Do you respect others’ beliefs? This is an interesting question because it’s one of those difficult situations where everyone wants others to respect their beliefs but don’t necessarily want to respect others’ beliefs. It’s a tough situation because even the most open-minded people have to draw a line somewhere: you can’t respect all beliefs...
Read MoreI was just recording a podcast the other day and was asked which of the eight elements of humans’ sense of meaning in their lives was the most difficult for people to implement in their lives. Naturally, I said, “Judging by the scientific measure of the number of self-help books focusing on the topic: belief. More self-help books focus on...
Read MoreDo you have a bad habit that you wish you could kick? Maybe you smoke, drink, eat, gamble, or self-gratify too much? What is causing that, and what can you do about it? Before explaining the causes and what you can do, I have to preface this post with the fact that there are dozens and dozens of techniques to eliminate bad habits. Professionals...
Read MoreWhat is success? Is it what most people think it is: fame, money, social status, and an enviable job? Well, it can be. But, obviously, life success is for you to determine. There are plenty of people who, to quote Samuel L. Jackson’s character in Pulp Fiction, “walk the Earth” and live fulfilling lives. There are plenty of other people who work...
Read MoreYou know the cliché 80s montages, right? The one where the protagonist has an urgent goal, a burning desire, and the belief that, with enough work, they can succeed. So they buckle down and put in the work until they are ready, at which point the day of the text or competition arrives and they succeed. Audiences love those kinds of movies because...
Read MoreCivilized society is an interesting concept. Social animals thrive by cooperating with each other for everyone’s benefit. Foundational ethical behaviors include not harming each other, protecting each other, and helping each other. Then, there are social norms, such as wearing clothing, saying, “Hello,” to people you know when you see them, and...
Read MoreIt’s the most famous ethic in all of human history and the one that guides good decision making when interacting with others in most situations: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” Also known as the Golden Rule, it is a moral foundation for interacting with other
Read MoreI went to the gym about a month and a half ago and forgot my key card to scan in. For years, I have simply walked up to the counter, smiled, scanned my card, and walked into the locker room to put my back in a locker. One of the ladies at the counter said, “It’s okay, you can go in.” A month and a half later, I am waving and saying, “Hello,”...
Read MoreA big question on the internet—especially between the religious and atheist communities—is where morality comes from. The debate stems from the fact that the former think that you need religion/God to have morality and the latter think it comes from not wanting to hurt people. But, from my research for the book, The Meaning of Life: A guide to...
Read MoreLife is full of cycles, opposites, complements, and balance. The Earth revolves around the Sun, the Moon revolves around the Earth, and the Earth rotates to create a day-and-night cycle that many animals have evolved to set their periods of activity and rest to. There are also complements in nature such as men and women, sunshine and rain, effort...
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