I’ve been thinking a lot about boundaries lately. Everyone seems to have them. Boundaries at work. Boundaries in relationships. Emotional boundaries. Social boundaries. Digital boundaries.

We’ve become very good at talking about boundaries.

But mine is actually pretty simple.

Don’t be a dick.

That’s my boundary. You don’t have to agree with me. You don’t have to like everything I do. You don’t have to share my opinions, support my decisions or understand the way I choose to live my life. We can disagree. We can argue. We can challenge each other. In fact, I think we need more of that.

But just don’t be a dick about it. Treat people properly. Be kind when you can be kind.

Say thank you. Show up when you say you’re going to show up.If you make a mistake, own it. If someone helps you, remember it. If you have something to say about someone, have the courage to say it to them—not to everyone else. And when you get into a position of power, don’t suddenly forget how you wanted to be treated when you had none. It’s really not that complicated.

I think sometimes we make being a decent human being far more complex than it needs to be. You don’t need to be perfect. God knows I’m not. I’ve made mistakes. I’ve said the wrong things. I’ve got things wrong. I’ve probably been a dick myself more times than I’d like to admit. The difference is being willing to look at yourself and say:

“Yeah. I could have handled that better.”

Then you apologise. You learn. You move on. What I struggle with is people who consistently treat others badly and then hide behind excuses.

“That’s just who I am.”

No.You’re being a dick. And eventually, people are allowed to decide that they don’t want that energy in their lives anymore. That’s not being sensitive. That’s not cancelling someone. That’s not creating drama. That’s a boundary.And here’s mine: Come into my life with good intentions. Be honest with me. Challenge me.Laugh with me. Disagree with me. Tell me when I’m wrong. I’ll do my best to give you exactly the same in return.

But treat me—or the people around me—like shit, and I’ll happily create some distance. Life is too short. There are too many good people in this world. Too many incredible conversations to have. Too many businesses to build. Too many adventures to go on.Too many people to help. Too many things still to do. I don’t want to spend my limited time trying to convince someone to be a decent human being. So, yes. I have boundaries.Just one, really.

Don’t be a dick.

And we’ll probably get along just fine.

Huge love and High 5’s

Johno