“Why I’ve decided to attend the workshop”

“I won’t bore you with my life story because, frankly, it’s as dull as fuck. Let’s just say I’ve spent the last 30-plus years trying not to let anybody down.

I’ve made ‘sensible’ choices about my education and career, I’ve avoided unnecessary risk, earned my keep, planned for the future, sought approval constantly and generally got on with what I thought other people thought needed to be done.

As a result I am in a fairly safe position financially, and I am also bored, miserable and frustrated much of the time. But that sounds whiney and ungrateful. I’m sorry. You must think I’m a bitch – and that bothers me, even though we’ve never met (and round I go again).

The first time I ever heard about Garrett and his work was last year when my brother announced he’d be providing the food at a workshop that his friend, Will, was organising; it was something to do with ‘the art of not giving a fuck’.

As one of the world’s most prolific givers of fucks, I was immediately intrigued …

I found some of Garrett’s stuff online and was amazed at how closely the symptoms he described – i.e. that feeling of frustration and being held back by something inside – matched my own experience.

I was also struck by how his promises to ‘set me off on a path of never-ending adventure’ seemed like complete horse shit. If it sounds too good to be true, I reasoned, it’s probably a scam. Or a cult.

I would have almost certainly dismissed it all entirely if it weren’t for the fact that I had met Will a few times and knew him to be an excellent bloke. If he was putting his time and money on the line to get Garrett over to England and put this event on, there must be something in it.

So, when the workshop started a few weeks later, I decided to go down one day and ‘help my brother with the cooking’ (spy).

I was immediately made to feel very welcome, both by Garrett and the rest of the guys attending the course.

They were all friendly, relaxed people who were evidently having a great time and getting a lot from the experience. They were also surprisingly ‘normal’.

I’m not sure what I’d expected; maybe some sulky dweebs who were pissed off at being scammed by an American con man. Or perhaps a load of unquestioning disciples, following Garret around on their knees and chanting while they took turns to kiss his all-knowing arse.

Whatever my preconceptions were, they were wrong. This was just a good group of blokes trying to get past some ingrained bullshit that was holding them back in life.

I’ve seen the testimonial videos on Garrett’s emails and I can confirm that they are an accurate reflection of what the guys were actually like, and how they actually felt. Which is why I’ve decided to give it a shot myself this year.

Maybe I’ll see you there.”

–Editor’s Note: Thanks to Pete B. for sending us this letter about what got him excited to sign up for the Art of NGF UK workshop. (Still a few spots remaining–going fast!)