This is such an important topic but unfortunately, many people just avoid talking about this.
IMO, Focusing on the present moment always helps me to let go of negative emotions and rumination about what others have or have achieved in past.
I always reframe my thoughts; Instead of focusing on what someone else has that I don't, I try to reframe my thoughts to be grateful for what I do have.
I always find ways to celebrate others' successes; especially with whom I hangout out with either offline or online because Instead of feeling envious of others' accomplishments, I try to find ways to genuinely celebrate their successes. This always helps me to shift my focus from my own desires(only me stereotypes mindset) to a more positive and supportive mindset.
And I think having a hobby or activity that brings you joy e.g. GYM for me and playing with my kid; Engaging in activities that bring joy and fulfilment helps to reduce feelings of envy, as it gives me a sense of purpose and helps me to feel more fulfilled.
Love today's letter, Louie, Keep sharing your thoughts with us. And Good luck with the new book.
This is a good take on envy. I often feel that the metaphysical based envy is hard to handle. The physical less so. If I watch people in my Facebook-feed travelling to Spain I fell envious. But if I watch my schedule, check my account. That is, forcing myself down to earth, considering the more concrete choices. Then I don't fell the envy anymore. The trick is to be pragmatic and avoid the meta-thoughts. Keep up the speed in real life. Make sure to challenge your self and stay in the Never ending Now.
An old friend just announced he retired (same age as me) his last day was 30th December
He done well for himself and I’m happy for him but yet cannot help feel tinge of envy
Been watching the Johnathan bi series over the past week
His manuscript on his website is another thought provoking one for me
Have even reached out to him on his Twitter DM and he kindly pointed me to some resources
I’ve been doing a lot of reflections and one way I’m trying is to ask myself I only have x amount of time and energy.
What should I spend them on? Pursuing physical desires or metaphysical ones?
That kinda helped
I also try not to deny or repress when envy strikes. I found that whatever I resist tends to persist. So I let those feelings be, on the condition that I don’t have to act on them.
After a while (sometimes weeks) they pass
Whether they take a long time or a short time they all pass in the end.
Happy new year to you Louie. I’m very happy you wrote abt this topic
It’s mind-changing for me. Previously knew Girard as that guy whom Peter Thiel calls his philsophical mentor and uses his theory to help make the decision to fund facebook.
But Bi's explanation is thorough and enlightening. I will not recommend a second choice to understand Girard.
I expect there will be some life changing albeit lagging decisions coming out of my digestion of these lectures and Bi's manuscript. Lagging because it's so nutrient dense, it takes time to fully work out the implications esp when mapping them to my own life.
Happy to geek out with you and fellow interested people.
All of us with entrepreneurial pursuits will do well to understand how mimetic behavior, mimetic desire, and metaphysical desires affect us to avoid chasing wrong goals esp. in entrepreneurship.
We only have such limited time here on this Earth no point to, paraphrasing Edward Norton in Fight Club, "chase goals we don't really want with time & energy we can barely afford just to impress people we don't like"
The envy consideration is an important one Louie. For me it stems from whether I am attending to my core Purpose. I think we all feel almost spiritually called to serve in some unique way, to create or contribute from a deeply authentic place, and that's really scary because then the real us is exposed. So many of us fill our time with jobs we don't really love and activities that are acceptable, but not enlivening, to avoid the vulnerability of being visible in our purpose. When I am not living on Purpose, that's when I am personally most prone to envy. It's almost at the level of physics. Nature abhors a vacuum. If we leave our purpose-space empty, human nature fills it with envy. Also love the trading bits for atoms idea by the way.
This is such an important topic but unfortunately, many people just avoid talking about this.
IMO, Focusing on the present moment always helps me to let go of negative emotions and rumination about what others have or have achieved in past.
I always reframe my thoughts; Instead of focusing on what someone else has that I don't, I try to reframe my thoughts to be grateful for what I do have.
