The Punk Ideology is a Life Hack (12 ways to be more punk)
I have a philosophy in life — make it more punk. Maybe it’s because I grew up on Blink 182 and played in a pop punk band, but I’ve always been inspired by the punk style and its ethos. Because punk is so much more than distortion pedals and Mohawks.
The punk ideology is a way of life.
From content creation and art to fashion and travel, there are always opportunities to go against the grain, reject overly polished templates and forge your own path. And that’s what being punk is all about.
So then, let’s get to it!
Table of Contents Show
What is the Punk Ideology?
The punk ideology is rooted in social and/or political beliefs around anti-establishment, rebellion, alienation and disrupting the status quo.
The punk subculture is anti-institutional and a rejection of anything too corporate or curated. In music, it was a fight against overly polished and elaborate music. And applied to life, these ideas start to resonate.
Embracing a punk ideology (in life) helps to lessen the pressure to perform or behave a certain way. You know the script: make the money, get married, land the secure job — be careful with your dreams if they aren’t secure, and so on.
So I say, be punk about life. Confidently reject advice or lifestyles that don’t align with you — society’s template isn’t for everyone.
(*note, there’s nothing wrong with pursuing “normal” things if they’re right for you — but if you’re creative and/or crave more adventure in life, such templates can feel suffocating)
Why Life Should be More Punk
Whether it’s my content, art, goals or mindset, the more punk I make it, the happier and more authentic I feel.
This is why life should be more punk:
Be more expressive
It’s a more creative life
Become more independent
Spark change in dated systems
Connect with more like-minded people
Challenge norms that you don’t align with
Look within and become less materialistic
Find more authenticity and personal freedom
Try new things (and fail) with greater confidence
Boost your sense of control in life with more individuality
12 Ways to Make Life More Punk
1. Schedule More ‘You Time’
Whatever’s going on around you, nothing is more punk than making time for yourself (plus, this falls into general self care, which is healthy stuff).
You time means prioritizing your passions and taking moments to hit pause, slow down, meditate and decompress. And chances are, you don’t have to do most of the things you think you do.
So let this be your permission slip to let go of things that aren’t working and relax a little more.
The world is demanding and often, we end up doing things we don’t even want to do. So do less and take care of you first. Schedule in more you time, everyday.
Explore more:
➤ Self Care for Creatives
2. Do More of What you Want
Since you’re already taking more time for you, let’s take things up a notch. Here’s how: prioritize your passions and do more of what you want — what you love.
This is how to start living a more aligned life. And again, this is pretty freaking punk.
I say, why wait until retirement to do more of what you want and live your dream life? Why not start now?
You can start small, but eventually living life completely on your terms should be more normalized. And with social media, AI and endless online opportunities, this reality is more possible than ever before (it just takes work and patience).
But even if you just schedule in an extra hour everyday for your passions, that’s way better than nothing.
Explore more:
➤ Do More of What Makes You Happy
3. Do More Art
Art is punk, naturally. I may be biased here, but I believe everyone should do more creative things (even if you feel like you’re not creative).
Creativity is cathartic and expressive. It boosts your self awareness, confidence and promotes a flow state (all key things for living a punk life).
You don’t need to be Picasso, but here are some examples of artsy things to try:
Paint or draw
Scrapbooking
Try woodworking
Learn graphic design
Start writing or journaling
Explore more:
➤ My Favorite Creative Outlets
4. Practice Detachment
“Let go, or be dragged.”
The more I let go of things that aren’t working or aren’t aligned, the happier and lighter I feel. I’m making space for better things to come in — things that are aligned with me. And that’s punk.
Punk is the ability to let go of things that don’t resonate and go all in on stuff that truly brings you joy. Sometimes, it’s not the “safest” or most secure path, but it’s honest. And it’s fun.
Detachment is punk because punk doesn’t prioritize metrics, materialism or needy “give me more” energies.
Of course, I suppose it’s unreasonable to detach completely, overnight. It’s hard not to give value to some metrics in life (the number under your name, in your bank account, etc.). But a little bit goes a long way and can segue into a whole new perspective on life.
So start small and detach from just a little bit at a time. Slowly, you’ll be able let go of more, more often and more easily.
Explore more:
➤ How to Stop Caring So Much
5. Ignore External Noise
Society, family, friends — wherever the external advice is coming from, just ignore it. This is punk 101.
Besides, advice is overrated and there’s rarely a one-size-fits-all nugget that’s relevant for everyone (except maybe, don’t be an a**hole).
But external noise doesn’t just mean outside advice — it includes praise too.
External validation feels good, so we tend to pay attention to it more often. It’s like a vote of confidence from your fellow humans. This is especially true if you’re creative or make social content (because hey, playing to an empty room is hard).
But the best thing you can do is ignore that external stuff and focus all of your energy internally. Only compare yourself to your past self and always celebrate your progress, big or small (and never measure your growth by metrics like the number under your name).
External noise is just that, noise. And the punk ideology tells us to just ignore it. It’s a diminishing return and mostly meaningless.
(ahh, I feel lighter already)
Explore more:
➤ Avoid the Fallacy of Approval
6. Don’t Sleep on Your Dreams
“No one is more anxious than the ambitious person who creates nothing.”
I waited too long to truly go after my dreams and passions. Eventually, this manifested itself as stress, anxiety and unhappiness. Luckily, I still have time before it turns into the much more potent regret.
Following a punk ideology means you don’t care if something looks ugly or awkward or doesn’t have commercial “success”. If it’s important to you, you simply get after it.
This requires following your intuition and mastering the art of saying “F*ck it, let’s see what happens!”
Going after your dreams (when no one else sees them but you) is incredibly punk.
