“When you are uncertain whether you should do something or not, just think whether doing it you will grow or deteriorate, and act accordingly.” — Theron Q. Dumont OK, so I know I’ve been on a bit of Brian Johnson kick lately… but there is a way to get me to stop. Just tell him to…
Calluses of the Mind
Something else I’ve picked up from David Goggins, and another reason that we should follow the path of most resistance, is to build up “callus our mind”. Our bodies are amazing things, fragile as hell yet able to toughen themselves as need be. Calluses develop on our skin (mainly our hands and feet) when it…
Bring It On!
That’s a Facebook post I made about a year and a half ago. Sometimes I’m wrong. It’s not that I’m going to join Goop or start trying every snake oil product that Dr. Oz shills for. But I was (mostly) wrong about the product that I’m referring to above: The Tools: 5 Tools to Help…
Who The Fuck Are You?
“No, really, Lyman. Who the fuck are you to be writing this shit?” “What qualifies you to write about Stoicism, ACT, Mental Health, or any of the other bullshit that you spout.” I’m drawn to this stuff. Whatever the reason, I’m pulled toward expressing my ideas on personal development and how people can create better…
The Path of Most Resistance
I’m currently reading “Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds” by David Goggins. I’d seen the book floating around out there, but it didn’t interest me much. I thought it was just another “military guy has a rough time of it but succeeds in the end” kind of book. Yeah, they can…
Six. Teen. Years.
So I’m reading Brian Johnson’s Philosopher’s Note on Pete Carroll this morning. I haven’t finished it yet. I was so struck by one of the early ideas in it that I had to jump on here and write down my thoughts. Even though I’m “sports stupid” (and I almost skipped this note because of it)…
New Project: maybethiswillhelp.me
This is difficult – I’ve already shared it on Twitter and Facebook with a sense of dread. But that’s OK – a la ACT, I am/I have accepted the feelings and have moved/continue to move in a valued direction. A few months ago, I started a new website at https://maybethiswillhelp.me/ I busted out an outline and…
Is That So
Once upon a time there was a Chinese farmer… Wait – I’ll let Alan Watts tell the story, since he’s much smarter, funnier, and better looking than I am (plus he has a cool British accent): Once upon a time there was a Chinese farmer who lost a horse. It ran away. And all the…
Karma Is Real – You Were What You Were
You are what you are right now because of your genetics, your environment, and the choices you’ve made. You couldn’t be anything else. All of those past experiences? The environment you lived in? The momentary expression of those genes? The choices you’ve made? Gone. Completely, utterly gone. Their bones are the state of your mind,…
Meditation as Personal Development
“A little mindfulness is better than no mindfulness.” – Dan Harris (probably paraphrasing) Some Buddhists bemoan the fact that their practices have been appropriated, taken out of context, and used for purposes that directly contradict their ethics. Probably the most extreme example is mindfulness being used by active duty military personnel. “After eight weeks of meditating for…