Saturday, December 30, 2023

book: Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday (philosophy calendar)

Daily Stoic | Stoic Wisdom For Everyday Life

Amazon.com: The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living: Featuring new translations of Seneca, Epictetus, and Marcus Aurelius eBook: Holiday, Ryan, Hanselman, Stephen: Kindle Store


Stoicism Explained In 3 Minutes - YouTube

"The chief task of the "philosopher" (love of wisdom)
is to determine what is up to as and what's not up to us"

Definition of stoicism: we don't control what happens to us
but we can control how we respond to what happens to us.

Everything that happens is an opportunity to respond with "4 virtues"

  • Courage (bravery, endurance, fortitude) 
  • Justice (fairness, good conduct)
  • Temperance (self discipline, right amount, obtain from things that don't matter)
  • Wisdom (study, life-long education jurney)
"It's not what happens, it's how you respond to what happens"

"What stands in the way becomes a way"

"Practice, be your best self"

"it is not what one says, it is what one does"


//dailystoic.com/email




  • Focus on what you can control
  • Persist or Resist
  • Be willing to look foolish
  • Focus on choices
  • Control how you respond
  • Cultivate real freedom
  • Seek discomfort (to train yourself)
  • Think about the costs
  • Run your own race
  • Put it all to the test (daily)
  • Celebrate internal wins





Saturday, December 16, 2023

book: The Richest Man in Babylon

 The Richest Man in Babylon: Original 1926 Edition: Clason, George S., Conrad, Charles, Best Success Books: 9781508524359: Amazon.com: Books


common sense financial advice which you can apply today,
told through tales and parables from the times of ancient Babylon.


The Richest Man in Babylon - Wikipedia

The Richest Man in Babylon is a 1926 book by George S. Clason that dispenses financial advice through a collection of parables set 4,097 years earlier, in ancient Babylon. The book remains in print almost a century after the parables were originally published, and is regarded as a classic of personal financial advice.

"Seven Cures For a Lean Purse"

  1. saving 10% of your annual income to start building up your wealth 
  2. advises against luxury expenditures that ultimately become confused as necessities
  3. to invest and to compound the investment return from these savings
  4. against taking a risk of loss and investing get-rich-quick schemes
  5. buying versus renting your principal residence, and to use your residence to establish a business
  6. having a pension and future retirement income
  7. keep developing your own skills to increase your investing wisdom and also to increase your earnings power

"The Five Laws of Gold"

  1. Gold cometh gladly and in increasing quantity to any man who will put by not less than one-tenth of his earnings to create an estate for his future and that of his family.
  2. employment, multiplying even as the flocks of the field.
  3. Gold clingeth to the protection of the cautious owner who invests it under the advice of men wise in its handling
  4. Gold slippeth away from the man who invests it in businesses or purposes with which he is not familiar or which are not approved by those skilled in its keep.
  5. Gold flees the man who would force it to impossible earnings or who followeth the alluring advice of tricksters and schemers or who trusts it to his own inexperience and romantic desires in investment.
  • The Gold Lender of Babylon. Better a little caution than a great regret.
  • The Walls of Babylon. We cannot afford to be without adequate protection.
  • The Camel Trader of Babylon. Where the determination is, a way can be found.

Full text of The Richest Man in Babylon @ Internet Archive


Saturday, December 9, 2023

book: The 10X Rule by Grant Cardone

 Amazon.com: The 10X Rule: The Only Difference Between Success and Failure: 9780470627600: Cardone, Grant: Books


summaries

The 10X Rule by Grant Cardone Book Summary | Philosopher's Notes


PNTV: The 10X Rule by Grant Cardone (#230) - YouTube 
by Brian Johnson (heroic.us)

Heroic Interview: How to 10x Your Life with Grant Cardone - YouTube


Book Summary: The 10X Rule by Grant Cardone by James Clear (Atomic Habits)

The 10X Rule: You must set targets for yourself that are 10X more than what you think you want and then take 10X the action you think is required to get there.
  • Common mistake 1: setting your sights too low.
  • Common mistake 2: underestimating how much action is required.
  • Common mistake 3: spending too much time competing and not enough time dominating their sector.
  • Common mistake 4: underestimating the amount of adversity they will have to overcome.


