The Invisible Mentor

Posts Tagged ‘Philosophy’

Today is Part Two of the Brian Johnson interview. I’m sure that once again you’ll glean information that you can act on. I have found Brian to be a very happy person and his interview will inspire you to be the best that you can be.

Tell me a little bit about yourself.

I love wisdom, and that makes me a philosopher. I also love creating cool businesses that allow me to do what I love in service to the world and that’s why I’m currently focusing my energy on PhilosophersNotes where I’m sharing the Big Ideas from the world’s greatest teachers that I hope will inspire and empower people to live their greatest lives.

How do you integrate your personal and professional life?

That presupposes they are separate.

What’s a major regret that you’ve had in life?

There are a number of relationships it would be nice to go back and handle more gracefully and wisely, but it’s clear that all the experiences I’ve had were exactly what needed to happen when they happened (as evidenced by the fact that they happened), so I prefer to celebrate and embody the lessons learned.

Which one book had a profound impact on your life? What was it about this book that impacted you so deeply? Did you have an emotional or intellectual attachment to this book? Why?

I’ve been deeply inspired by so many books and talk about how each of them have inspired me throughout the PhilosophersNotes!

If you were stranded on a deserted island, what are five books that you would like to have with you and why? Summarize the book in two sentences.

Current mood says I’d bring:

The PhilosophersNotes Workbook – Imagine 1,000 of the best “Big Ideas” from 100 of the world’s greatest self-development books neatly organized into 100 separate 6-page mini-books put into a sexy workbook—turn to any page and get inspired with a Big Idea that can literally change your life. If I could only take one book, it’d be this one.

Ralph Waldo Emerson’s collected essays – Emerson is my hero. He’s pretty much the great-great-grandfather of the self-development movement and his integration of eastern and western philosophy is amazing.

“The How of Happiness” by Sonja Lyubomirsky – This is, in my opinion, the best, most comprehensive yet totally readable look at what we know scientifically works to boost our happiness (and why we should care). I didn’t have a “what one book would you recommend book” before this one.

“A Joseph Campbell Companion” – I love Campbell. Gotta have some of his mojo with me on the island and if I could somehow bind everything he’s written in a big collected works book, I’d take that.

“The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success” by Deepak Chopra. This is one of the books that catalyzed a big change in my life so I’d bring it, too. Another asterisk here that if there was some way to put everything he’s written into a big book, I’d want that.

Have you read any books that inspired you to start a business, service or invent “something”? If yes, which book?

I’d say “How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci” by Michael Gelb inspired me to create my ideal life when I read it in 2001, so let’s go with that.

Complete the following, I am happy when…

I am most happy when I am being true to my Highest self and living the ideals in which I believe.

Now that you have read the entire interview, what are your thoughts? How can you apply some of Brian’s wisdom? Let’s keep the conversation flowing, please comment. If you got to this post via search engine, please consider subscribing.

As was the case with all the posts so far in the series 10 People Who Would Have Been Great Bloggers, based on research, I attempted to get into the head of these great thinkers and project what I thought they would say. But this time, for Plato, I decided to stick to the research. I like Plato because he loved to ask good questions, and I am quite fascinated by his notion of Atlantis.  Though, I did not try to write in his voice, Plato would have been an excellent educational blogger, and he would ask us the tough questions forcing us to think. Here is a short 7-minute video about Plato and his life.

Plato – Encyclopedia channel

Mentor: Socrates

Protege: Aristotle

Written Works: The Apology (of Socrates), Crito, Laches, Lysis, Charmides, Euthyphro, Hippias Minor and Major, Meno, Euthydemus, Menexenus, Cratylus, Repuglic, Phaedrus, Syposium, Phaedo, Republic, Parmenides, Theatetus, Sophist,Statesmas,Timaeus,Critias,Philebus, and Laws

Platonics

1. Plato’s birth name was Aristocles and was given the nickname Platon because of his broad shoulders
2. Founder of the the philosophical school, Academy in Athens in 387 B.C - named after a legendary Greek called Academus - the first institution of higher learning in the Western world
3. The way in which Plato operated the Academy, his ideas on what constitutes an educated “man” greatly influenced educational theory
4. Plato served as tutor to the new king Dionysius II
5. Studied the doctrines of Cratylus, and the work of Pythagoras and Parmenides before he met Socrates
6. Writings mostly take the form of question and answer dialogues
7. Mastered the art of asking good questions
8. Well traveled, had a career in the military and politic,s and studied music and poetry when he was young
9. During his 12-year travel after Socrates’ death, Plato studied with the Pythagoreans in Italy, and then studied the philosophy of his contemporaries, geometry, geology, astronomy and religion

Plato was a diligent learner, and loved to dialogue, though he was shy. What can you learn from him? Would he make an ideal Invisible Mentor?

