43 Master thinking, mind power, and mood killer
No. 43 – 29 September 2023
Welcome to the 43rd edition of the True Progress Newsletter, a weekly newsletter on building resilience.
Article
The 8 cognitive critical thinking traits needed for problem-solving through small and formidable obstacles.
— Read more
Quote
On the importance of authentic connections and progress:
“Our relationships offer us the very context in which we understand our progress and comprehend the usefulness of what we’re learning.”
Insight
3 ancient philosophy exercises to strengthen your mind and add some joy:
Philosophy has always been about askēsis, meaning ‘exercise’ in Greek.
Practice and exposure, not just reading and thinking about esoteric, mythical, or cosmological topics.
1/ Exercise on physical definitions
Marcus Aurelius used this often while away fighting wars for long periods of time.
“Look at the object itself as it is in its essence, in its nudity, and tell yourself the name which is peculiar to it.”
Explanation
It’s an exercise on defining objects that present themselves, on things or events that have the potential to incite our passions.
Application
Define what’s in front of you with specificity, strip it down, describe it, then assess the situation once more. You’re forced to take a pause and ask, “What’s actually going on here?” “Am I perceiving this incorrectly?”
2/ Exercise on preparing for evils and death
Philo of Alexandria says that those who practice premeditation of obstacles, “Do not flinch beneath the blows of Fate, because they have calculated its attacks in advance.”
Explanation
There will be obstacles in pursuit of your goals and dreams. You can either prepare in advance for those obstacles or wait for them to hit you in the face.
Application
Don’t wait for bad things to happen. Anticipate them and think of worst-case scenarios and how you could respond to them.
3/ Exercise on body and soul
The Stoic Musonius Rufus affirmed that people who undertake to philosophize need to stress the body and mind together.
“If we accustom ourselves to the cold, to heat, to hunger, to frugal nourishment,...and to tolerance of unpleasant things.”
Explanation
This is an exercise in scarcity. The more comfortable you are, the more difficult it becomes to take risks and challenge yourself. Scarcity helps harden the spirit by putting the body and mind under duress. Over time, it adapts to its new conditions.
Application
Practice modesty in food and clothes. If that becomes too easy, start fasting. If that becomes your norm, reenact your poverty and strip away everything but the bare essentials for a day. Don’t get too comfortable.
Emotion
Consternation
Definition | Feelings of anxiety or dismay, typically at something unexpected.
Origin | early 17th century from Latin consternatio(n-), from the verb consternare 'lay prostrate, terrify'.
Question
Research shows that our moods and emotions can change based on the people we surround ourselves with, and vice versa.
Think about a toxic leader at work or a cheerful and warm friend or coworker. Called 'mood contagion,' it’s a neurological process that's akin to “smile and the whole world smiles with you.” One person’s mood can alter the physiology of another person—their sleep, heart rate, and even immune functions.
Who are the people in your life who bring positivity and who are the ones that bring you down?
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Till next week,
— Carlos & Stef