The 10X Rule by Grant Cardone: Summary and Notes - Dan Silvestre

“As long as you are alive,
you will either live to accomplish your own goals and dreams
or be used as a resource to accomplish someone else’s.”


book's web site

Grant Cardone - 10X Your Business, 10X Your Income, 10X Your Life




Saturday, December 2, 2023

book: Hidden Potential by Adam Grant

Hidden Potential – Adam Grant

Books – Adam Grant

Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things: Grant, Adam: 9780593653142: Amazon.com: Books

excellent podcast interview with the author!

Dr. Adam Grant: How to Unlock Your Potential, Motivation & Unique Abilities - Huberman Lab

Dr. Adam Grant: How to Unlock Your Potential, Motivation & Unique Abilities - YouTube

"Dr. Adam Grant, Ph.D., a professor of organizational psychology at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, an expert in the science and practical steps for increasing motivation, maximizing and reaching our potential, and understanding how individuals and groups can best flourish. He is also an avid public educator, having written five bestselling books, delivered several top-ranking TED Talks and is the host of two psychology podcasts."


summaries




"everyone, not just geniuses and superstars, can achieve great things, providing a three-part framework for developing character skills, sustaining long-term motivation, and designing opportunity systems that allows anyone to grow, learn, and reach their highest heights."

Grant suggests there are 3 key pieces to the latent power–puzzle: 
character skills, sustaining motivation, and systems of opportunity. 
  • Developing your character begins with starting before you feel ready.
  • Progress often feels like going in circles — that’s normal, just keep going.
  • “Brainwriting” is a better technique to produce results in a group than brainstorming meetings.

Book Briefing: 'Hidden Potential' by Adam Grant | Time


Saturday, November 18, 2023

book: Areté: Activate Your Heroic Potential by Brian Johnson (Heroic)

currently great deal on Amazon, 80% off kindle book, 39% off hardcover

Areté: Activate Your Heroic Potential: Brian Johnson, Phil Stutz - foreword: 9798212414074: Amazon.com: Books

Amazon.com: Areté: Activate Your Heroic Potential (Audible Audio Edition): Brian C. Johnson, Heroic / Blackstone: Audible Books & Originals

In Areté, Brian Johnson integrates ancient wisdom, modern science, and practical tools to, as per the sub-title of the book, help you win the ultimate game of life and fulfill your destiny.

name "Arete" mythic origins


It concerns the young Heracles/Hercules who is offered a choice
between Vice and Virtue—a life of pleasure or one of hardship and honor.

as the hero contemplates his future, is visited by the female personifications of
Vice and Virtue (Ancient Greek: Κακία and Ἀρετή; Kakía and Areté)...


 Areté: Activate Your Heroic Potential (Audiobook Sample) - YouTube


Heroic | Areté: Activate Your Heroic Potential (book's web site)

Areté - Activate Your Heroic Potential (PREVIEW) PDF

Areté: Activate Your Heroic Potential (Audiobook Sample) - YouTube


Brian Johnson - YouTube


Areté: Activate Your Heroic Potential by Brian Johnson | Goodreads


summary:

Areté by Brian Johnson of Heroic (Book Summary) | Sloww


Arete is the Pursuit of Excellence — Arete Transitions

As a philosophical concept in ancient Greek thought, Arete means "excellence" of any kind. In its original context, this notion of “excellence” is inextricably linked with an individuals’ fulfillment of purpose. Arete is the act of living to one's full potential.