Further Reading

Plato Biography

Plato

Video Credit: Encyclopedia channel

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• Plato’s dialogues, part 1: Why Plato? (guardian.co.uk)

While I was writing an article about the importance of reading, Building Intellectual Power One Book at a Time, I wanted the perfect quote to sum up what I felt, and I found the perfect one by Francis Bacon, author, philosopher and the father of inductive reasoning.

“Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested: that is, some books are to be read only in parts, others to be read, but not curiously, and some few to be read wholly, and with diligence and attention” says Francis Bacon.

A Video of Creative Quotations from Francis Bacon

(CreativeQuotations.com)

From the quotes in the video, which one is your favourite, and why?

Note: As is the case with all the posts so far in the series 10 People Who Would Have Been Great Bloggers, based on research, I attempt to get into the head of these great thinkers and project what I think they would say. And, most importantly, I have fun with what I discover. I find the theory that Bacon was Shakespeare to be quite fascinating.

Baconisms

1. You may not know this, but I am the originator of the phrase “Knowledge is power.” I am so delighted that the phrase is so widespread
2. Reading gives me pleasure and gardening is one of life’s simple pleasures
3. Have planned procedures to investigate everything
4. I believe in practical knowledge so it is important to restructure traditional learning methods
5. Though I revered Aristotle, I hated his philosophy, what the heck is Aristotelianism anyway?
6. My life is the classic case of a Greek tragedy, read my next point and you will know why
7. Be weary of power and do not let it go to your head, operate with integrity, I know what I am talking about. I was on the fast track and lost my way, I was charged and arrested for bribery. Though the king later pardoned me, I was banished from public life
8. If you make a mistake, own up to it, and learn from it
9. Good can come from adversity: After I was charged and arrested, I focused on my writing
10. Am I, or Am I Not William Shakespeare? Now That’s the Question!

Sources:

The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Francis Bacon (1561 – 1626)
Biographies: Francis Bacon “The Secretary of Nature (1561 – 1626)
Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: Francis Bacon

Of Francis Bacon by Max Patrick

Photo credit: Wikipedia

Interesting Information

Bacon is Shakespeare Slideshow
Baconian Theory

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• Crunch time for Pringles’ sense of self (guardian.co.uk)

What does the word contemplation mean to you? How often do you take time for contemplation? Once a day? Once a week? Never?

How do you know if you are on track? How do you know if something in your  life is working or is not working? Do you ever take time to reflect on the things that you hear, see, feel, sense and taste? What do you do to engage all your senses?

Achieving success and unleashing your inner genius requires nuturing your soul, as well as feeding your mind. You have to take care of all of you, both the inner and the outer, the seen and the unseen.

Below is a poem about contemplation by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, the German writer who lived in the 18th and early 19th century. Is the poem really about contemplation, or is it about something else? What do you think?

Book of Contemplation – Five Things

WHAT makes time short to me?

Activity!

What makes it long and spiritless?

‘Tis idleness!

What brings us to debt?

To delay and forget!

What makes us succeed?

Decision with speed

How to fame to ascend?

Oneself to defend!

By Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832)

Now that you have read Book of Contemplation – Five Things, what are your thoughts? Do you agree or disagree with the point of view? Now read the quotation below by Heraclitus, how do you feel about it?

“Good character is not formed in a week or a month. It is created little by little, day by day. Protracted and patient effort is needed to develop good character.” Heraclitus

Are people with a good character likely to manage their time effectively, and make decisions quickly and decisively? How would you connect the poem and quote? There are no right or wrong answers. The point of this exercise, is to look at life more broadly and with different lens so that when you are faced with challenges, you will identify solutions that are superior because you have such a unqiue look on life.

Combining works by Goethe and Heraclitus, or other great thinkers, can only lead to superior thinking. Try comparing and contrasting the works of other greats thinkers, what discoveries do you think await you?

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Photo Credit: Avil Beckford

Note: I have written this blog post based on information that I have researched on Earl Nightingale, and I have added my perspective to drive home his point. I have really appreciated Earl Nightingale’s The Strangest Secret and Lead the Field, two of his audio programs. This blog post is my attempt at distilling what he would blog about for his success tips.

