Life in Small Bites

The inspiring message below is offered by Brian Johnson.  Brian loves helping people optimize their lives so they can actualize their potential as he studies, embodies and teaches the fundamentals of optimal living—integrating ancient wisdom + modern science + practical tools. Learn more and optimize your life at www.optimize.me.

Brian writes, “If you haven’t noticed, I can’t quite get enough of Stoic wisdom.

In fact, I can’t quite get enough of ancient (Stoic) wisdom AND modern science—which is why I’ve been on a little streak of reading one positive psychology book then a Stoic book then another science of flourishing book then back to the Stoics.

Repeat.

With joy.

So…

In my quest to read all things Stoic and, more importantly, become a better practitioner of the ancient wisdom in our modern times, I found myself reading Tom Morris’s book The Stoic Art of Living.

As we’ve discussed, Tom is one of my favorite authors. He has a joint Ph.D. in Philosophy and Religious Studies from Yale and is one of the most popular professors in Notre Dame’s history.

But what I most love about him is the fact that every time we connect I’m blown away by the depth of his wisdom and the enthusiastic joy with which he shares it. It’s palpable.

So…

When I saw that he had this book on Stoicism I got it and was eager to read it. Tom wrote it nearly 20 years ago—before Stoicism made a resurgence in popularity.

It’s fantastic.

Here’s my favorite passage from the book—which is ESPECIALLY relevant in turbulent times.

“Too many people seem to view the toughness of the world, the difficulties of life, as undermining the possibility of any sort of strong confidence in our pursuits. Seneca looks at this in the opposite way, seeing the obstacles we face as a proving ground for that inner attitude of resilient self-confidence that we all need:

The powers we have can never inspire in us a genuine inner self-confidence until we have confronted many difficulties along the way, and even now and then have had to struggle fiercely with them. This is the only way our true spirit ever can be really tested—the inner spirit we have that will never consent to be ruled by outer forces. The nature of such a spirit can be seen in the fact that no prizefighter can go into a contest with high spirits if he has never been beaten black and blue. The only man who can enter the ring with confidence is one who has seen his own blood, has felt his teeth rattled by an opponent’s fist, has been tripped up and has experienced the full force of an adversary’s charge, who has been knocked down in body but not in spirit—one who, as often as he falls, gets up again with greater determination than ever.

He even goes so far as to say in one place that:

Disaster is virtue’s opportunity.“

I’d like to shine a VERY BRIGHT spotlight right on that last line.

Disaster?

It’s virtue’s opportunity.

It’s a call to PRACTICE our philosophy—with more intensity than ever.

With that in mind, let’s take a quick look at our cardinal virtues and figure out how we can put them to work for us TODAY.

Ancient Wisdom says, practice these four cardinal virtues: Wisdom + Self-Mastery + Courage + Love. – Wisdom: We know the game we’re playing and how to play it well. (Hint: Live with virtue! High five your inner soul!)
– Self-Mastery: We’re actually playing the game when it matters most. (Hint: Right now!)
– Courage: We’re willing to act in the presence of fear. (Now what needs to be done?!)
– Love: We remember the ultimate WHY of it all: Love. (Let’s be kind, present and encouraging!)

Modern Science says, practice your Top 5 signature strengths (what’re yours?) and THE Top 5: Zest + Hope + Gratitude + Curiosity + Love. – Hope: We know our future will be better. (Why? Because we’ll do whatever it takes to make it so. Starting TODAY.)
– Gratitude: We appreciate all the blessings in our lives—especially (!) when things are tough. (“God, thank you for blessing me with the gift of…”)
– Curiosity: We are eager to see how the future will unfold and we shine a flashlight on what’s working and what needs work. (So… What’s working? What needs work?! +1 +1 +1!!)
– Zest: We know that ZEST or Energy is the #1 predictor of our eudaimonic flourishing. (As such, in the toughest times, we’re the MOST committed to our fundies: Eat! Move! Sleep!)

One more time…

“Disaster is virtue’s opportunity.”

How can you put your virtues into practice?!

TODAY!!!”

• Brian Johnson – www.optimize.me

I strongly recommend that you check out philosopher Brian’s site at the url above and discover his synopses of over 500 books of wisdom and inspiration. Remember as Grandma Moses advised, “Life is what you make it. Always was – always will be.”

The editorial below was written by Peter Diamandis, co-founder of Singularity University, founder of the X-Prize, and author of ‘Abundance’, ‘Bold’, and ‘The Future is Faster than You Think’.

Imagine a dried sponge.  It is hard, stiff, not flexible – very few uses.  Add water. It becomes soft and pliable – very useful. 

How might this dry sponge compare to a person who by practice and process refuses or avoids soaking in new information, new ideas?  Does he/she become hard and inflexible?  Compare him/her to a person that readily and continually seeks new information and collects new ideas.

What they do next determines their relative usefulness.  Even a wet pliable sponge that is left idle, unused, serves little purpose.  Similarly a person with ample knowledge and ideas who does not share or put them into action also serves little purpose to self or others.

Purpose is potentiated when knowledge and ideas are acted on.  Like grabbing a wet sponge to clear a surface, sharing and taking action based on one’s knowledge and ideas creates opportunities for clearing, expanding, and progressing for self and others.

As we have a great potential to learn more and imagine more, our first responsibility is to do so.  Our second, and most important responsibility, is ‘to do’ – take the new-found knowledge and act on it.  Start on an intended project – progress on a started project. 

My experience is that progress is its own reward.  The end result often is less energizing and less satisfying that the journey toward it.

Intention is the Key.  Action is the Answer.

Katie is my sister Karen’s 70 lb. Pit Bull.  Solid muscle. She is very gentle with me – and I am committed to keep it so.

Nearly every home around Karen’s neighborhood has a dog.   Most have “Beware of Dog” signs on their fence.

When I walk Katie on her leash in the neighborhood a cacophony of barking erupts.  As we walk by the fenced-in dogs they loudly and aggressively bark and race about – acting like their only wish is to be released to confront Katie.  The truth is, if they were released they would run as fast as their legs would allow – in the opposite direction.

Bravery is not baking or blustering.

These dogs act like too many well-intentioned, yet poorly acting persons who loudly and continually proclaim to self and others that they are going to do ‘this or that’.  Their proclamations fall empty when declared behind their self-imposed fences of ‘never starting’ – never venturing beyond their comfort zones to attempt to tackle the project of their proclamation.  I know because, on occasion, I have been one.

The following shared wisdom is attributed to the Buddha, “There are only two mistakes one can make on the road to truth: not going all the way, and not starting.”

Bravery only starts with Intention. It becomes a claimed and valued Virtue when Action is taken. Now is a good time!