Saturday, November 4, 2023

book: Get Smart by Brian Tracy

Amazon.com: Get Smart!: How to Think and Act Like the Most Successful and Highest-Paid People in Every Field eBook : Tracy, Brian: Kindle Store

 Get Smart by Brian Tracy - Audiobook - Audible.com

How to Think and Act Like the Most Successful and Highest-Paid People in Every Field

= set goals

  1. Always look for the big picture, even if you might not see it clearly.
  2. Think slowly and make time to understand your goals.
  3. Avoid mechanical thinking at all costs.

Get Smart! (2016) offers a variety of tips on how to tap into your unused brainpower and live a happier, more successful life. With a change in your perspective, and an outlook based on long-term positivity, you can discover how to get great results out of life and turn any challenge into an opportunity.


  • “A” tasks are the most important items. They’re things that have consequences if you don’t do them. They may also be those things that have the biggest impact/return. You might call these the “ugly frogs” if you also use the Eat That Frog methodology. If you have more than one of these items on your list, you can list them like this: A-1, A-2, A-3, and so on, in order of importance.
  • “B” tasks have only minor consequences. They’re important but not that important. They may inconvenience someone slightly, or make them a little unhappy but they’re not an A item. If you have an A item on your list, do it first.
  • “C” tasks are the ones that have no consequence. They might be things that are nice to do but really don't move the needle in any way. Move on to these tasks only when there are no A or B tasks left. Finishing your C tasks is the equivalent of inbox zero!
  • "D" stands for delegate. Yep, that's right, these are the tasks that you can delegate. This will free up more of your time and mental energy to work on those A and B tasks. Make sure the task will be an A or B for the assignee, otherwise, you might actually be looking at a “C” or “E” task and you should treat it accordingly.
  • "E" stands for eliminating. Don’t waste time on tasks that don’t move the needle for you or your business. It can feel great to knock out a bunch of tasks, but in reality, you are setting yourself back when spending time on anything other than A and B tasks.




Saturday, October 28, 2023

book: The Tools by Barry Michels, Phil Stutz

The Tools: 5 Tools to Help You Find Courage, Creativity, and Willpower-and Inspire You to Live Life in Forward Motion: Stutz, Phil, Michels, Barry: 9780812983043: Amazon.com: Books




a tool - unlike an attitude adjustment- requires you to do something
  • Tool #1: The Reversal of DesireThe Higher Force: Forward Motion 
  • Tool #2: Active LoveThe Higher Force: Outflow 
  • Tool #3: Inner AuthorityThe Higher Force: Self-Expression
  • Tool #4: The Grateful FlowThe Higher Force: The Source 
  • Tool #5: JeopardyThe Higher Force: Willpower  
1.  If we want to have a shot at actualizing our potential, we need to “reverse our desire” and, rather than crawl up in a little ball and try to avoid pain, we want to discipline ourselves to GET EXCITED about the challenges in our lives. ... our infinite potential exists on the other side of our comfort zones and that the only way to break through to that infinite potential is to BRING ON!! the pain, learn to love it, and use it to catalyze our growth. 

2. You ever get stuck in a mental loop—where you’re looping around in your head again and again and again about all the things someone has done that annoy you? Stutz and Michels call that “The Maze” We want to notice when we’re stuck in the maze and get out. How? Use the Active Love tool. Focus on your heart and, rather than mentally beat the person up who annoyed you, beam them love.

3. "Shadow": part of you that you most despise and prefer to hide from the world? Well, we need to bring that darkness to light. Without integrating those aspects of ourselves we’re ashamed of, we can’t fully trust ourselves and express ourselves with authority.

4. gratitude is scientifically proven to boost our mood ... Discipline your mind to *always* see the amazing things in your life. Get your grateful flow flowing. There’s no better way to connect to the Source of all higher forces/joy/love/all-things-good than gratitude.

5. Imagine yourself on your deathbed. You have NO MORE MOMENTS to live. Guess what? That version of you wishes you’d finally do the things you know are best for you. Use the Jeopardy Tool to tap into your ultimate power: Willpower.







Instead of seeing problems as an expression of a “condition” whose cause was the past, we needed to see them as a catalyst for developing forces that were already present, lying dormant inside us.

