What Would Will Smith Do?
By Samim Avan Sardar
What Would Will Smith Do?Jun 23, 2022
Shitty First Car > New Lamborghini
* Sorry for the background noise.
Topics include:
- Alan Watts
- First Acting Gig
- New (Used) Car
- Dating Apps
- When Acting don't Act
- 9-5 Hell
Jim Carrey 2014 Commencement Speech
A must-listen for every student of life. Enjoy.
Rule 50 - Stillness is the key - 50 Stoicism Rules Series
Last "rule"! We made it. Phew...
Rule 49 - Ego is the enemy. - 50 Stoicism Rules Series
Not sure about the "enemy" because there are no enemies in the kingdom of heaven. God does not have enemies. How could he? He is the constructor of everything and of every concept. He is above enemies. To have enemies is to be finite and limited. It is to imply you can get hurt or annihilated by this enemy. But you can't. Your true spirit is above that. I would say, be conscious of what the ego is, that way you can start identifying what is not your ego.
Can you help improve my podcast episode description here:
"..."
ChatGPT:
In this thought-provoking podcast episode, we explore the concept of "enemies" in the kingdom of heaven, challenging the idea that God has adversaries. Delving into the notion that God, as the creator of all, transcends the concept of enemies, we contemplate the infinite and limitless nature of the divine. The discussion invites listeners to consider the implications of having enemies, suggesting that it stems from a state of finiteness and limitation. The episode encourages a heightened awareness of the ego, urging individuals to discern and identify aspects that do not align with their true spirit. Join us on a journey of self-reflection and spiritual exploration as we navigate the profound understanding of divinity and the ego.
^ Something like that.
Rule 48 - The obstacle is the way. - 50 Stoicism Rules Series
Get the book! One of my favorite book recommendations.
The Obstacle Is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph
Rule 47 - Courage. Temperance. Justice. Wisdom. (Always). - 50 Stoicism Rules Series
Such a stoic rule 😂 Let's add compassion to that list maybe right after Courage?
Rule 46 - Accept success without arrogance, handle failure with indifference - 50 Stoicism Rules Series
Where were we? It's been a minute since we talked...well since I talked 😊 But either way let's get through these rules so we can move on to a different philosophy. Optimally one with less than double-digit rules / principles 😆
Rule 45 - Don’t make your problems worse by bemoaning them. - 50 Stoicism Rules Series
Can you believe 5 more episodes and then complete the 50 rules of stoicism? Next time I might pick a much shorter list...nothing over 10 for sure. Sorry for the super bad sound quality 😞
Rule 44 - Possessions are yours only in trust. - 50 Stoicism Rules Series
First A.I enhanced episode. Just the sound quality not content. Although I wonder if ChatGPT can do a better job at this 🤔
Rule 43 - Fate behaves as she 👩 pleases…do not forget this. - 50 Stoicism Rules Series
Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.
Rule 42 - If someone offends you, realize you are complicit in taking offense. - 50 Stoicism Rules Series
“No one can hurt you without your consent.” In the words of Gandhi, “They cannot take away our self-respect if we do not give it to them.” It is our willing permission, our consent to what happens to us, that hurts us far more”
― Stephen R. Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change
Rule 41 - Associate only with people that make you better - 50 Stoicism Rules Series
Define better here...better does not just mean successful the way society defined it but better could be somebody who can teach you something that you have lost.
Rule 40 - Always choose “Alive Time.” - 50 Stoicism Rules Series
❤️ "Alive Time"
Rule 39 - To do wrong to one, is to do wrong to yourself 😞 . (sympatheia) - 50 Stoicism Rules Series
// TODO Put a badass description about this rule here...also don't forget to pick up Brandy from the airport
Rule 38 - Look for the poetry 🌺 in ordinary things - 50 Stoicism Rules Series
Oh boy. What an awesome rule....
Sort of goes well with this gem:
"He is richest who is content with the least, for content is the wealth of nature" -Socrates
Rule 37 - Premeditatio Malorum 🧐 - 50 Stoicism Rules Series
“the pre-meditation of evils”
Rule 36 - Journal 📔 - 50 Stoicism Rules Series
https://dailystoic.com/journaling/
"All journalers—just to name a few. It was, for them and so many others, as Foucault said, a “weapon for spiritual combat.” A way to practice their principles, be creative and purge the mind of agitation. " Ryan Holiday
Rule 35 - Make a little progress 📈 each day - 50 Stoicism Rules Series
.1 % each day...
