One Piece is about a 17-year-old kid named Monkey D. Luffy who dreams of sailing the oceans, making his own pirate crew, discovering a "One Piece" secret treasure, and becoming the pirate king. When I first sat down and took the time to watch the show, I must confess that I found it very goofy with a sort of pokemon feeling and for a while I stopped watching. I started back up after a friend begged me not to stop and keep going and I can honestly say it is one of the best shows I've seen.
The ever so carefree, hungry, risk-taking Captain Monkey D. Luffy is what keeps me involved. What makes the show worth watching is that there is an undeniable dimension to his personality and character, considering how simplistic the hero appears to be at the surface level. I told myself we should all learn how to live the Straw Hat Captain's life crap. Here are 5 things we can learn from Monkey D. Luffy about life.
1. WHATEVER YOU CHOOSE TO DO. JUST START!
At 17 years old, Luffy set sail. He had no true pirate ship, just a very tiny ship. The usual way of thinking will be "Well, I don't have a real pirate ship, so I can't set sail" (1st episode shows him arriving in a barrel! A FUCKING BARREL!) It didn't matter to Luffy that he was ready to start. The attitude he had was that every second that passed was a second that was wasted on him not being the pirate king. In any passion or mission we're seeking, we never start with everything we need, but that doesn't mean you can't start. I think anxiety plays a huge role in not beginning because your mind runs through too many emotions. What happens if I fail? "Is this a correct decision?" It's a scary boy, believe me, I know, but you have to be fearless and have fun most of all! Anything is better than nothing, so no matter what you're ready to do, just START! When you don't start, you can't finish.
2. YOUR WORDS AND ACTIONS ARE EVERYTHING
When I got further into the show, a trend I found was that they were all hesitant to join him for the adventure when Luffy would personally recruit members for his crew. Some individual reasons, some felt Luffy was aloof (which he is). Through his actions and his capacity to hold his promise, Luffy will alter their minds. He doesn't throw out promises a lot, but when he does, he's ready to put everything on the line for his team and not just himself. He lives to safeguard his mates. Since that energy is so contagious, it is difficult not to trust someone who puts their life on the line for you. When it's time to keep a promise or war, the aloof attitude leaves Luffy and that's what his crew mates have found. Keep word of yours. Act on your word, and maybe things will go in your favor.
3. SOMETIMES NOT GIVING A FUCK IS HEALTHY
You would certainly run into trouble, adversity, as a pirate sailing the seas and going on endless adventures. Monkey D. Luffy has certainly been in a range of predicaments, but guess what a fuck he's not giving. He is the epitome of the rhythm of going with it. Instead of the desperate situation he is in, he jokes around, talks of his next big meal. In his confidence and trust in himself, an attitude like that does wonders. One time or another, we all go through shit in life, but honestly the less fuck I gave about a scenario I had no control over the less stressful I became. My mind became clearer. I have been able to concentrate on the larger picture, which is life itself. I'm alive and breathing and all that matters is that. If I just continue to work hard and not sweat everything that I have no control over, everything will work itself out.
4. SIMPLICITY IS UNDEFEATED
Luffy, in a rather childlike way, sees the world. The world of Luffy, Food, Friends, Adventure, and Dreams is very easy. Will that be bad? They're debatable. The universe of One Piece is filled with so much evil, greed, etc. Luffy is very plain minded, which may be a handicap, but it helps him to cope better than the average person with the world's trials. He's trying to find the absolute best of us. He knows that there are evil things, but he sees it as an obstacle with which he can cope until it is in front of him. I never saw him mention treasure, cash, or anything materialistic, either. He lives an easy life and leads it. He stops complicating matters. He fights quickly. He wears the same straw hat and outfit with the same signature, and is a very gifted person. These days, simplicity doesn't hurt. We live in a world where "things" are worshipped. We never admire encounters. From love to appreciation, we make it dynamic. It's just so much more fun when you're simplistic. How many times have you had a decision to make and have you tried to overthink it instead of taking the simplistic route? You made things more complex than it was so simplicity was avoided. Exactly! Exactly! It always pays off in the long run. Keep it simple.
5. THE BETTER YOUR COMPANY. THE BETTER YOUR SUCCESS.
Luffy encountered a lot of people and, of course, befriended them, traveling wherever possible. It's evident that Luffy is a really outgoing, welcoming guy in the series, but that doesn't mean you should join his crew. For strangers he just met, there are times where he put his time and life on the line, but he never extended the invitation to come on board his ship afterwards. I have been taught a quote and it says, "Fill your circle with individuals who make you a better you." Monkey D. Luffy does exactly that. The individuals he chooses for his crew have a particular skill set from which he can learn and develop. The skills range from a doctor to a navigator to a chef. His ultimate aim benefits everybody in his crew. All the time in this world, we meet nice people, but that does not mean they are helpful to our target. It doesn't make you a bad person to meet a nice person, but you don't have them all the time as a part of your life. It's fine to have acquaintances but you just have to carefully select your mates the way society is today. If you can't encourage the people around you to grow, then what is the point of them being around you? It's like being used by the O.G's to tell us to grow up. You'll become one if you hang around a bunch of dope fiends." You're the company you're maintaining."
You've got it there! 5 things we should learn from the kid they call "Straw Hat Luffy". Using those 5 gems and I'm sure you're going to love the result!