Whatever your comfort zone consists of, you pay a huge price for it. Life provides endless possibilities, but along with them comes pain. If you can’t tolerate pain, you can’t be fully alive.
 
A sense of purpose doesn’t come from thinking about it. It comes from taking action that moves you toward the future. The moment you do this, you activate a force more powerful than the desire to avoid pain. We call this the “Force of Forward Motion.” 

THE TOOLS: book's web site





related book


Saturday, October 14, 2023

book: My Philosophy for Successful Living by Jim Rohn

 Amazon.com: My Philosophy for Successful Living eBook : Rohn, Jim, Johnson, Vic: Kindle Store

"Jim was one of the most powerful and memorable listening experiences ever because he could take timeless, ageless principles and present them in such a simple way.

Tony Robbins, who first met Jim Rohn when he was 19-years old, said Jim, "had a positive impact on me at a time in my life when I was first forming the philosophies that guide me today."

That positive impact continues today with this special edition of Jim's My Philosophy for Successful Living. It's Jim at his best and includes teaching like:

* The American Economic Ladder and Girl Scout Cookies
* The Philosophy of Performance and Productivity
* Working with Others
* A look at the Fundamentals
* Refining and Strengthening Your Personal Philosophy
Your Financial House and Measuring Success
* Six Steps for Leading an Extraordinary Life

Summaries







"Often, the most important purchases that we make are not with our dollars, but with our time…
you can always get more money, but you can’t get more time!"

"Formal education gets you a job.
But self-education is what makes you rich.”

“If you work hard on your job, you make a living.
If you work hard on yourself, you can make a fortune.”

“The way that you become rich
is not by wishing your life were easier,
but instead by focusing on making yourself better.”

“You won’t be happy unless you are productive.

“Achieving wealth and greatness can be distilled down to helping others.

“Taking the time to sit down and write out your goals
for the present, the near future, and the more remote future
is a necessary part of transforming your life.”

“You can have all you want out of life if you endeavor to help others.”

“Project yourself out into the future and think about where you want to be.

Invest in yourself. Invest in your own self-education
and then take that knowledge and use it to help others
get what they want and need out of life.”






Sunday, September 24, 2023

neuro - music vs anxiety

How to Use Music to Boost Motivation, Mood & Improve Learning | Huberman Lab Podcast - YouTube

"... your brain and body are fundamentally wired to perceive and respond to music and how those responses can be leveraged to improve your mood, allow for processing sad emotions and enhance learning and performance. 
... the data showing how music can increase motivation for cognitive or physical work, what specific music has been shown to enhance cognitive performance, and whether silence or music is more effective in enhancing focus while studying. 
...specific musical pieces can rapidly reduce anxiety, as well as certain prescription medications. 
... listening to certain types of music can improve various health metrics (e.g., heart rate). 
... music helps to enhance neuroplasticity (rewiring of brain connections), thereby improving learning and memory."


" there are data that have explored whether or not specific musical stimuli
can be used to significantly reduce anxiety in particular

one published out of the University of Pennsylvania
shows that people that listen to a particular song
experience up to 65 percent reductions in their anxiety

that's a significant reduction in anxiety
was accomplished with just three minutes of listening to this one particular song:"

47M views


similar:


Saturday, September 23, 2023

meditation books by Joe Dispenza

www.amazon.com: Joe Dispenza: books, biography, latest update

You Are the Placebo: Making Your Mind Matter - Kindle edition by Dispenza, Joe. Religion & Spirituality Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.

Becoming Supernatural: How Common People are Doing the Uncommon - Kindle edition by Dispenza, Joe, Braden, Gregg. Religion & Spirituality Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.


Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself: How to Lose Your Mind and Create a New One - Kindle edition by Dispenza, Joe. Religion & Spirituality Kindle eBooks @ Amazon.com.


