim Thorpe written for children:

  • The Story of All-Star Athlete Jim Thorpe, Joseph Bruchac
  • Unstoppable: How Jim Thorpe and the Carlisle Indian School Football Team Defeated Army, Art Coulson
  • Jim Thorpe: Olympic Champion, Jr. Guernsey Van Riper
  • Jim Thorpe: Greatest Athlete in the World, Jennifer Lee Fandel

Jim Thorpe FAQ:

What Was Jim Thorpe Famous For?

In short, Jim Thorpe was famous for being a truly incredible and versatile athlete. He is thought to have been one of the best athletes of all time, if not the best athlete of all time.

As the first Native American that won gold for the U.S. at the Olympics, he quickly became a national icon and hero. On top of dominating in track and field, Thorpe played baseball, football, and basketball.

What Sport Did Jim Thorpe Play?

Jim Thorpe competed on the American track and field team at the 1912 Olympics. He also played baseball, football, and basketball professionally. As an indication of his all-around athletic talent, he even briefly considered playing professional hockey.

What Team Did Jim Thorpe Play For?

Jim Thorpe didn’t just play for one team, he played for a huge handful of teams in several professional sports.

Jim Thorpe during spring training with the New York Giants
Jim Thorpe during spring training with the New York Giants in Marlin, Texas, probably around 1918

He played on:

  • Cleveland Indians
  • Oorang Indians
  • Canton Bulldogs
  • New York Giants
  • Chicago Cardinals
  • Rock Island Independents
  • Cincinnati Reds
  • San Francisco Giants
  • Boston Braves

Where Was Jim Thorpe Born?

Jim Thorpe was born in what is now Oklahoma near Prague, Indian Territory. At the time, the land was that of the Sac and Fox Nation.

What Was Jim Thorpe’s Height?

Some accounts say Jim Thorpe was 5'11" while others call him 6'1". As you might imagine, his weight varied over the years, but it is said that he was 185 pounds when he competed in the Olympic games.

To help you get a picture of the man himself, during the Stockholm games he had a 42-inch chest, a 32-inch waist, and 24-inch thighs.

What Indian Tribe Did Jim Thorpe Belong To?

Jim Thorpe was a tribal member of the Sac and Fox Nation. Forcibly relocated to Oklahoma in the 1870s, this tribe was originally from the Lake Michigan and Lake Huron area.

There are two other Sac and Fox tribes, which are the Sac and Fox Nation of Missouri in Kansas and Nebraska and the Sac and Fox Tribe of the Mississippi in Iowa.

What Medals Did Jim Thorpe Win?

At the 1912 Olympic Games in Stockholm, Sweden, Jim Thorpe won the gold medal in both the pentathlon and the decathlon.

Why Was Jim Thorpe Stripped of His Medals?

Jim Thorpe was stripped of his medals because the IOC and AAU were confronted with the fact that he had briefly been paid to play baseball. Based on the strict rules about amateurism at the time that barred professionals from competing in the Olympics, they took his medals away and removed his title as the winner of both the pentathlon and the decathlon.

Did Jim Thorpe Get His Medals Back?

Yes– but not until thirty years after his death. His medals were reinstated in the early 1980s. However, it wasn’t until 2022 that he was named the sole winner of the pentathlon and the decathlon rather than a co-winner.

What Records Did Jim Thorpe Break or Set?

The total points Thorpe won at the 1912 Olympics amounted to 8,412.95 out of a possible 10,000. This was 688 more points than the second-place finisher, Swede Hugo Wieslander. It would take four more Olympics for anyone to beat this score.

Of course, it's also notable that he was the first Native American to win an Olympic gold medal for the U.S.

When he played on Carlisle's football team, he ran 1,869 yards on 191 attempts, helping to lead the team to a 12-1-1 record.

What Did Jim Thorpe Do Later in Life?

Jim Thorpe didn't retire from professional sports until he was 41. In his later life, he appeared in a number of films, usually in Westerns as an American Indian.

He also worked a number of different jobs, including a security guard, doorman and bouncer, construction worker, and ditch digger.

Thorpe even had a brief stint in the Merchant Marines during WWII.

Unfortunately, he struggled with poverty and chronic alcoholism in his later life until his death in 1953.

What Disease Did Jim Thorpe Suffer From?

In 1950, Thorpe was hospitalized for lip cancer. He also suffered from chronic alcoholism. Thorpe had three heart attacks in his life, the third of which was fatal. He passed away at his trailer home in Lomita, California on March 29, 1953.