Rule 34 - Forgive, Forgive, Forgive - 50 Stoicism Rules Series
YOU are the real beneficiary when you forgive. I am sure you heard that before but doesn't hurt to get reminded of every now and then.
Rule 33 - Study the lives of the greats - 50 Stoicism Rules Series
No Description Available
Rule 32 - Don’t judge other people - 50 Stoicism Rules Series
Joe Rogan you better watch out, this podcast is on 🔥
Rule 31 - What’s bad for the hive is bad for the bee (Marcus Aurelius) - 50 Stoicism Rules Series
Another amazing, incredible episode of this super awesome podcast! I guess no stopping in sight....this podcast is like a rolling/moving train.
Rule 30 - Find one thing that makes you wiser every day - 50 Stoicism Rules Series
The musical 🎼 episode...playing in the background. Not me playing.
Rule 29 - Don’t be afraid to ask for help 🤚 - 50 Stoicism Rules Series
Listen to the add-on part at the end of the episode. Sharing a piece of understanding about misery, pain and loneliness and why you should welcome them 🙃
Rule 28 - Say 🗣️ No (a Lot) - 50 Stoicism Rules Series
Everything You Say Yes To Is Saying No To Something Else - Ryan Holiday
“You are rich if and only if the money you refuse tastes better than money you accept.” - Nassim Taleb
Rule 27 - Every person is an opportunity for kindness ❤️ - 50 Stoicism Rules Series
Yup. Another instant classic. Love this one because it is so true. Every counter we have with any other person whether they are a child, a neighbor, a co-worker, or the barista who has a lot going on in his life and is irritated and you are just trying to order your coffee gives you a chance to practice kindness.
Rule 26 - Grab 🖐️ the “smooth handle.” - 50 Stoicism Rules Series
No idea what this means. Well actually, I have some idea. Weirdest of the stoic rules by Ryan Holiday so far...
Rule 25 - Don't 🛑 Follow the Mob - 50 Stoicism Rules Series
About 8 minutes. The answer to how long is this episode? With that said, I have zero idea why I keep recording and uploading these...I suspect I have gone insane or I am in complete denial about how badly I need to stop doing this "podcast". Every douche without any credible accomplishments or achievements is now a philosopher on the internet. Well, I guess I am an insane douche. Eh, what am I going to do? I still gotta do what I want to do. So that includes this podcast. I mean why not? Why not keep recording? Who am I hurting? Listening is optional! But if you do listen and you somehow enjoy it and I truly believe you genuinely enjoy I would be the happiest person on earth. I don't need millions of likes, just need one happy listener to make me 😃
Rule 24 - Seek Out Challenges - 50 Stoicism Rules Series
Be Relentless! 🔥 Seek out challenges.
Rule 23 - Amour Fati - 50 Stoicism Rules Series
Love everything that happens to you!
Rule 22 - Define what success means to you👇 - 50 Stoicism Rules Series
Is anybody listening yet? Who am I kidding? No one because no one wants to hear anybody else's shit! That is by design. If anybody could talk and the world would listen then we would come to stand still. Only shit that does something for us will get a chance to be listened to. What if this weird podcast can you take to a place that no one else can? Would that be something that would interest you? With that said. Define your success. My success is obviously not having lots of listeners for my podcast 😆 but what is success is being able, to be honest with myself and others, being genuine, being kind, and being grateful. Learning to love others. Being able to see the good in people. Being able to grow. Being able to forgive myself. Success is learning to be in the moment. Success is learning to do your best. Success is not being perfect at all these but continuously striving to be better at them!
With that said. Let's continue our journey to a higher place ❤️
Rule 21 - Focus 🧘 on process, not 🛑 outcomes - 50 Stoicism Rules Series
One of those rules I would score very low on but is so critical to achieving anything worthwhile or creating something beautiful.
Rule number 21, "Focus on process, not outcomes," from Ryan Holiday's "50 (Short) Rules For Life From The Stoics," emphasizes the importance of directing our attention and efforts towards the actions we can control rather than fixating on the results we desire. The Stoics believed that external circumstances are often beyond our control, but our choices and actions are within our power. By focusing on the process and the actions we take, rather than solely on the outcomes, we can cultivate resilience, personal growth, and a sense of fulfillment, regardless of the final results. - ChatGPT
Rule 20 - Learn 👨🎓 something from everyone - 50 Stoicism Rules Series
Steven Pressfield. Remember this name!