Evolve Your Brain: The Science of Changing Your Mind: Dispenza DC, Joe: 9780757307652: Amazon.com: Books


The Official Website of Dr Joe Dispenza


reviews

You Are the Placebo by Joe Dispenza Book Summary | Philosopher's Notes
PNTV: You Are the Placebo by Dr. Joe Dispenza (#190) - YouTube

You Are the Placebo by Joe Dispenza Book Summary | Philosopher's Notes


You Are the Placebo by Dr Joe Dispenza - Review/Summary | How to exercise the power of your mind. - YouTube by Christopher Dedeyan

Joe Dispenza: Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself | Shortform Books

You Are The Placebo - Dr Joe Dispenza (Mind Map Book Summary) - YouTube

Mind Maps - Google Drive

summaries:

You Are the Placebo | Joe Dispenza | Book Summary | Bestbookbits | Daily Book Summaries | Written | Video | Audio

You Are The Placebo Summary | Joe Dispenza

The key ideas:
  • The power of the placebo effect
  • The role of perception in health
  • The power of visualization
  • The importance of emotion
  • Breaking free from the past
  • The power of meditation
  • The quantum model of health
  • Overcoming challenges
  • Real-life success stories

interviews

REWIRE Your THOUGHTS and Brain To HEAL Today! Dr Joe Dispenza - YouTube
with Lewis Howes

How To BRAINWASH Yourself For Success & Destroy NEGATIVE THOUGHTS! | Dr. Joe Dispenza - YouTube with Tom Bilyeu

quotes by Joe Dispenza

"Your personality is creating your personal reality" 

"Energy flows where attention goes"

"Gratitude is a catalyst for rewiring the brain"

drjoedispenza - YouTube

5 Steps to Change Your Life - YouTube

GOLOV-20 Meditation (Official Video) - YouTube

Gratitude And How It Creates SUCCESS And Wealth - Joe Dispenza - YouTube

Crash Course: Understanding Brain Waves | Dr. JOE DISPENZA - YouTube


Understanding Brainwaves and Frequencies: A Comprehensive Guide | Muse™ EEG-Powered Meditation & Sleep Headband 

Understanding Brain Waves: Beta, Alpha, Theta, Delta + Gamma

Brain Waves - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics


Tuesday, September 12, 2023

book: Elon Musk by Walter Isaacson

it is very likely to be a very good book

Elon Musk: Isaacson, Walter: 9781982181284: Amazon.com: Books

Walter Isaacson: books


Elon Musk | Book by Walter Isaacson | Official Publisher Page | Simon & Schuster


#395 – Walter Isaacson: Elon Musk, Steve Jobs, Einstein, Da Vinci & Ben Franklin | Lex Fridman Podcast

Walter Isaacson: Elon Musk, Steve Jobs, Einstein, Da Vinci & Ben Franklin | Lex Fridman Podcast #395 - YouTube


He Really Is a Control Freak:' Elon Musk’s Biographer on the Tesla CEO | WSJ - YouTube

Elon Musk's Biographer: 'He's Addicted to Drama, He's Addicted to Risk' | WSJ - YouTube

Elon Musk's "Algorithm":

  1. First Principles: question every requirement
  2. Simplify
  3. Delete, delete, delete
  4. Speed up
  5. Automate

Walter Isaacson on the volatile Elon Musk - YouTube

related:

Major New 25k Tesla Model 2 Update Is Here! - YouTube

This is Tesla's Robotaxi. - YouTube

Tesla achieves 'mega cast' breakthrough in single-piece casting for Model 2 - YouTube

a recent event

All-In Summit: Elon Musk on Ukraine, X, the creator economy, China, AI, & more - YouTube


Elon Musk biography sheds light on mysterious low-cost Tesla vehicle: ‘This is the product that makes Tesla a ten-trillion company’

“There is no amount [of robotaxis] that we could possibly build that will be enough,” Isaacson quotes Musk as saying. “Someday we want to be at 20 million a year.” The CEO later told Isaacson, “This is the product that makes Tesla a ten-trillion company. People will be talking about this moment in a hundred years.”