Did Jim Thorpe Win a Gold Medal With Mismatched Shoes?

While there are different stories about Jim Thorpe's mismatched shoes at the Olympics, the consensus is that he won a gold medal wearing two different shoes-- one too big and one too small.

According to Bob Wheeler, author of Jim Thorpe: The World's Greatest Athlete, Thorpe's shoes went missing just a couple of minutes before the decathlon's 1500-meter race.

Remarkably, this didn't shut Thorpe down.

He borrowed one shoe from a teammate and found the other in the garbage.

It's incredible in its own right that he forged forward with totally inadequate gear. He had to squeeze his foot into his teammate's shoe, and wear extra socks to make the shoe fit that he found in the trash.

To make the story even more insane, though, he still won the race.

Thorpe was an incredible being-- he was said to have "moved like a breeze" and with "a kind of ease in his gait that is hard to describe. Equilibrium with no strictures."

To me, Jim Thorpe was way bigger than sports. His is a story of facing tremendous obstacles and overcoming them. In American society, he became a symbol of the injustice that Native Americans faced.

He is the epitome of the notion that no matter what troubles you face in life, you can overcome them. Born without U.S. citizenship because he was raised as a Native American, Thorpe climbed his way up the ladder to become a tremendously famous American icon.

Though more than a century has passed since his Olympic victories, the story of Jim Thorpe is truly timeless.

This story is incredibly powerful to me, so I wanted to share it with you. Feel free to learn more about me and my projects here.

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I could go on and on about the best parts of being a Texan. From the low cost of living and rapidly appreciating housing market to the rich history and warm climate, it's no surprise to me that hundreds of thousands of people move here every year.

Of course, any place is going to have its downsides and there are definitely both pros and cons of living in Texas. If you're considering moving here, you'll want to have a clear sense of both what you'll be gaining and what you could be giving up, depending on where you're moving from.

So, without further ado, let's dive in and take a look at the best and worst things about living in Texas from my perspective.

Benefits of Living in Texas

austin texas pros and cons
Even in the most expensive places to live in Texas, the cost of living is significantly lower than in coastal cities like NYC or San Francisco.

Low Cost of Living in Texas

With inflation rising out of control and many coastal cities outrageously expensive, the low cost of living in Texas is a major pro. When the cost of living in the US as a whole is considered a 100, Texas ranks at 93.9. If you’re moving to Texas from a high-cost of living state, you’ll be able to achieve the same standard of living for less.

Rapid Appreciation

With so many people moving to Texas, it’s no surprise that the housing market is booming in the state. In 2020, I bought my home for $640k. In just two years, its value has risen to more than $1 million. While skyrocketing home prices across the country are expected to slow with rising interest rates and inflation, Texas is still going strong. In fact, while national demand for housing has started to decline, demand in Texas has continued to accelerate.

Strong Asset Protection Laws

If asset protection is important to you (as, frankly, it probably should be,) Texas is one of the best states to live in the entire country. Texas Homestead Law protects your home if creditors are coming after you, and there are a number of personal property exemptions in the state as well.

By exploring the rest of my blog, you'll find that I'm a big proponent of the stealth wealth lifestyle and taking asset protection seriously. You can learn about more wealth protection strategies here.

There’s No State Income Tax

For people moving from highly-taxed states like California or New York, the fact that there’s no income tax in Texas is likely a huge relief. There are only nine states in the country that have absolutely no income tax.

That being said, the state has to collect its money somehow. You’ll find that property taxes and sales taxes are high in Texas. Regardless, the Lone Star State is still considered to be one of the ten U.S. states with the lowest overall state-local tax burdens.

Options to Live in Either Large Cities or Small Towns

Texas is so enormous that there really is a wide range of lifestyles that the state supports. Want to live in a big, bustling city? No problem. Looking for a more laidback, small-town vibe? We’ve got that too.

There are a bunch of great options if you want to live outside of the biggest cities in Texas. A number of areas with a small-town feel that still have plenty of amenities have been growing quickly, including San Marcos, Wavo, and New Braunfels.

If cities are more your style, you’ll be happy in Texas, too. Four of the ten largest cities in the U.S. by population are right here in Texas (Houston, San Antonio, Dallas, and Austin), but there are also plenty of options when it comes to small- and mid-sized cities like El Paso and Arlington.

The Fascinating History of Texas

the alamo and texas history one of the pros of living in texas
You don't have to be a history buff to appreciate the rich and fascinating story of Texas.