- The Legend of Bagger Vance, about a young man coming to terms with his spiritual demons through the medium of golf (1995). Adapted into the film The Legend of Bagger Vance (2000).
- Gates of Fire, about the Battle of Thermopylae (1998), ISBN 0385492510. The novel is studied at West Point, the USNA and other military institutions, and topped the list of bestsellers in Greece.
- Tides of War, a novel of Alcibiades and the Peloponnesian War (2000), ISBN 0385492529
- Last of the Amazons, in which Theseus, the legendary King of Athens, sets sail to the north coast of the Black Sea inhabited by a race of female warriors (2002), ISBN 038550098X
- The Virtues of War, about Alexander the Great (2004), ISBN 0385500998
- The Afghan Campaign, about Alexander the Great's conquests in Afghanistan (2006), ISBN 038551641X
- Killing Rommel (2008), a fictionalized account of a patrol of the British Long Range Desert Group during the North African Campaign of World War II, ISBN 0385519702
- The Profession (2011), ISBN 9780385528733. Pressfield's first book set in the future, where military force is for hire everywhere. Oil companies, multinational corporations and banks employ powerful, cutting-edge mercenary armies to control global chaos and protect their riches.
- 36 Righteous Men (2020), ISBN 0393358402, a futuristic noir thriller.
- A Man at Arms (2021), ISBN 9780393540970, a novel set in Jerusalem and the Sinai desert in the first century AD.
- The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles (2002), a motivational book that investigates the psychology of creating art and how "writer's block" can be cured. ISBN 9781936891023
- Do The Work (2011), ISBN 9781936719013
- The Warrior Ethos (2011), ISBN 9781936891009
- Turning Pro (2012), ISBN 9781936891030
- The Authentic Swing: Notes from the Writing of First Novel (2013), ISBN 9781936891139
- The Lion's Gate: On the Front Lines of the Six Day War (2014), ISBN 9781595230911
- An American Jew: A Writer Confronts His Own Exile and Identity (2015), ISBN 9781936891412
- Nobody Wants to Read Your Sh*t: Why That Is and What You Can Do About It (2016), ISBN 9781936891498
- The Artist's Journey: The Wake of the Hero's Journey and the Lifelong Pursuit of Meaning (2018), ISBN 9781936891542
Non-fiction[edit]
- The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles (2002), a motivational book that investigates the psychology of creating art and how "writer's block" can be cured. ISBN 9781936891023
- Do The Work (2011), ISBN 9781936719013
- The Warrior Ethos (2011), ISBN 9781936891009
- Turning Pro (2012), ISBN 9781936891030
- The Authentic Swing: Notes from the Writing of First Novel (2013), ISBN 9781936891139
- The Lion's Gate: On the Front Lines of the Six Day War (2014), ISBN 9781595230911
- An American Jew: A Writer Confronts His Own Exile and Identity (2015), ISBN 9781936891412
- Nobody Wants to Read Your Sh*t: Why That Is and What You Can Do About It (2016), ISBN 9781936891498
- The Artist's Journey: The Wake of the Hero's Journey and the Lifelong Pursuit of Meaning (2018), ISBN 9781936891542
Rule 19 - Put every impression, emotion, to the test before acting on it - 50 Stoicism Rules Series
Couldn't come up with an emoji in the title 😞 But trust me, despite the hideous look, it is a good one!
Rule 18 - Be strict 💪 with yourself and tolerant ❤️ with others - 50 Stoicism Rules Series
Are you listening yet? This is gonna keep going with or without you.
Rule 17 - The best revenge is not to be like that 😎 - 50 Stoicism Rules Series
Me telling somebody about my podcast and then telling them I uploaded another episode:
The other person: "Really?! Another one? Why? Were the other episodes so successful??"
With that said. Oh boy how important is it important not to get back at people! Also, doesn't this rule encapsulate the solution to our behavior during road rage?
Why do we have such a hard time letting go when somebody does us wrong? I think it is because we haven't been convinced that NOT being like the person who did us wrong is simply the best way to go. I think for me everything changed once I was able to see how the people I admire and the person I wanted to be like were somebody who could not only move on but focus on things that actually matter and make a real positive influence on our lives. Why am I wasting time being angry at another person? No, thank you! I am good and I feel bad you are so upset.