Elon Musk is also a passionate "gamer". One of his favorite games mentioned in the book:
The Battle of Polytopia  The Battle of Polytopia - Wikipedia





Saturday, September 9, 2023

book: The Mindful Body by Ellen Langer

The Mindful Body: Thinking Our Way to Chronic Health: Langer, Ellen J.: 9780593497944: Amazon.com: Books


Mindful = "Actively noticing"
adopt mindset for uncertainty: everything is constantly changing


Ellen Langer - Wikipedia


The Mindful Body by Ellen J. Langer: 9780593497944 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books

"In The Mindful Body, Dr. Langer unpacks her assumption-busting findings and outlines her bold new theory of mind-body unity, along the way clearly demonstrating how our thoughts and perspectives have the potential to profoundly shape our well-being. Whether it is hotel chambermaids who lost weight when they simply came to see that their work constituted exercise, or patients whose wounds healed faster in rooms with accelerated clocks, she shows how influential our thoughts are to the state of our bodies. Her work has likewise proven that discouraging health news can have negative effects. Learning you are prediabetic, for example—even if your blood sugar reading is only a fraction away from “normal”—may actually play a part in the development of the disease. A paradigm-shifting book by one of the great psychologists of the twenty-first century, The Mindful Body returns the control over our bodies back to us and reveals that a true understanding of health begins with our minds."


videos:

Change Your Mindset, Your Health, Your Life | Dr. Ellen Langer | EP 381 - YouTube
Dr Jordan Peterson podcast

Ellen Langer: Mindfulness over matter - YouTube

Uncertainty and The Power of Possibility | Ellen Langer | Talks at Harvard College - YouTube

PNTV: Counterclockwise by Ellen Langer (#192) - YouTube

PNTV: The Power of Mindful Learning by Ellen Langer (#202) - YouTube

Can Cancer be cured with your mind? Dr. Ellen Langer has more - YouTube

The Mindful Body: Thinking Our Way To Chronic Health - YouTube

Let’s Talk About Mindfulness with Dr. Ellen Langer - YouTube


related:

Dr. Alia Crum: Science of Mindsets for Health & Performance | Huberman Lab Podcast #56 - YouTube






Monday, September 4, 2023

Goals Toolkit by Andrew Huberman

 Goals Toolkit: How to Set & Achieve Your Goals | Huberman Lab Podcast - YouTube

"science-based protocols to set and achieve your goals in a way that maximizes the likelihood of reaching them. I explain how to define a priority and reach a specific goal by systematically assessing the challenge level, measurability, milestones, and action states needed to make progress from start to finish. I also explain research-supported tools to improve your performance during cognitive or physical goal work — including directed visualization, variable reward timing, and optimizing your physical environment. I also dispel common myths about goal setting and achievement. This episode provides a science-supported toolkit of zero-cost strategies for goal-setting, goal-pursuit, and goal-completion that can be applied to any physical or cognitive endeavor."


00:00:00 Goal Setting Toolkit
00:04:43 Biology of Goal Setting & Pursuit
00:08:50 Tool 1: Choose a Priority Goal
00:12:04 Tool 2: Pursue Lofty Goals
00:17:23 Tool 3: Define Verb Actions, Measurability & Specificity; Writing vs. Typing
00:24:06 Tool 4: Visual Reminder Myth; “Post-It Fallacy”
00:26:44 Tool 5: Accountability Myth, “Don’t Tell the World” Rule
00:31:35 Intrinsic Motivation & Goal Achievement
00:33:54 Tool 6: Measurable Goal; Quarterly Cycle
00:37:35 Tool 7: Quantifiable Goals; Book Writing
00:43:34 Tool 8: Visualization of End; Motivation & Negative Thinking
00:51:44 Tool 9: Visual Target/Finish Line Training & Perceived Effort
01:05:50 Tool 10: Distance from Phone
01:08:31 Tool 11: Random, Intermittent Reinforcement; Cognitive Rewards
01:17:11 Tool 12: “Middle Problem”; Time Chunking
01:23:16 Tool 13: Circadian Rhythm & Attention
01:30:09 Tool 14: Protocol Flexibility, Subjective Feelings

related

Circadian Rhythms in Attention (Yale J Biol Med)