When it comes to state history, there’s no shortage of fascinating rabbit holes to dive into when you learn about Texas. The first European settlers in the state were Spanish missionaries, who founded San Antonio in 1718. It remained sparsely populated until after the Revolutionary War and the War of Mexican Independence due to hostility from the native population. Once the Mexican government was established, settlers from the U.S. began claiming land in the region.

There was a lot of friction in these early days due to the resulting population explosion and tension between American and Mexican residents. In 1836, the Texas Republic was formed after a number of small insurrections and finally the Texas Revolution.

The newly formed nation only lasted a few short years due to incursions by Mexican troops. In 1845, Texas negotiated with the United States to join the union.

The rest, as they say, is history. When you move to Texas, you’ll have no shortage of historical sites to explore. Some of the best spots any history buff will want to check out are:

  • The Alamo
  • The San Jacinto Monument
  • Historical Fredericksburg
  • The Victorian Mansions of Galveston
  • Fort Leaton State Historic Site
  • Port Isabel Lighthouse State Historic Site
  • San Antonio Missions National Historical Park

Incredible State and National Parks

Big Bend National Park one of the pros of living in Texas
While Texas might be a bit short on BLM land compared to other western states, there are plenty of beautiful national and state parks to explore all in every corner of the Lone Star State.

Texas is so huge that there is an enormous diversity of ecosystems all within its borders. Even if you’re living in a dense urban area, you’re never terribly far from some incredible natural environments. Home to two national parks and 89 state parks, natural areas, and historic sites, the Lone Star State also has five state forests and two state arboretums.

It’s worth noting, though, that Texas has a lot less BLM land than other neighboring, western states. For people that love to head out to the desert to camp on the weekends, Texas isn’t as great as places like Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah.

After moving from the incredible scenery of the Ozarks, I have definitely had to adjust to the environment of Texas. Eastern Texas is greener and lusher than western Texas (which is dry and, in many places, a desert.) If living in a treed environment is important to you, you'll want to stick to the east side of the state.

Warm Climate

If you’re moving from a place with cold, seemingly endless winters, you’ll love the year-round warm climate of Texas. While snow does occasionally fall in the state, and freak cold spells do occur, you can usually bank on the weather being pleasantly warm.

Pleasant, that is, until the summers. When we get into the downsides of living in Texas we’ll talk about the sweltering summers. In general, though, the statewide annual temperature average in the state is 65 degrees. Since the state is so enormous and there are a lot of different types of environments in Texas, you’ll definitely want to check out the local averages and climate before moving.

For example, Austin, Dallas, San Antonio, and Houston all frequently rank on lists of the hottest cities in the US. While the Texas Panhandle doesn’t really register as “cold” on any lists, it certainly has the coolest summers, on average, out of the entire state.

If you're moving from a place with harsh winters and you're sick of waking up at 5 am to shovel out your car, the mild winters of Texas will definitely be a pleasant change of pace.

Diversity

Texas is the second most diverse state in the US, according to a study from WalletHub. This study analyzed all fifty states in terms of the ethnic, racial, economic, and cultural diversity of their residents.

The Lone Star State ranked second in linguistic diversity, fourth in racial and ethnic diversity, and third in industry diversity.

If you move here, you'll also find that there's a lot of diversity when it comes to culture and politics. Though Texas has a reputation as a conservative state, there are definitely some areas that are much more liberal. This helps create a healthy balance where there is something for everyone, and you don't have to worry about falling into a self-perpetuating echo chamber.

Plentiful Job and Educational Opportunities

Whether you want to further your education or your career, Texas offers tons of opportunities.

With the second-largest economy in the US by GDP, Texas is home to six of the largest 50 companies in the Fortune 500. Though Texas comes in second place to California when analyzed by GDP, it actually grossed more money than both California and New York combined in exports in 2017.

There are a lot of different industries that are booming in Texas, including:

  • Agriculture
  • Aeronautics
  • Technology
  • Energy
  • Tourism
  • Entertainment

With a large and diverse economy, thanks to our large population, thriving cities, and abundance of natural resources, Texas is a great place to start your career, further your career, or benefit from the many leading centers of higher education in the state.

Are you more of an entrepreneur that a careerist? Not a problem at all, in fact, you'll love it here. With fewer government regulations than many other states, Texas is decidedly pro-business. With more than 50 billionaires calling Texas home, anyone who wants to make their own way will appreciate the business-friendly environment of the state.

