On TRP and AskTRP, I see quite a lot of people throwing around a term: Outcome Independence (OI).

What does this even mean? This insightful article by /u/strategos_autokrator is a great analysis of OI through the lens of Stoicism.

But even then, the closest he comes (by no means an insult – he offers many discerning and helpful viewpoints on what stoicism can give to the RP man) is when he says that OI consists of a redefinition of the problem such that others have “zero power over affecting its outcome,” leaving you not subject to their will.

This summary is incredibly insightful in that it tells you: Stop giving a fuck about those kids. They don’t know what’s good for you – but you do. This summary, however, falls slightly short in another way that’s somewhat unsettling for me to observe: some newbies take “not giving a fuck” much too far.

What do I mean? I believe that some newer browsers of TRP have generalized OI into a “male hamster” tool, to use the lingo. They see OI as simply not giving any fucks, ever, at any given time or situation. “The outcome doesn’t matter – ever.” What was previously the means is now the end.

Let me give three random examples:

1. In the article, he asks the reader to become outcome independent by “placing no emphasis on hooking up.” He (quite astutely, but nonetheless misguidedly) notes that women are “blown away when you truly don’t give a fuck.”

2. The writer says that he’s worried another guy is better looking than him, and this affects his “outcome independence.”

3. This is the sidebar post that says "One Key Step to Not Giving a Fuck." The first five quick methods are all highlights of how to really give zero fucks. He then goes on to say how people with ambition will do their utmost to accomplish what they want to.

I said the writer of the first piece was misguided. While it sounds like he’s got it all figured out, I believe he’s (very slightly) pointing in the wrong direction. Outcome Independence does not mean you give no fucks. It does not mean you actively pursue the mindset of giving no fucks. It is not an excuse to slip into nihilism or fatalism. Outcome Independence does not mean you give no shits about the result, as article 3's quick methods might suggest. As a Red Pill man, you should care about the results – you are defined by what you have accomplished, not your “feelings” and “intrinsic value as a human being.”

Do not fall into the trap of “truly giving no fucks,” as the first writer did. You must want something, anything – you must, as a Red Pill man, have a vision, and a burning desire to do whatever it takes to accomplish it. You do give a fuck – about your GPA (because it will jumpstart your career), about finding your competitive edge (because it will help you operate more effectively), about getting laid, even (because it feels good). Outcome Independence does not mean you give no fucks about whatever happens.

Instead, a single event does not impact you emotionally. You fucked up an opener with a hot girl. That’s ok – your Outcome Independence manifests here in the form of asking yourself: What went wrong? Where did I mess up? Why did I make this mistake? How can I make sure to fix this error?

The next time you see a different hot girl, this Outcome Independence will help you with your opener. You’ll be far more effective than if you had merely rolled with author 1 or 3’s definitions: “Lol fuck it doesn’t matter anyways.”

Above, I said that “what was previously the means is now the end.” OI, as I describe it, is a means to an end. You are using it as a process for evaluation and reevaluation, asking yourself, unemotionally and objectively, “How can I do better next time?” OI as merely an end doesn’t cut it: “LMAO whatever.” The third article, in my humble opinion, is slightly at odds with itself. You cannot truly give zero fucks and simultaneously achieve great things. You must care a lot - but you must care in the right way.

/u/Clint_Redwood, a contributor I greatly admire for his level-headed, mature, and astute posts, gets it largely right in this well-written article when he says: “I should note that going into the conversation I had no preconceived notions of what I would find. Basic outcome independence.” For him, said conversation was a learning process.

Learn from him, especially if you're in the anger phase. Outcome Independence should not be your emotional defense against failure. It should help you learn and improve as a man.