Tim Ferriss “30 Life Hacks I know at 30 that I wish I knew at 20”


Sunday, September 3, 2023

Saturday, September 2, 2023

book: The Three Laws of Performance

Amazon.com: The Three Laws of Performance: Rewriting the Future of Your Organization and Your Life (J-B Warren Bennis Series Book 172) eBook : Zaffron, Steve, Logan, Dave: Kindle Store


Three Laws of Performance Book: Business Leadership for Breakthrough Performance

Three Laws of Performance book, excerpts on from the Three Laws book


mentioned here:

3 Ways Your Words Change Your Habits and Your Life - YouTube
by Dr. Benjamin Hardy

summary by ChatGPT:

The book "The Three Laws of Performance" introduces a groundbreaking concept: the idea of a "default future." This default future is not the one we desire or hope for but rather the one we expect deep down. Neuroscientists describe the brain as a prediction machine, constantly anticipating the most likely future. In this video, Dr. Benjamin Hardy, an organizational psychologist and author, explores how language influences our lives in three significant ways.

  1. Shaping Your Future: Language plays a pivotal role in shaping our expectations and perceptions of the future. This is known as generative language. For instance, Dr. Hardy discusses how tying habits to existing routines, as suggested by B.J. Fogg in "Tiny Habits," can change one's outlook on the day ahead. By saying, "It's going to be a great day" every morning when getting out of bed, he sets a positive tone, altering his expectations and influencing his behavior throughout the day. Therefore, the words we use help determine our default future.

  2. Defining Your Identity: Language doesn't just influence our future; it also shapes our identity. The way we describe ourselves and others has a profound impact on our self-perception. Dr. Hardy emphasizes the importance of using generative language when defining oneself, focusing on personal growth and potential rather than limitations. The language we use to describe ourselves and those around us contributes to our identity and influences our actions.

  3. Influencing Your Actions and Habits: Your thoughts become words, words become actions, actions become habits, and habits become your character and destiny. By thinking positively and generatively, you can set the stage for constructive actions and habits. Dr. Hardy encourages the shift from avoidance motivation to approach motivation. Instead of fixating on what we want to avoid, we should concentrate on what we want to achieve, as this change in focus can lead to proactive behaviors.

Furthermore, he highlights the power of language in reshaping our past and future selves. By consciously crafting the narrative of our past and future, we can redefine ourselves and work toward our desired future. Dr. Hardy encourages readers to be mindful of the words they use, both internally and externally, as these words play a pivotal role in shaping our perception, identity, actions, and habits.

In summary, the language we use has a profound impact on our lives. It shapes our expectations, influences our identity, and drives our actions and habits. By adopting generative language and focusing on what we want rather than what we want to avoid, we can actively work toward a future that aligns with our desires and aspirations. Language is a powerful tool that allows us to shape our own destinies.


Sunday, August 27, 2023

quotes: Marcus Aurelius

 Marcus Aurelius Quotes - BrainyQuote

Marcus Aurelius - Our life is what our thoughts make it.



1. “You have power over your mind — not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.”

2. “Dwell on the beauty of life. Watch the stars, and see yourself running with them. Think constantly on the changes of the elements into each other, for such thoughts wash away the dust of earthly life.”

3. “The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts.”

4. “Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth.”

5. “Waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be. Be one.”

6. “If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to your estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment.”

7. “When you arise in the morning think of what a privilege it is to be alive, to think, to enjoy, to love…”

8. “The best revenge is to be unlike him who performed the injury.”

9. “The soul becomes dyed with the color of its thoughts.”

10. “Accept the things to which fate binds you, and love the people with whom fate brings you together, but do so with all your heart.”

