About this ebook
With so much chaos in our outer world, it can be all too easy for us to neglect our inner world. But it is this inner world which holds the keys to our peace and flourishing. The great philosophers, psychologists, and spiritual teachers have all argued that happiness is found, not in building the perfect life, but in fortifying and mastering the vehicle through which we traverse it.
This collection contains many lifetimes worth of wisdom from brilliant teachers of the art of living, like Marcus Aurelius, Lao Tzu, Epictetus, The Buddha, Friedrich Nietzsche, Viktor Frankl, Abraham Maslow, and many more. It also features findings and insights from modern spiritual teachers, psychologists, and neuroscientists. And it now includes astute commentary based on a deep understanding of the thinkers and ideas presented.
In this book, you will:
Gain insights from Stoic philosopher Seneca on overcoming anger
Find guidance from the Buddha on letting go of unhelpful attachments
Learn from Robert Greene why continual discomfort is necessary for growth
Hear how Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius embraced challenges and change
Reflect on living an authentic life with Steve Jobs
Hear what Confucius believed constituted the superior being
Find direction on sculpting and overcoming yourself from Friedrich Nietzsche
Learn how to eliminate negative thoughts and bad moods from Dr. David Burns
And hear how to use difficulties in our lives as opportunities to grow from the Dalai Lama
This simple book of quotes can serve as a daily reminder to focus on mastering yourself before trying to master the world. By studying these teachings, you'll find tranquility, inspiration, and wisdom on a life well-lived.
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About the author
Designing the Mind is a self-development organization focused on providing wisdom education and expanding human potential beyond the norm. It draws heavily from thinkers like Lao Tzu, the Buddha, Marcus Aurelius, and Nietzsche, but it's something new. From cognitive therapy and humanistic psychology, yet it isn't meant for the broken. Its central theme of psychitecture represents a new, modern way of viewing and iteratively improving your mind. Learn more at designingthemind.org.
Ryan A Bush is a designer and thinker focused on building better systems, better people, and a better future. As founder of Designing the Mind, Ryan's central purpose is to provide wisdom education and expand human potential beyond the norm.
Ryan's background is in the design of systems - he works with tech startups to design and develop everything from patented physical products, to software, to buildings, to business models. But his most relevant credential is a lifelong appetite for introspective investigation, ravenous reading, and obsessive self-optimization.
For more than a decade, Ryan has been studying the insights of ancient teachers, practical philosophers, and cognitive scientists. His ideas have been featured on major platforms like Lifehack and Modern Stoicism, and he has been a guest on podcasts with topics ranging from emotions to philosophy to motivation.
In his books, Designing the Mind: The Principles of Psychitecture, and The Book of Self Mastery, he draws heavily from the insights of thinkers like Lao Tzu, the Buddha, Marcus Aurelius, and Nietzsche and attempts to assemble them to form a new vision for psychological growth and self-mastery.
