Not sure if you know but I am a huge anime fan. One of my favorite shows in the anime world is One Piece.

One Piece is about a 17 year old kid named Monkey D. Luffy who has dreams of sailing the seas, forming his own pirate crew, finding a hidden treasure named the “One Piece”, and becoming the king of the pirates. I must admit when I first sat down and took the time to watch the show I found it really goofy with kind of a pokemon feel to it and I stopped watching for a while. After a friend begged me to not stop and keep going I started back up and I can honestly say it’s one of the best shows I’ve seen.

What keeps me interested is the ever so carefree, hungry, risk taking captain Monkey D. Luffy. What makes the show worth watching is that despite how simple the hero appears to be on surface level there is a undeniable depth to his personality and character. So on about the 400th episode (yes there is that many and it is currently in the 700’s. (What can I say? I’m dedicated.) I told myself we all should learn about how to live this life shit from the Straw Hat Captain. Here are 5 things we can learn about life from Monkey D. Luffy.

1. WHATEVER YOU CHOOSE TO DO. JUST START!

Luffy set sail at 17 years old. He had no real pirate ship just a very small boat. (1st episode shows him arriving in a barrel! A FUCKING BARREL!) The normal way of thinking would be “Well I have no real pirate ship so I cant set sail”. Luffy didn’t care he was ready to START. The mentality he had was that every second that passed that was a second wasted on him not being the king of the pirates. We never start out with everything we need in whatever passion or goal we’re chasing but that doesn’t mean you can’t start. I think fear plays a big part in not starting because so many thoughts run through your mind. “What if I fail?” “Is this the right decision?” It’s scary man trust me I know but you have to be fearless and most importantly have fun! Something is better than nothing so whatever you ready to achieve just START! You can’t finish if you don’t start.

2. YOUR WORDS AND ACTIONS ARE EVERYTHING.

As I got deeper into the show a pattern I noticed was when Luffy would personally recruit members for his crew they were all reluctant to join him for the adventure. Some reasons personal, some thought Luffy was aloof (which he is). Luffy would change their mind with his actions and his ability to keep his word. He doesn’t throw out promises a lot but when he does he is willing to put it all on the line for not just himself but for his team. He lives to protect his friends. It’s hard not to trust someone who puts their life on the line for you because that energy is very infectious. The aloof personality leaves Luffy when it’s time to keep a promise or fight and that’s what his crew mates noticed. Keep your word. Act on your word and things just might go in your favor.

3. SOMETIMES NOT GIVING A FUCK IS HEALTHY.

As a pirate sailing the seas and going on countless adventures you’re sure to run into trouble, adversity. Monkey D. Luffy definitely has found himself in a number of predicaments but guess what he doesn’t give a fuck. He is the epitome of going with the flow. He jokes around, thinks about his next big meal, instead of the dire situation he is in. An attitude like that does wonders for his optimism and belief in himself. We all go through shit in life one time or another but honestly the less fuck I gave about a situation I had no control over the less stressful I became. My mind became clearer. I was able to focus on the bigger picture, which is life itself. I’m living and breathing and that’s all that matters. Everything will work itself out if I just continue to work hard and not sweat everything I have no control over.

4. SIMPLICITY IS UNDEFEATED.

Luffy see’s the world in a very childlike manner. Luffy’s world is very simple, Food, Friends, Adventure, and Dreams. Is that bad? It’s debatable. The One Piece world is full of so much evil, corruption, etc. Luffy is very simple minded which can be a handicap but it allows him to deal with the trials of the world better than the average person. He tries to see the best in everyone. He knows that evil things exist but he sees it as an obstacle he’ll deal with once it’s in front of him. I’ve never seen him mention treasure, riches, or anything materialistic. He lives and leads a simple life. He avoids making things complicated. He fights simple. He wears the same signature straw hat, and outfit and is a very giving person. Simplicity doesn’t hurt these days. We live in a world where we worship “things”. We never worship the experiences. We make everything complex, from love to respect. When you’re simplistic living is just that much more enjoyable. How many times have you had a decision to make and instead of going the simplistic route you decided to overthink it? You made it more complicated than it was cause you avoided simplicity. Exactly! Keep it simple it always pays off in the long run.

5. THE BETTER YOUR COMPANY. THE BETTER YOUR SUCCESS.

Traveling everywhere possible Luffy met a lot of people, and of course befriended them. In the series it’s clear to see that Luffy is a very outgoing, and friendly guy but that doesn’t mean you can join his crew. There are instances that he put his time and life on the line for strangers he just met but he never extended the offer for them to come aboard his ship afterwards. There’s a quote I was taught and it states “Fill your circle with people who make you a better you.” Monkey D. Luffy does just that. The people he recruits for his crew have a specific skill set that he can learn and grow from. The skills range from Doctor to a Cook to a navigator. Everyone in his crew benefits his overall purpose. We encounter nice people all the time in this world but that doesn’t mean they’re beneficial to our purpose. It doesn’t make you a bad person that you meet a person that’s nice but you don’t have them a part of your life all the time. It’s okay to have acquaintances because the way society is today you really have to choose your friends wisely. If the people around you can’t help you grow then what’s the point of them being around you? It’s like the O.G’s used to tell us growing up. “If you hang with a bunch of dope fiends you gonna become one.” You are the company you keep.

There you have it! 5 things we can learn from the kid they call “Straw Hat Luffy”. Utilize those 5 gems and I’m positive you’ll love the outcome!

- Benny