Other Pros of Living in Texas

I could write a whole book about the pros of living in Texas, but for now, I'll just add a few additional reasons why I absolutely love living here.

One huge pro is that there are a number of major international airports in the state. This makes it super easy to get anywhere in the world without the trip to the airport itself being a huge hassle.

Another great thing about Texas is that it's a major hub for sports and there are tons of entertainment options when you're within a reasonable distance from one of the cities.

Lastly, a cherry on top of living in Texas is that it has some of the lowest electricity costs in the U.S.  Natural gas prices are also on the low end at the national level, and Texas has the fourth-best gasoline prices in the states.

Disadvantages to Texas Living

I seriously love living in Texas, but any place is going to have some downsides. Moving to Texas has been a lifelong dream of mine, and I have no regrets. There’s no reason to have rose-colored glasses, though. Here are some of the disadvantages I've noticed while living in Texas.

Sweltering Summers

There’s really no getting around it: Texas is hot in the summer. Since the state is so big, you can experience dry, desert-like summers in west Texas and extremely humid summers on the east side. In fact, there is a distinct line that separates the state known as the dry line or Marfa front.

Regardless of the type of heat, one of the definite downsides of living in Texas are the sweltering summers.

Traffic

Houston highway cons of living in Texas
Every place is going to have its downsides, and the most densely populated parts of Texas can definitely have frustrating traffic.

Another thing that people considering moving to Texas will want to know about is the traffic. This doesn’t just mean that getting from point A to point B in the populated cities can be a headache, it also means that there are more car accidents here than less traffic-ridden places.

High Property Taxes and Sales Tax

Though the overall tax burden is really pretty good for Texas, and the lack of income tax is a huge win, the high property taxes and sales tax rate are worth mentioning. The property taxes are assessed by local county assessors on 100% of the appraised value, and the average effective property tax rate is about 1.8%. This makes it the state with the seventh-highest property taxes in the entire country.

The sales tax in Texas is also fairly steep at 6.25%. That being said, there are a lot of states where the sales tax is higher, tying Illinois and Massachusetts for thirteenth place when it comes to U.S. states with the highest property taxes.

It’s Hard to Find Affordable Healthcare

One report that was published in 2019 from The Commonwealth Fund found that Texas ranked 49th when it comes to health care access and affordability. One of the primary reasons that it received such a poor ranking was that Texas hasn't expanded Medicaid eligibility.

Severe Weather

Depending on which area of Texas you're considering moving to, some of the types of severe weather that impact the state might not need to be at the top of your "things to worry about" list. For example, Texas is exposed to hurricanes every year, but by far the most vulnerable region is the eastern section along the Gulf.

Other types of severe weather conditions that can occur in Texas include flooding, tornadoes, extreme thunderstorms, and wildfires. When you've zeroed in on a region you're interested in, you'll want to look more closely at the types of severe weather you might experience.

Other Cons of Living in Texas

It would be hard to write an article about the pros and cons of living in Texas without mentioning the power grid failure in 2021 that made international news. While issues with the grid are rare, the event definitely made it clear what it means to be the only state in the continental U.S. with our own power grid.

Another thing worth mentioning is crime. As with pretty much anywhere else in America, how safe Texas is has everything to do with precisely where you are. As is common in the U.S, the most dangerous areas in Texas are typically neighborhoods inside larger cities where there is high unemployment, low income, and lack of quality housing.

Texas Living vs California Living: Why Texas Wins

The two most populous states in the country are California and Texas. While California has long been hailed as “The Land of Milk and Honey,” people have been leaving California in droves for other states in recent years. In fact, more people have left California than have moved to the state since the 1990s.

People are leaving the state for a lot of reasons, including:

  • Rising state taxes
  • It’s one of the most expensive states in the country
  • Social and economic challenges
  • Devastating wildfires

The exodus from California has meant that other states have been receiving Golden State residents. The states that have been receiving the most California residents in recent years are:

  • Texas
  • Arizona
  • Nevada
  • Washington
  • Oregon
  • Colorado
  • Florida

There are a lot of reasons that Texas wins out in the competition with California. Some of the most compelling arguments in favor of the Lone Star State, in my mind, include:

  • The cost of living
  • The business-friendly atmosphere
  • The economy
  • Taxes
  • Much more affordable housing
  • More affordable healthcare

For anyone that’s interested in building wealth over time, it’s pretty much a no-brainer when you compare Texas and California.

