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When deep into a difficult task, David Goggins brings out an alternate personality,
A person he calls "Goggins".
This may seem over-the-top to some. Why would someone that has run ultra-marathons in a desert in the summer need an alternate personality?
Cicero discusses this:
A person he calls "Goggins".
This may seem over-the-top to some. Why would someone that has run ultra-marathons in a desert in the summer need an alternate personality?
Cicero discusses this:
The philosopher Cicero provided guidance to young men. In this guidance he talks about four personalities:
The Universal
The Individual
The Situational
The Self-Chosen
How can we use these to understand ourselves and improve our lives?
The Universal
The Individual
The Situational
The Self-Chosen
How can we use these to understand ourselves and improve our lives?
1.) The Universal
"Deriving from the fact that we all participate in the intelligence and superiority by which we surpass other animals."
"Deriving from the fact that we all participate in the intelligence and superiority by which we surpass other animals."
The universal personality is the ability to reason.
In this is the ability to not only work together, but to act selflessly, be courageous, and act rationally.
In this is the ability to not only work together, but to act selflessly, be courageous, and act rationally.
2.) The Individual
"This is the [set of natural tendencies and talents] bestowed separately on each individual"
"This is the [set of natural tendencies and talents] bestowed separately on each individual"
Cicero actually goes on to explain how some people are given particular characteristics, such as strength and intelligence.
We should seek to grow our positive abilities and get rid of our weak ones. We should list our strengths and weaknesses, then play them to our advantage.
We should seek to grow our positive abilities and get rid of our weak ones. We should list our strengths and weaknesses, then play them to our advantage.
"Let each man come to know his own ability. If we have a choice we shall work faithfully at those things that are most suitable to us. If necessity pushes us into affairs alien to our nature . . . we should act with as much fitness as possible"
3.) The Situational
"The third role [is that which] opportunity thrusts upon the individual."
"The third role [is that which] opportunity thrusts upon the individual."
The primary rule of life is chance.
After mastering the first and second personalities, you will be well-equipped to face whatever the situational throws at you.
David Goggins trains hard, but "Goggins" helps him get through the situational.
After mastering the first and second personalities, you will be well-equipped to face whatever the situational throws at you.
David Goggins trains hard, but "Goggins" helps him get through the situational.
4.) The Self-Chosen
"The fourth role is that which we freely adopt for ourselves by a personal decision."
"The fourth role is that which we freely adopt for ourselves by a personal decision."
You have spent time mastering your characteristics and have proven effective situationally, now it is time to do something about it.
Philosophy
Law
Finance
Military
Now that you know your strengths, find a proper outlet for them.
Philosophy
Law
Finance
Military
Now that you know your strengths, find a proper outlet for them.
Some people may be on the ends of the bell curve with strength or intelligence.
Those people will have an easier time picking something that suits their abilities.
But what about those where everything is more grey?
Those people will have an easier time picking something that suits their abilities.
But what about those where everything is more grey?
The ancients had a classic arc to life. They were fully multivariate.
Students became soldiers
Soldiers became artisans
Artisans became politicians
Politicians became philosophers
Build your strengths and use them across a wide array of careers.
Diversify your opportunities.
Students became soldiers
Soldiers became artisans
Artisans became politicians
Politicians became philosophers
Build your strengths and use them across a wide array of careers.
Diversify your opportunities.
“Yet certainly these are those principles by which my system of education nurtured the men who fought at Marathon.
...
If you do these things which I say, and apply your mind to these, you will ever have a stout chest, a clear complexion, broad shoulders, a little tongue"
...
If you do these things which I say, and apply your mind to these, you will ever have a stout chest, a clear complexion, broad shoulders, a little tongue"
