Each and every Friday — I outline a few of the articles and/or books that I have read over the last week or two that are worth taking a look at.
#Max Out Your Life: Strategies for Becoming an Elite Performer By Ed Mylett
A no-nonsense, step-by-step strategy guide to #MAXOUT Your Life and become an elite performer
#MAXOUT YOUR LIFE is for those that are serious about achieving their highest levels of life, and evolving into the best version of themselves. Strategies for:
1. Creating Strong Habits and Rituals
2. What is the RAS & How to Program
3. Raising and Shifting Your Identity
4. How to Truly Build Self Confidence
5. Elevating Your Physical Body
6. Goal Setting Strategies
7. Developing Your Will to Win
Become the ultimate and best version of you. The YOU that you were BORN TO BE.
Go here to get a copy of this great book: https://a.co/d/96evNi0
Stoicism, ‘Indifferents,’ and Generosity
For the Stoics, external things like money and fame are considered to be ta adiaphora, which is usually translated as ‘indifferents’ or ‘indifferent things’. It is easy to infer from the translation that we are meant, as Stoics, to therefore ourselves be ‘indifferent’ towards these things. But this causes deep issues for Stoicism. Other human beings are ‘external’ to our volition, our capacities to choose and avoid. So, Stoics seem to be committed to treating others with indifference. But most of us think that treating others indifferently, without care or concern, is problematic. What about our aging parents, approaching the end of their lives, and in need of assistance? What of the very young, wholly dependent for survival on us as parents? What kind of a person would suggest that ‘indifference’ in any sense is a good or virtuous approach to the vulnerable, the sick, or the frail? What kind of a philosophy could do that?
These are good questions, it seems to me. If Stoicism promoted the kind of moral indifference of a character like Albert Camus’ Meursault in The Outsider, who senselessly kills a man, because he sees no reason not to, then Stoicism would seem to be an unsympathetic philosophy indeed. And of course, many of Stoicism’s critics, going right back to Saint Augustine, have suggested just this. Are not the Stoics also committed to apatheia, translated as ‘apathy’? And wouldn’t this absence of passions, including love or pity, confirm the idea that the Stoics want to promote indifference, not only towards external things, but also towards other people, in the name of a statuesque, robot-like ideal of human perfection?
I don’t think these interpretations of Stoicism stack up, when the full range of available ancient sources on the philosophy is consulted. To make this case, I will argue three things, and people can assess whether they think these positions hold up for themselves:
- First, that the idea of ‘indifference’ as an ethical standpoint is not evident in the Stoic texts. It reflects an imprecise translation of ta adiaphora, and an extrapolation from there, to a purported attitude that is deeply unStoic, and far closer to the attitude of the ancient Cynics.
- Second, that when we understand why the Stoics devalue external things like money and fame, we can see that their philosophy aims to cultivate not interpersonal indifference, but a detachment from the things over which human beings compete and fight.
- Third, therefore, Stoicism should be read as trying to open up the space for forms of generosity, by reducing our attachments to those things which come between human beings, motivating forms of hatred and conflict.
Go here to finish reading this post: https://modernstoicism.com/stoicism-indifferents-and-generosity-by-matthew-sharpe/
Economic uncertainty gives challengers a ‘rare opportunity’ to ‘break in’ to categories, research finds
Challenger brands have a strength their established competitors don’t in times of financial insecurity, according to data from VCCP and Magic Numbers. This is because when faced with financial pressure consumers are more sensitive to price fluctuations, which provides challenger brands with the means to “buy themselves into a category”.
Speaking at the IPA’s EffWork Global 2023 event today (10 October), the two firms explained why challenger brands outperformed in some cases, in some categories during the pandemic. More importantly for marketers, they elaborated upon what that insight means for challenger and established brands in the face of a further 12 months of a weakening global economy.
Grace Kite, Marketing Week columnist and founder of Magic Numbers, said challenger brands in a category of necessity like food have an opportunity to steal a march because “we have to eat”. She noted that pricing competition becomes intense, which benefits challengers.
“There’s a purchase there that’s up for grabs – but you’ve got to fight for it. [Consumers] are going to look at what your competitors are offering versus what you’re offering. And so you have to beat the competitor. But what that means on price is that it’s relative price that matters.”
Go here to finish reading: https://www.marketingweek.com/price-strategy-challengers/
The 3 Most Powerful Habits I’ve Developed So Far In Life
“We first make our habits, then our habits make us.”- John Dryden
We ALL know the power of habits — so I won’t waste your time rehashing it.
Instead, I’ll share the 3 most powerful habits I’ve ever built — in a quick “What, Why, How” framework to save you time.
Even if you build no other habit, these 3 alone will ensure a successful & happy life.
#1 — The Gateway Drug To Self-Improvement
1.1 — What?
Working out to build a strong, aesthetic, and athletic physique.
1.2 — Why?
- On the physical side — You’ll look great in any (or no) clothes. Optimal hormones. Max energy levels. Peak attention from the opposite sex. Respect from the get-go.
- On the mental side — It’ll work wonders for your self-esteem, confidence, discipline, work ethic, and positivity.
- Best of all? It blasts open the doors to all-around self-improvement — relationships, productivity, God, social skills, and earning wealth
Go here to finish reading: https://medium.com/ma-n-ximize/the-3-most-powerful-habits-ive-developed-so-far-in-life-71a7ee0585b0
Hope you enjoy these articles and books. Have a great rest of your Friday an amazing weekend!