Just remember, it’ll never be the right time, you’ll never be fully ready and you’ll never reach perfection. But luckily, perfection, readiness and linear growth are the most unrelatable, unremarkable and uncreative things you could ever possibly hope for as a human being.
So be punk and take relentless action on your dreams. Stop over-thinking and over-planning and stumble with a smile (my personal motto).
Disrupt and make a beautiful mess. I’ll see you out there.
Explore more:
➤ Have a Dreamer Personality?
7. Take More Risks
Life exists outside of your comfort zone. No risk, no reward — no guts, no glory. You know the drill. So I like to remind myself to take more risks (I mean, within reason).
I think it’s well and good to explore new things, test new ideas and try everything. Fail often and fail forward. Get some scapes and bruises along the way (metaphorically). Do more hard things and love every minute of it.
Again, stumble with a smile. You may be surprised by how often this actually leads to success (traditionally speaking).
Prolonged safety gets a bit boring and innovation exists beyond the bubble. So throw some wrenches in those plans and make life more punk.
Success doesn’t always need to be the goal and perfection should never have a place at the table. But take a risk by betting on yourself. It’s a form of play. Be aligned and follow your passions.
Put another, just do more cool sh*t.
Explore more:
➤ Goodbye, Comfort Zones
8. Forget the Money
“What would you like to do if money were no object? You do that, and forget the money...”
Don’t get me wrong, money is important and making more of it is even better. But if it’s a driving motivation (that’s causing stress), then that’s a problem.
Making money is a skill, something that anyone can learn. There are plenty of free resources and channels on finance, investing, sales and all that jazz. Of course, this is not financial advice, but the less I hyper-focus on money, the happier I am.
Making decisions based solely on their ROI (or how much money they’ll make you) is a myopic way to assign value to something (plus, it’s not very punk).
Instead, start by pursuing personal fulfillment and joy. Because if a cup of coffee doesn’t make you happy, a yacht won’t either.
Explore more:
➤ The Secret to Success
9. Find Your Own Unique Punk Style
Style, fashion and lifestyle all influence your personality, habits and emotions. So if you’re looking to embody a more punk persona, embrace a punk style.
The punk aesthetic isn’t a one-size-fits-all package. So you may need to look beyond the leather jackets, ripped jeans and tattoos (although, that’s cool too).
The punk style is simply embodying your individuality and your authenticity. So here are a few ways to tap into your unique punk style:
Buy some new threads
Find unique clothes at thrift stores
Learn more about punk fashion, symbols and ideology
Layer your passions, experiences and skills in new and unique ways
Explore more:
➤ Fashion and Creativity Are Friends
10. Launch Your Personal Brand
Nothing say punk like throwing away the notion of a 9-5 and building a personal brand around your passions.
This is part of what makes modern life so punk. It’s a rejection of the institution and outsourcing your livelihood. It’s the art of betting on yourself and turning your passions, values and personality into content, value and profit.
The creator economy is really the meconomy — it’s creative, fun and seriously punk.
It’s a long-term strategy, but are some quick tips for getting started:
Know thyself. Who are you and what do you want to be known for? What are you passionate about and/or good at? Start there.
Make content. Turn yourself into keywords and content — prioritize fun and authenticity over perfection.
Choose one platform. Don’t try to be everywhere all at once — start with one place and one domain and master that first.
Cultivate your image. Your reputation and identity is built over time, not overnight. Be intentional with how you’re creating your online persona and listen to the signals from data.
Have fun. You’re already a personal brand. It’s my thesis that you don’t create your personal brand, but rather, you simply share it. It’s the thing that’s most natural and fun for you.
Explore more:
➤ Personal Branding for Creatives
11. Become More Chill
“Don’t get too high, and don’t get too low.”
Okay, so I have a couple more philosophies in life (so many philosophies, I know lol). But here they are: life is creative and to create better, care less.
Being carefree isn’t apathy. It’s balance (the art of staying even-keeled). And it’s a secret to more creativity, easier living and more positive perspectives. It’s also pretty freaking punk.
So here are a few tips to work on embracing more carefreeness in life:
Love your quirks — embrace your weird
Hang around happy, chill people
Watch more inspiring content
Identify your main stressors
Work to remove stressors
Stop watching the news
Cultivate optimism
Stay intentional
Explore more:
➤ How to Be More Chill
12. Travel More
Travel throws routine on its head and puts you straight into the unknown. It’s uncomfortable and forces new experiences in new cultures with new perspectives. And it’s awesome.
All of this is to say that travel is pretty ‘effing punk. This is especially true for solo travel, which requires a little extra grit and confidence.
You can start by simply taking more local trips and staying at random hotels or AirBnBs nearby. Slowly push yourself further out and create a travel budget to explore new places.
And if you’re really serious about this lifestyle, consider joining me in full-time travel and become a digital nomad!
Either way, traveling more is awesome. You become smarter, more confident and, yes, more punk.
Explore more:
➤ Start Traveling More
Later ✌️
The punk ideology is anti-institutional and a rejection of overly polished and elaborate products (be it music or otherwise). So living a punk lifestyle is simply forging your own path and owning your passions.
This approach to life is more fun, liberating, creative and personally fulfilling. So find your crew, consume the right content and define your unique style.
And most importantly, have fun and be weird with it — this is punk, after all.
FAQs
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Punk started in the mid-1970s, according to Britannica. But by other accounts, its origins can be traced back to the 1960s.
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Punk’s origins is traced back to Detroit and New York during the 1960s.
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Embracing the punk ideology in life means boosting your personal autonomy, doing more of what you want and rejecting perfection or social expectations. It’s creative and liberating.
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Definitely not. Punk has evolved (for sure), but its core ethos and style remains. You can find punk influences and examples in modern music, fashion, value systems and art.
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