Just admit it, you’ve thought about it before. Social media is great and all. But you and I both know that it also sucks.
Does this scenario sound familiar?
- It’s late at night, you’re in bed, you dread waking up early tomorrow because you have to go to work, so you grab your smartphone, you open up Instagram (or whatever app you’re addicted to).
- And you start browsing, you go from one picture to the next, you watch some videos, you start feeling bad about your life, because all the other people have fun, and you have to go to work in the morning.
Alright, we’re at a very bad place right now in that scenario. Because now the existentialism creeps in slowly. And finally, you think:
“My life is shitty compared to these other people. They look amazing, have money, travel the world, and they are important too. Who am I? I’m nothing. What have I done? Nothing! FML.”
And what do you do besides feeling like shit? Nothing. You just go on with your life and repeat that whole process the next day. And some days you counter the posts from other people by ‘crafting’ your own cool posts.
Just admit it, this whole thing is not cool. Of course, I’m exaggerating, and social media is not the source of all our problems. Don’t expect that your life will be awesome when you get rid of social media. I don’t believe in fairy tales.
But you get my point. Social media has a negative impact on many of us. Some people love it. If that’s you, there’s no need to read this article. But if you ever thought about quitting social media, keep reading.
Actually, just stop reading, and go on and delete the apps that make you unhappy.
Just follow the example of Louis C.K. When asked about why he quit Twitter in an interview, he said:
“It didn’t make me feel good. It made me feel bad instead. So I stopped doing it.”
That makes it very simple. If something makes you feel bad, stop using it.
It’s the opposite of the scientific approach to quitting social media that Cal Newport took. He makes some good points about why social media is bad for you.
But to me, that’s way too rational. And we’re not rational beings. We’re emotional. That’s why I like the approach of Louis C.K.
Here’s why I got rid of my social media.
I only used it for self-promotion. And I don’t like that. I don’t think that’s fair to people who follow you. So I got rid of my Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat. I only have Twitter and LinkedIn. But to be honest, I don’t use any of the platforms actively. I might have an account, but I don’t spend time on the apps.
This article is not about convincing you to do the same. Or about getting rid of all your social media profiles. All I’m saying is this: If you ever thought about quitting social media, just do it already.
You’re limiting yourself by not pulling the trigger. Now, you might say: “It’s just social media. Who cares?”
But you’re not getting off that easily. If you want to live a happy and stress-free life, you have to be decisive. When things linger in your head, it’s all dead weight. And you don’t want that.
What’s it going to be? Do you use social media or not? Does it make you happy? Does it improve your life or business?
I know what you’re thinking. “What if I ever need it?”
You don’t need anything for business or your career.
People who have stakes in social media will never tell you to stop using it. Why? Because their career depends on it.
But what did you think people did before social media? It’s all a matter of perspective. Many successful entrepreneurs I know have never used social media.
Is that why they’re doing well? There’s no way to tell. One thing is sure: You can do well in life with and without social media.
It’s up to you to decide. And it comes down to self-awareness. It’s also about simplifying life. Because it’s already complicated enough. Get rid of shit that doesn’t contribute anything to your life.
So what’s your perspective? Have you ever thought about quitting social media? Why did you never pull the trigger?