Rule 16 - 💀 Live as if you’ve died and come back ☀️ (every minute is bonus time) - 50 Stoicism Rules Series
What a good ducking rule! Hit play and let's connect...
Rule 15 - 🛑 Don’t compare yourself to others - 50 Stoicism Rules Series
Social media! Nothing fuels toxic comparisons quite like social media. However, it is not social media's fault. We simply need to learn how to genuinely be happy for others. Moreover, we must recognize that people who post on social media are not necessarily happy themselves. In fact, it is more likely that constant posting indicates unhappiness compared to having no desire to post at all.
Well, this episode mostly deviates from the aforementioned (word chosen by chatgpt) topic 😆
Also, we still have no listeners... 😞
Rule 14 - There is always 💯 something you can do - 50 Stoicism Rules Series
This is a short but special episode with a very special guest!
Rule 13 - Two ears 👂 👂 , one mouth 👄 for a reason. - 50 Stoicism Rules Series
What a great episode! Just kidding, they are all great.
Rule 12 - Never be overheard 👂 complaining—even to yourself - 50 Stoicism Rules Series
50+ minute episode recorded in my favorite recording studio 🏝️ . You know what? Just listen and let's connect 🤗
Rule 11 - 😊 Try to See the Good in People - 50 Stoicism Rules Series
I love the 'Try' part of this rule. I think a lot can be said about trying, but let's not deviate from the main intent of this rule. People are inherently good. I believe this wholeheartedly. At our core, we all want to love and be loved. I know this may sound ridiculous given some of the crazy things people have done, but maybe that's where the 'Try' part comes in! Oh, before I forget, as of late, 99% of this episode doesn't even discuss this rule 😆. It's just me rambling about the traffic on the 405 and seeing the Vet that I was sort of crushing on.
Rule 10 - ✋ Don’t suffer imagined troubles - 50 Stoicism Rules Series
Instant favorite! What a great rule, seriously. How much do we imagine things that are not true and suffer as a consequence? I'll give you a hint: a lot. It's not true that you are unlikable, unintelligent, or broken. It's not true that a person thinks XYZ about you for the reasons you believe. So how do we mitigate this? It's easy: communication, honesty, and compassion. If you are suffering from imagined troubles, you are not applying one of these remedies. You are not communicating, you are not being honest with yourself, and you are not being kind enough to yourself.
Rule 9 - Put yourself up for review. Interrogate yourself - 50 Stoicism Rules Series
Another one of those episodes where it's mostly NOT about the stoic rule. Actually, I don't even discuss this rule. Maybe it's a rule I need to apply in my life and I know it but avoid it? 🤔
Rule 8 - Own The Morning - 50 Stoicism Rules Series
Ironically this was recorded on one of my laziest days...also, first time recording while driving! As long as there is no don't drive while recording a weird podcast law I should be good I think. Well with that said, let's just listen to this incredible, amazing, awe-inspiring, a little bit of WTF episode!
Rule 7 - Remember you have the power to have no opinion - 50 Stoicism Rules Series
Another one! (in D.J. Khaled's Voice). Let's keep going...only 43 more to go 😮💨
Rule 6 - Product of Your Habits - 50 Stoicism Rules Series
This is one of those episodes where it's mostly an update on what's going on in my life along with how to get out of bed when it's difficult. We have all been there!
Rule 5 - Time Over Money - 50 Stoicism Rules Series
This is one of those rules that everybody already knows about and agrees with but cannot truly live by it yet including me. So just a reminder I guess.
Plus my awesome movie experience watching The Covenant at the Theaters.
Rule 4 - Meditate on Your Mortality Every Day - 50 Stoicism Rules Series
We all die so...might as well Live because doing the opposite would be eviL.
Rule 3 - Is This Essential? - 50 Stoicism Rules Series
Me: Hey ChatGPT?
ChatGPT: What up?
Me: Can you write a description of this episode?
ChatGPT: Sure, here it is...
In this episode of "What Would Will Smith Do?", we delve into the third rule of Ryan Holiday's "50 (Short) Rules For Life From The Stoics": "Ask Yourself - Is This Essential?" We'll explore the importance of prioritizing the essential over the trivial in our lives, and how this can lead to a more fulfilling and purposeful existence. By applying this Stoic principle, you can learn to focus on what truly matters and let go of distractions and unnecessary worries. Join us as we continue our series on the Stoics and discover practical ways to apply their wisdom in our daily lives. So let's ask ourselves - is is essential? And let's get started!