NoNaMoFo: A Framework for Growth

NoNaMoFo means you're a No Name Motha F*cker. That's right, it's explicit, but it emphasizes the fact that you're a nobody.

So if you're a nobody without a silver spoon in his mouth, no red carpets to walk on just pavement, and no connections to help you build, what are you supposed to do?

You need to think in NoNaMoFo. It's a way of thinking and living that emphasizes your infinitesimal significance in this world.

You are but a mere speck in the grand scheme of things. A blurred dot in a sea of average. You're no one.

It may seem like this is something that should discourage you, but it's actually a great way of thinking.

What do I mean by that?

By understanding your insignificance, you also understand the necessity for you to grow. The importance of building yourself up to create a bigger impact in a sea of average. Finding ways to go beyond the train track and paving your own way.

To be you and to be the lighthouse in an ocean of normal.

Go above and beyond.

Stand out if you have to.

That is the essence of NoNaMoFo.

Reminisce on your insignificance so you can relentlessly strive for greatness.

What are some of the ways you can apply NoNaMoFo in your life?

Don't Stress About Things You Can't Control

What's not within your control is not worth your time and energy thinking about or worrying about.

The chief task in life is simply this: to identify and separate matters so that I can say clearly to myself which are externals not under my control, and which have to do with the choices I actually control. Where then do I look for good and evil? Not to uncontrollable externals, but within myself to the choices that are my own…” — Epictetus, Discourses, 2.5.4–5

You're a NOBODY. You don't have any time to worry or think about things that are not within your control. The best use of your time is to find ways to be better and grow.

Yeah, we can't control a lot of things, but we can definitely be someone who can handle those situations with competence and preparation when they come.

So don't sweat it. Do what you can and keep moving forward. You're a nobody after all.

Minimize Complaints

As a NoNaMoFo you are bound to do things that you don't like but are crucial to your growth and are important to achieving your goals.

You don't have a say in it, yet, because you're a nobody. You're not at a point in your life where you can choose to do what you want. You are at a point in your life where you are supposed to do what you need first and deal with it.

Yes, it can sometimes be painful and bothersome to do something you're not used to or something you hate, but most of the time when we zoom out and see ourselves in the context of the world, we see that we're actually in a better place in life.

It is this gratitude for what you have that will get you through the complaints and negativity about what you don't have.

So spend some time listing down things you are grateful for and focus on them instead of finding faults and complaining. The fact that you have those despite being a nobody is already a blessing in itself.

Stack the Odds in your Favor and Do More

A lot of things in life would rely on the decisions of other people. It means the odds of you hitting that goal and getting that opportunity are within the odds of them making the decision that favors you.

One of the things you are most familiar with is landing a job application.

In order to land that job, you must go through the process and follow the rules, but no one mentioned that you can't stand out and do more.

If there are other things you can do to increase the odds of you getting hired, DO IT. Seize that 1% and stack the odds in your favor.

Others would just go through the motions and the process. Others would just submit their documents and call it a day.

But because you understand that you're a NoNaMoFo, you learn the basics of copywriting and use it in your subject lines, email, and in your portfolio website to better resonate with your prospect.

You learn some sales to understand how you can effectively communicate your value to people.

You spend hours verbalizing thousands of possible answers you can give during the interviews and practicing your speaking skill.

You go the extra mile. You do more than what others do and stack the odds in your favor because you understand at a fundamental level that you're a No Name MotherF*cker.

You know that if you don't do more and become better, they won't even give you their time of the day. Heck, they won't even consider you.

Don't be Afraid to Fail

You are a nobody. Despite what you think, people don't spend their time ruminating on your mistakes and failures. They have their own lives to live so why care about what they think?

Sure, you can piss them off for a few days, but they won't linger around the thought cause they probably have life problems to solve.

If they do stay in that thought and hate you forever, they're probably people who don't have enough purpose and responsibilities in life to have anything to think about other than your mistake so you probably want that bridge burned anyway. You dodged a bullet.

So keep on putting yourself in situations where you are forced to grow and be better. Yes, you can fail and disappoint people, but you will always come out with a lesson that will contribute to your growth.

Be fearless and fail forward.

Learn as you go.

A NoNaMoFo's Journey

Now that you understand your insignificance, it's time for you to get your boots on and put in the work. It's time for you to be relentless in your pursuit of greatness.

It's time for you to start your journey from a nobody to a lighthouse in the ocean of normal.