I always find ways to celebrate others' successes; especially with whom I hangout out with either offline or online because Instead of feeling envious of others' accomplishments, I try to find ways to genuinely celebrate their successes. This always helps me to shift my focus from my own desires(only me stereotypes mindset) to a more positive and supportive mindset.
And I think having a hobby or activity that brings you joy e.g. GYM for me and playing with my kid; Engaging in activities that bring joy and fulfilment helps to reduce feelings of envy, as it gives me a sense of purpose and helps me to feel more fulfilled.
Love today's letter, Louie, Keep sharing your thoughts with us. And Good luck with the new book.
This is a good take on envy. I often feel that the metaphysical based envy is hard to handle. The physical less so. If I watch people in my Facebook-feed travelling to Spain I fell envious. But if I watch my schedule, check my account. That is, forcing myself down to earth, considering the more concrete choices. Then I don't fell the envy anymore. The trick is to be pragmatic and avoid the meta-thoughts. Keep up the speed in real life. Make sure to challenge your self and stay in the Never ending Now.
An old friend just announced he retired (same age as me) his last day was 30th December
He done well for himself and I’m happy for him but yet cannot help feel tinge of envy
Been watching the Johnathan bi series over the past week
His manuscript on his website is another thought provoking one for me
Have even reached out to him on his Twitter DM and he kindly pointed me to some resources
I’ve been doing a lot of reflections and one way I’m trying is to ask myself I only have x amount of time and energy.
What should I spend them on? Pursuing physical desires or metaphysical ones?
That kinda helped
I also try not to deny or repress when envy strikes. I found that whatever I resist tends to persist. So I let those feelings be, on the condition that I don’t have to act on them.
After a while (sometimes weeks) they pass
Whether they take a long time or a short time they all pass in the end.
Happy new year to you Louie. I’m very happy you wrote abt this topic
I had no idea you were into those lectures too KimSia. It’s been enlightening.
Thank you for sharing this comment and personal story.
I hope we can geek out on this topic more this year. It’s a fascinating one and it’s impacting a lot around us, including us.
Oh I watched them all and some of them twice
It’s mind-changing for me. Previously knew Girard as that guy whom Peter Thiel calls his philsophical mentor and uses his theory to help make the decision to fund facebook.
But Bi's explanation is thorough and enlightening. I will not recommend a second choice to understand Girard.
Side note: if i were ever Christian, I would be the type that Bi described Girard to be, in lecture V, an atheistic Christian. https://johnathanbi.com/interpreting-girard-lecture-v-transcript#:~:text=Girard%20is%20giving%20us%20a%20very%20atheistic%20Christianity
I expect there will be some life changing albeit lagging decisions coming out of my digestion of these lectures and Bi's manuscript. Lagging because it's so nutrient dense, it takes time to fully work out the implications esp when mapping them to my own life.
Happy to geek out with you and fellow interested people.
All of us with entrepreneurial pursuits will do well to understand how mimetic behavior, mimetic desire, and metaphysical desires affect us to avoid chasing wrong goals esp. in entrepreneurship.
We only have such limited time here on this Earth no point to, paraphrasing Edward Norton in Fight Club, "chase goals we don't really want with time & energy we can barely afford just to impress people we don't like"
Great practical discussion of Girard!
Congrats on the book Louie 👊🏼. Dig the Girard lectures. Happy they’ve released the rest of the series.
I liked the message on envy. I think the consensus, whether biblical or philosophical, is that envy blows.
But it’s a good reminder to step back and evaluate oneself and ask about my personal envy.
Also the meme about the 8 is hilarious 😂
The envy consideration is an important one Louie. For me it stems from whether I am attending to my core Purpose. I think we all feel almost spiritually called to serve in some unique way, to create or contribute from a deeply authentic place, and that's really scary because then the real us is exposed. So many of us fill our time with jobs we don't really love and activities that are acceptable, but not enlivening, to avoid the vulnerability of being visible in our purpose. When I am not living on Purpose, that's when I am personally most prone to envy. It's almost at the level of physics. Nature abhors a vacuum. If we leave our purpose-space empty, human nature fills it with envy. Also love the trading bits for atoms idea by the way.