Saturday, August 26, 2023

book: Meditations by Marcus Aurelius

Meditations is perhaps the only document of its kind ever made. It is the private thoughts of the world’s most powerful man giving advice to himself on how to make good on the responsibilities and obligations of his positions. Trained in Stoic philosophy, Marcus Aurelius stopped almost every night to practice a series of spiritual exercises—reminders designed to make him humble, patient, empathetic, generous, and strong in the face of whatever he was dealing with. It is imminently readable and perfectly accessible. You cannot read this book and not come away with a phrase or a line that will be helpful to you the next time you are in trouble. Read it, it is practical philosophy embodied.


PNTV: Meditations by Marcus Aurelius (#56) - YouTube
By Brian Johnson, "philosopher note" from Heroic / Optimize


Marcus Aurelius - Wikipedia

Marcus Aurelius 26 April 121 – 17 March 180) was Roman emperor from 161 to 180 AD and a Stoic philosopher.


Stoicism is a school of Hellenistic philosophy that flourished in Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome.[1] The Stoics believed that the practice of virtue is enough to achieve eudaimonia: a well-lived, flourishing life. The Stoics identified the path to achieving it with a life spent practicing certain virtues in everyday life such as courage or temperance and living in accordance with nature.


the book:


The 44 Best Quotes From Marcus Aurelius (About Stoicism & Life)



provide 12 representative quotes from book Meditations by Marcus Aurelius, with an explanation for each quote

ChatGPT

Quote: "Dwell on the beauty of life. Watch the stars, and see yourself running with them."
Explanation: Marcus Aurelius suggests focusing on the positive aspects of life, finding inspiration in the beauty of the world around us. The metaphor of running with the stars encourages a sense of unity with the universe.

Quote: "You have within you right now, everything you need to deal with whatever the world can throw at you."
Explanation: Aurelius reminds us that our inner strength and resources are sufficient to face challenges. This quote emphasizes self-reliance and resilience in the face of adversity.

Quote: "Accept the things to which fate binds you, and love the people with whom fate brings you together, but do so with all your heart."
Explanation: This quote underscores the importance of embracing the circumstances and people in our lives, fostering genuine acceptance and love for both.

Quote: "The soul becomes dyed with the color of its thoughts."
Explanation: Marcus Aurelius illustrates how our thoughts shape our inner world. This analogy urges us to cultivate positive, virtuous thoughts to enhance the state of our soul.

Quote: "Waste no more time arguing what a good man should be. Be one."
Explanation: Instead of engaging in philosophical debates, Aurelius emphasizes the transformative power of embodying virtuous qualities ourselves.

Quote: "The best revenge is not to be like your enemy."
Explanation: In the face of harm or injustice, Aurelius advocates responding with integrity and wisdom rather than seeking vindictiveness.

Quote: "No man can rob you of your free will."
Explanation: Aurelius highlights that our choices and reactions are within our control, regardless of external circumstances. This serves as a reminder of our autonomy.

Quote: "The present moment is all you ever have."
Explanation: This quote urges us to focus on the present rather than dwelling on the past or worrying about the future. It underscores the significance of mindfulness.

Quote: "Our life is what our thoughts make it."
Explanation: Marcus Aurelius emphasizes that our perception and interpretation of events largely determine the quality of our lives, reinforcing the power of our mindset.

Quote: "Choose not to be harmed—and you won’t feel harmed. Don’t feel harmed—and you haven’t been."
Explanation: Aurelius suggests that our emotional responses are under our control. By choosing not to feel harmed, we can transcend the impact of external events.

Quote: "The only wealth which you will keep forever is the wealth you have given away."
Explanation: Marcus Aurelius points out that the lasting value of wealth lies in how it's shared and used to benefit others, aligning with Stoic values of generosity and virtue.

Quote: "Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth."
Explanation: This quote urges us to recognize the subjectivity of our perceptions and encourages critical thinking to differentiate between opinions and objective reality.