The Seven Regions of Texas: What to Know

When you’ve started looking at moving to Texas, it can get pretty overwhelming to decide where to begin. Texas is really made up of seven distinct regions, each of which has its own geographical features, attractions, culture, and more.

Big Bend Country

In far west Texas, you’ll find Big Bend Country. This is the only spot in all of Texas where you’ll find real mountains, and it’s also home to one of the most well-known national parks in the US– Big Bend National Park.

The largest city in this region is El Paso, and otherwise, you’ll mostly find smaller cities and towns that are pretty spread out. Arguably the most remote part of the state and perhaps also the most beautiful. If you’re looking for big-city living, this probably isn’t the spot for you.

Panhandle-Plains

Up in the northwestern part of Texas are the Panhandle Plains. The second-largest canyon in the U.S. is found here (Palo Duro Canyon), and the best-known cities in the region are Amarillo and Lubbock.

Other than some deep canyons carved by rivers and tributaries, the Panhandle-Plains are mostly flat grasslands and plains without many trees.

Hill Country

South of the Panhandle-Plains and east of Big Bend Country, Hill Country is pretty much in the center of the Lone Star State. With hilly terrain, steep canyons, springs, and underground caves and lakes, this is a much greener part of the state than the two regions we’ve discussed so far.

Home to Austin, the state’s capital, and a number of other small cities and towns, this is a bustling and thriving region.

South Texas Plains

South of Hill Country and bordering the Rio Grande River, a big chunk of this area is dry and covered in thorny brush and grasses. San Antonio is the biggest city in the area which is home to plenty of attractions including theme parks, sporting events, historical landmarks, and more.

Within this region, you can find the Lower Rio Grande Valley, which is home to subtropical woodlands, palm trees, and a lot of beautiful tropical birds.

Prairies and Lakes

Including the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex, Waco, College Station, and a lot of other cities and towns, the Prairies and Lakes region is located in north-central and central Texas.

If you’re interested in living in a diverse region that offers the ability to spend time in a major American city and also hop out to small-town America to go antiquing, this might be a good choice for you.

Piney Woods

Piney Woods is the easternmost region of Texas. This is a more remote area, with the “big” cities being Huntsville, Conroe, and Tyler. There are also a number of small towns that have plenty of charm and fascinating histories.

The landscape here is made up of lush meadows, forests, streams, and quaint historic towns. Home to four national forests, this is a popular place for visitors that want to experience the great outdoors.

Gulf Coast

Stretching along the Gulf of Mexico, the Gulf Coast region reaches all the way from the Mexican border to Louisiana. The cities found in this area include Houston, Corpus Christi, Galveston, and South Padre Island.

In addition to the cities, there are a number of charming smaller towns in the region.

Where to Live in Texas

So now that you’re convinced that you want to live in Texas, where the heck are you going to live? There really is something for everyone here, but you’ll want to consider what you want to prioritize to help narrow down the options.

Best Small Towns to Live in Texas

There’s no shortage of small towns in the state of Texas. Some of the best small towns to live in include:

  • Graham, Texas
  • Marfa, Texas
  • Marathon, Texas
  • Fort  Davis, Texas
  • La Grange, Texas
  • Cuero, Texas
  • Fredericksburg, Texas
  • Aransas Pass, Texas
  • Rockport, Texas

Best Places to Live in Texas for Young Adults

When you're in your 20s, you're probably looking for a different type of living environment than you will be when you're married with kids. Unless you're specifically hoping to move to a small town in Texas for some solitude and space, you'll probably want to look into Austin, Houston, and San Antonio. If you're looking to tap into some of the cowboy vibe of Texas, check out the Dallas/Fort Worth area.

Best Places to Live in Texas for Families

When you're moving with kids to Texas, you want to make sure that your new home suits everyone in the family. Some of the most family-friendly places in the state I'd recommend checking out include:

  • Houston
  • Richardson
  • Dallas
  • Canyon
  • Wylie
  • Sachse
  • Elgin
  • Prosper
  • Mansfield
  • Frisco

Best Areas to Live in Houston

Houston is the biggest city in Texas and the fourth-largest city in the US by population. It’s also impressively large by area, ranking at number nine for the whole nation. This means that you have a whole lot of options when you’re looking for neighborhoods in Space City.