Earl Nightingale’s Success Tips 101

1. The key to success is that “we become what we think about”
2. You have to pay the price to be successful “As ye sow, so shall you reap”
3. Returns = Success: Enrich others and you will be enriched
4. Know where you are going
5. People who are successful have goals. Have a definite goal, focus on that important goal, channelling all your energies into accomplishing it
6. Act promptly and decisively
7. Knowledge is power when you take ACTION, always apply knowledge
8. We can do more than we think we can, so each day do just a little more that you have to do, even if it’s only one percent, because with the cumulative effect you reap big rewards
9. Read broadly and “study the world’s great religions, philosophy and psychology“
10. Be curious

What do you think about the success tips listed above? Do you agree or disagree with them? Think of someone who would make a great Invisible Mentor for you. Study that person and list 10 tips that you believe that person would deliver. How does it feel to do that exercise? The point of this exercise is to learn more about others so that when you are problem solving you have a larger body of knowledge to draw on. This exercise also expands your thinking.

Recommended Reading and Listening

Click here to listen to The Strangest Secret by Earl Nightingale

Related Posts: A Modern View

“A man is literally what he thinks, his character being the complete sum of all thoughts,” says James Allen in his 1908 classic bestseller, As A Man Thinketh. As the title suggests, the book is about how your thoughts influence your results in life. Allen explains that we are where we are in life because of our thoughts, and if we are in an undesirable situation, we have the power to change our circumstances by changing our thoughts because we are the directors of our lives, and masters of our thoughts.

In Allen’s own words, “Every man is where he is by the law of his being. The thoughts which he has built into his character have brought him there… Let a man radically alter his thoughts, and he will be astonished at the rapid transformation it will effect in the material conditions of his life.”

 Five Great Ideas

1.  ”A man’s mind may be likened to a garden, which may be intelligently cultivated or allowed to run wild; but whether cultivated or neglected, it must, and will, bring forth. If no useful seeds are put into it, then an abundance of useless weed seeds will fall therein, and will continue to produce their kind.
2. Man is where he is so that he may learn and grow.
3. Men are anxious to improve their circumstances, but are unwilling to improve themselves.
4. A strong man cannot help a weaker unless the weaker is willing to be helped, and even then the weak man must become strong of himself. He must, by his own efforts, develop the strength which he admires in another.
5. He who would accomplish little must sacrifice little. He who would achieve much must sacrifice much. He who would attain highly must sacrifice greatly.”

 At 22 pages, the e-Book version of As A Man Thinketh can be read in no time at all. Despite the length of the book, it is chock full of nuggets of wisdom. I recommend this book. To download a complimentary copy of As A Man Thinketh click here. 

After you have read As a Man Thinketh, what principles can you apply to your life? Do you agree with James Allen’s philosophy?

Excerpted from April 2008 Ambeck Edge

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Your destination in life is important. The route you take to get to your destination is sometimes important. But as you journey through life, it is important to enjoy yourself and be aware of your surroundings. Take time to engage all your senses, reflecting on what you see, hear, taste, smell and feel. Are you really experiencing what you think you are experiencing, or is it an illusion?

 Stop for a minute!

 Are you truly happy with the life you are living? Are you living your life on your own terms, or are you living the life that others expect you to live? And most importantly, are you living up to your true potential? Are you the absolute best that you can be?

 These are a lot of questions, and I provide no answers. It’s not my job to give you the answers. My role as the Invisible Mentor is to assist you to be the best that you could possibly be by unleashing your inner genius. My role is also to heighten your awareness and raise your level of consciousness.

 Let’s play the Game of Ones

1.  What is one thing that you could effortlessly do to change your life for the better? Do it now.
2.  What is one book you have always been meaning to read but haven’t got around to reading it? Make a commitment now to read at least 15 pages each day until you’re finished.
3. What is one film you have been meaning to watch? Watch it now.
4.  What is one course that you have always wanted to take? Enrol today!
5.  Which friend have you been meaning to call, but have been too busy to do so? Call her now!
6.  What is one whimsical thing that you have always wanted to do? Do it now.
7. What is one thing that you really enjoy doing – that will not harm you, or another – but haven’t done it in a while because you simply haven’t had time? Give yourself the pleasure and do it now.

 What is your contribution to the Game of Ones? What changes could you make?

 Now that I have taken you all over the place to change your reference point, I will bring you back to where we started. What is your true destination in life? What is the best route that will take you there? Who would you like to accompany you on your journey? When will you begin this important journey?

 “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step,” says Lao-tzu the Chinese philosopher.

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Photo Credits: Avil Beckford