You’re a genius, fantastic, such an amazing person. That felt good to hear didn’t it? Well, I was lying - you suck, you’re terrible, just awful. That didn’t feel so good, right? Those feelings would probably be even more intense if someone was saying these things to you in person. A guaranteed shift in your…
No one enjoys the discomfort of ridicule. To be derided by someone you don’t know can be painful. When it’s someone you do know it can hurt even more. Ridicule is sent with different intentions by the aggressor - it can range from playful to sinister - but the intention doesn’t always produce a proportionate…
Never drink a cappuccino after 11am. Ask for a latte in a cafe and you’ll get a glass of milk. Just want an espresso? Don’t order an espresso - order a caffè. Italy’s coffee culture can seem strange to the uninitiated (or just un-Italian). There are rules and traditions that have been developed in the…
Hesiod was a Greek poet who advised the observation of due measure because “moderation is best in all things.” Plautus was a Roman dramatist who, either quoting Hesiod or making his own assertion, said that “moderation in all things is the best policy.” Ralph Waldo Emerson echoed the sentiment again when he wrote, “Moderation in…
Seneca the Younger, the Stoic who has been a role model for many in the almost two thousand years since he died, himself had a role model. That role model was another Stoic (and another “the Younger”) - Cato. In his letters to Lucilius, Seneca was enthusiastic about the benefits of having a worthy role…
In human terms, there is no better (or higher) "view from above" than the one an astronaut experiences from outer space. As they gaze wide-eyed from their unfathomable vantage point, they see our planet as a tiny, fragile ball - a pale blue dot. For an astronaut in that moment, all of Earth's division and…
We can find out what Stoicism is by searching for summaries of the philosophy, reading the many books written on the subject or even listening to the podcasts now being produced regularly. There are even courses, groups and conferences at our disposal to allow us to get to the root of what we need to…
In March 2020, I published a post entitled Stoic Resources For Uncertain Times which focused on how the Stoic virtues could be applied in the midst of a pandemic. In June 2020, following the death of George Floyd and the timely worldwide calls for action against racism, things still feel uncertain. We're uncertain about the…
Scott Perry is a husband, father, teacher, musician, and Difference Maker at Creative on Purpose. He's also a head coach in Seth Godin's Akimbo Workshops and is the author of The Creative on Purpose Handbook, Endeavor, and The Stoic Creative Handbook. Here's a clip from Scott's interview with Derek Sivers for his Creative on Purpose…
I’m in a house in the country and the garden backs onto a farmer’s field. I’m looking out the back window. Early in the morning. Early enough that well-rested people are still in bed. The sheep in the field are clean winter white but the grass is Springtime green, dewy due to the cold AM…