Some of my suggestions for Houston areas to live in are:

  • Downtown Houston
  • Montrose
  • Midtown
  • West University Place
  • Second Ward
  • Medical Center
  • Memorial City
  • Heights

Best Areas to Live in Dallas-Fort Worth

The third-biggest city in Texas by both population and area, the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex experienced the largest population growth of all metro areas in the U.S. between July 2020 and July 2021, according to the Census Bureau.

  • Deep Ellum
  • Arlington
  • Highland Park
  • Downtown Fort Worth
  • University Park
  • Las Colinas
  • Addison
  • Richardson
  • Westover Hills
  • Roanoke/Southlake area - where I live

Best Areas to Live in San Antonio

Between 2021 and 2022, more people moved to San Antonio than anywhere else in the country. Some of the best neighborhoods in the Alamo City include:

  • Downtown
  • Terrell Hills
  • Northeast Inner Loop
  • Alamo Hills
  • Boerne
  • New Braunfels
  • Helotes
  • Hollywood Park
  • Converse
  • Stone Oak
  • Shavano Park
  • Fair Oaks Ranch

Best Areas to Live in Austin

Another fast-growing city in Texas, the numeric population growth in Austin ranks fourth in the U.S. between July 2020 and July 2021. A word of warning to people considering moving to the capital city: Austin has long been famous for its beloved weirdness. There is a lot of local concern that this has been diluted by the rapid growth of the city, and anyone that wants to move to the Austin they visited in the 90s will likely find it be radically different than it once was.

That being said, let's check out some of the best areas to live in Austin:

  • Barton Hills
  • Allandale
  • Cedar Park
  • Buda
  • Downtown
  • Cherrywood
  • East Austin
  • Dripping Springs
  • Hyde Park
  • Georgetown
  • Leander
  • Kyle
  • North Loop
  • Meander
  • Old West Austin
  • North University
  • South Austin

Is Texas the Right State For You?

There is something truly unique about Texas, and I am so glad that I finally made the move to this incredible state after dreaming of being a Texan my whole life. Everyone is different, though, so it's important to identify what is and isn't important to you when considering making the move.

If you're desperate to be in a warm climate, a business-friendly atmosphere, and a state with no income taxes, Texas should definitely be on the top of your list. If you're the type of person that starts to get uncomfortable when the temperature sneaks above 65, on the other hand, and you prefer condensed metro areas to sprawling ones, you might find Texas to require compromises you aren't willing to make.

Moving to Texas has been so beneficial to me that I feel driven to share what I've learned so far to help others make the right decision for them. If you're wondering who the heck I am, be sure to check out my projects and more about me here.

If you're looking for a legitimate excuse on which to blame everything going wrong in your life, I've got some great news: there's definitely a legitimate excuse for your situation.

In fact, I've never met a person yet who didn't have at least a few major external reasons they weren't wherever they wanted to be with their finances, health, fitness, and/or relationships.

I'm serious. Almost everyone I know has perpetual, legitimate excuses on hand useful for rationalizing every missed goal, every dropped ball, and every small flaw in their life. Excuses on tap.

Almost everyone has major areas outside of their control which consumes their time, energy, and mental bandwidth on such a level that using those areas as excuses would be honest, understandable, and even respectable. Let's review a few common ones.

Here are some excuses which apply to you

Here are some extremely common excuses that you might have access to right now:

  • Gender. This is easy and definitely realistic. If you're a woman, you have a massive minefield you have to navigate that men don't ever have to even think about: being ignored for promotions, getting paid less, people not taking you seriously, people expecting you to not be focused on long-term projects - sexism is real.
  • Children. Children are colossal up-front costs. They demand incredible amounts of time, incredible amounts of energy, incredible amounts of mental bandwidth, and - perhaps most importantly - incredible amounts of rigidity for your schedule. You can't just ignore them for a few days. Your children need you.
  • Spouse. Spouses are very understandably, demanding. They love you - they're your other half. They need you financially, emotionally, and definitely in terms of time. I have literally never met a married person whose biggest struggle when working on a project wasn't their spouse.
  • Horrible bosses. Realistically, your boss is probably an idiot. He probably doesn't understand your worth, is wrong about the market, is wrong about her/his own business, etc. Bosses are rarely empowering. Usually, they squander assets like you. It's true.
  • Lack of money. Don't have money? Then you can't pay for things that are needed to get to where you want to go. Nothing insulting about this - it's just true. If you can't afford to fix your car, then you just can't afford it. Period. Right?
  • Mental health. This is a massive new one. Especially if you're a millennial. You probably have mental health issues. You probably have ADHD. No way around it. There are demonstrable ways these mental health issues are hurting you when it comes to doing what you need to do. You probably don't even know how bad it is - it's probably worse than you realize.
  • Bad schooling. If you went to a horrible school, that will stick with you for the rest of your life. Starting your life on the wrong foot can mess everything up. Bad math teachers in high school? That hurts you as an adult because it's not as easy to learn when you're older. It's just a fact.
  • Poor family. Most won't understand what it's like growing up poor. There are so many disadvantages that live with you, it's impossible to list them all. Educational, networking options, health options, the ability to see the world - poverty puts you at a permanent disadvantage. Even as an adult, the disadvantages will pop up repeatedly.
  • Lack of parents. Didn't have a strong father figure in your life? That'll leave a mark. Bring up that baggage down the road and everyone you know will be understanding as you explain how that stopped you from achieving certain goals. They'll be right, too. It's huge.
  • Bad parenting. Were you slapped around? Emotionally abused? Emotional abuse can be the worst. It can cause hell in your future relationships, business endeavors, and in almost every other area of life. It's legitimate, too. Your childhood is extremely important to your chances of "making it" in the world.
  • College debt. Massive student loans? They can ruin your life. They can make you less date-able, can force you to live somewhere you don't want to live and require you to become more dependent on low-end jobs than you'd like. Debt is slavery, after all.
  • Lack of privilege. This is a great one. Just Google "list of privileges" to get a list of endless excuses. Unless you're a straight, white, rich, well-educated, perfectly mentally healthy, Christian male, you'll find all kinds of good excuses after a few minutes of browsing. Check out Tumblr, it's a goldmine.

These are just the major excuses. Smaller ones are even more plentiful and just as legitimate.

Late for something? There was someone in front of you going too slowly. Miss a morning deadline? Your computer was giving you problems for a full 20 minutes. Ignoring the emotional needs of your significant other? They were rude earlier, and it's drastically easier to just give them the silent treatment like you were raised. Going into debt every month? Eating out a few times a week is not unreasonable.

Application: You have major things going wrong outside of your control

If you have a somewhat normal life, then you're probably going to have a couple of mental health issues, a couple of kids, an emotionally needy spouse, and a lack of money. These are major excuses that, if you use them, nobody will blame you for the problems they will cause. If anything, your friends will bring them up to help you rationalize things whenever life goes south.

Heck, if you called me right now and told me your situation, I'd probably even go along with the excuses. They're legit. You have tons of them. Everyone will agree.

This is why the whole social justice movement is growing so quickly with young people. Because they're right about the oppression, kind of. This is true even on the smaller level we're talking about. In almost every negative situation, something else - outside of your direct control - is causing the problem on a major, fundamental level.

In fact, the general narrative behind excuses is all wrong. Most people believe that the default is things going correctly and that when something bad happens, that's the unknown variable that caused things to go south - that's why it's the excuse. Excuses are seen as exceptional events outside of one's control.

The truth is the opposite. In the same way, some people see "privilege" everywhere, the other side of that coin is to see legitimate excuses everywhere. Bad things happen to you constantly for legitimate reasons outside of your control.

That said, the purpose of this article isn't what it might look like right now. In fact, the real lesson is the opposite of how most people take these lessons.

Excuses are when you choose to narratively surrender to an obstacle

Obstacles are inevitable, but excuses aren't.

When something goes poorly and you have the choice to blame the external cause or find some flaw or area of potential improvement with yourself, err on the side of choosing yourself - while also learning about the external source as well.

This puts you in a perpetual position of learning from failure rather than a cycle of repeating failure.

There is no strategic value in excuses - even legitimate excuses. There is a strategic value in understanding your disadvantages. Understanding your disadvantages is good, but an excuse is when you reject understanding the disadvantage in favor of surrendering your personal narrative to the disadvantage.

That distinction is the difference between an obstacle being a problem you overcome or the defining characteristic of your ruined, wasted life.

Think of your daily life like a general who surveys a potential battlefield: only a fool would ignore the terrain, but only a bad general would see the terrain as either good or bad without considering his options for navigating said terrain. You're the general of your life. So act like it.

An excuse is when someone surrenders their entire identity of being a strong, independent, strategic human being in exchange for telling their boss someone was driving slightly slower than normal in front of them. Excuses are pathetic, strategically useless, and are, ironically, a major personal flaw that causes major life harm.

This bears emphasis: excuses - surrendering to legitimate obstacles - is a reflection of your flaw. That means that the wrong mentality takes the understandable blame and shifts it from that external cause and points it right back at you: the foolish general.

It's important to understand the obstacles you face, yes. But that's not the same as surrendering to them and believing that those obstacles are the unmovable, unchangeable catalysts of the inevitable undesired outcome.

Scroll up and look at that list of excuses. Now, look at it as a list of possible disadvantages that one can overcome. Now one's entire outlook on life shifts drastically. You become more powerful when you realize you have the power in the first place.

Important: "Blame yourself first" is not the same as "victim-blaming"

The point of this article isn't to somehow suggest that you should ignore when you are, in fact, being oppressed. The concepts described don't mean you shouldn't care about things like unequal pay, abusive parents, or any other situations where you truly are being victimized. That's not the point at all.

It's also not the point of this article to shame you for not "overcoming" every situation. I wouldn't have been as successful if I'd grown up as a black female in 1930s Alabama. Some things are beyond our control. That's just a fact.

It's not a mental "trick" to suggest people should blame themselves over situations for which they aren't responsible. Sometimes structural, and macro changes are necessary.

"Victim blaming" and "blame yourself first" aren't remotely connected.

In "victim-blaming", you blame the innocent person for the actions of the guilty - and entrench the problem.

In "blame yourself first", you seek to understand the catalysts of the unwanted final result, and then act to minimize the unwanted final result as much as possible - and prevent it from happening again.

That's why it's "blame yourself first" and not "blame yourself only."

If you're only partly to blame, focus on what can be done on your end to change the outcome. But don't ignore the problems caused by external sources - and don't accept blame for what is not within your control.

Of course, if you aren't to blame at all, then don't blame yourself at all. Sometimes, there's nothing we can do and we can't fix a broken situation. These ideas are about empowering you, not enslaving you to unjust blame.

Application: How to "blame yourself first" correctly

Let's look at a real-world example.

If you're the CEO of a company and someone running a department makes a series of horrible decisions that severely damages their department, then you should immediately figure out what you could have done to prevent the problem, what you did to cause the problem - if anything - and what you can do to minimize the current damage.

You begin by asking yourself the following questions:

  • What systems did I set up in the place that created the unwanted outcome?
  • What bad behavior did I enable that created the unwanted outcome?
  • Why didn't I put a stop to the problem before the final unwanted outcome?
  • What could I have done differently to have stopped the unwanted outcome - automatically?
  • What can I do that will fix the unwanted outcome right now while minimizing long-term problems?
  • What can I learn from this situation that I can use in future situations so I can avoid future unwanted outcomes?

That might mean realizing that you made a mistake in hiring for the position. It might mean you didn't put the right processes in place. It might mean you should have communicated better with the department head. It might mean many things.

What it shouldn't mean is that you should just blame the department head and ignore all culpability - direct or indirect. Blame yourself first weaponizes the fact that you can only, in the end, control your own decisions - and that's where the brunt of your analysis should be for fixing problems.

Even when someone else is to blame, "blame yourself first" results in a more comprehensive, total awareness of what occurred and how to minimize the damage.

In business, this really is an effective "hack" for almost every situation.

Lifehack: Blame yourself first, even if there are legitimate reasons to not

An excuse is when someone driving slow made you late for work. An obstacle is when someone drove slow in front of you - but your day was so organized that you still made the deadline because you (almost) always have the ability to arrive a little early through good planning.

In plain English: just because there's an external cause for something negative in your life, that doesn't mean that you don't have options for getting around that cause - even if the solution might seem "extreme" to others.

Just because you're poor doesn't mean you have to stay poor. Just because you're poor doesn't mean you can't compete against wealthier people. Just because you're poor doesn't mean you can't use that experience as a leverage point when dealing with others.

Just because you didn't have a father doesn't mean you have to have the "daddy issues" of someone who didn't have a father - sometimes, those who were fatherless become the best fathers because they trained themselves to use that pain and emotional vacuum as an energy source.

Sometimes, your biggest disadvantages and obstacles can become your biggest advantages and strengths. But you have to blame yourself first in order to rule over your life well. This is the beginning of a good personal strategy.

With a good personal strategy, even our weaknesses become untraditional advantages.

Shaun Connell has built multiple 7-figure earning businesses, including one with a successful multi-million dollar exit. He's obsessed with wealth building, investing, entrepreneurship, and Stoic philosophy. You can learn more about Shaun by checking out his essays or project list.