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Stillness Is the Key Summary
About Stillness Is the Key Book
Instant #1 New York Times Bestseller & Wall Street Journal Bestseller
In The Obstacle Is the Way and Ego Is the Enemy, bestselling author Ryan Holiday made ancient wisdom wildly popular with a new generation of leaders in sports, politics, and technology. In his new book, Stillness Is the Key, Holiday draws on timeless Stoic and Buddhist philosophy to show why slowing down is the secret weapon for those charging ahead.
All great leaders, thinkers, artists, athletes, and visionaries share one indelible quality. It enables them to conquer their tempers. To avoid distraction and discover great insights. To achieve happiness and do the right thing. Ryan Holiday calls it stillness--to be steady while the world spins around you.
In this book, he outlines a path for achieving this ancient, but urgently necessary way of living. Drawing on a wide range of history's greatest thinkers, from Confucius to Seneca, Marcus Aurelius to Thich Nhat Hanh, John Stuart Mill to Nietzsche, he argues that stillness is not mere inactivity, but the doorway to self-mastery, discipline, and focus.
Holiday also examines figures who exemplified the power of stillness: baseball player Sadaharu Oh, whose study of Zen made him the greatest home run hitter of all time; Winston Churchill, who in balancing his busy public life with time spent laying bricks and painting at his Chartwell estate managed to save the world from annihilation in the process; Fred Rogers, who taught generations of children to see what was invisible to the eye; Anne Frank, whose journaling and love of nature guided her through unimaginable adversity.
More than ever, people are overwhelmed. They face obstacles and egos and competition. Stillness Is the Key offers a simple but inspiring antidote to the stress of 24/7 news and social media. The stillness that we all seek is the path to meaning, contentment, and excellence in a world that needs more of it than ever.
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Finding a quiet moment in our fast-paced world, where noise and chaos often dominate, can feel like a rare treasure. "Stillness is the Key" offers a refreshing exploration into the power of tranquility in transforming our lives. Expect to uncover how stillness enhances creativity and decision-making and anchors us in the present moment, providing a sanctuary from the storm of daily life.
Cultivating Stillness Anywhere
You don't need perfect quiet to find stillness. Despite common beliefs, stillness isn't about the absence of noise; it's about finding peace within yourself. You can cultivate stillness wherever you are, even amid chaos. This inner tranquility allows you to remain centered and calm, no matter the external circumstances.
Drawing from Seneca's teachings, pursuing stillness is an inward journey. It involves tuning out distractions and focusing deeply on the present.
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True stillness comes not from the absence of noise, but from peace within.
SENECA
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Leadership and Composure
Leadership often demands calmness under pressure. The story of John F. Kennedy during the Cuban Missile Crisis exemplifies the power of stillness in leadership. His ability to maintain composure under extreme stress changed the course of history.
Stillness in leadership involves reflection and patience. By embracing calmness, leaders can make more thoughtful decisions and inspire confidence in others. This stillness is not passivity; it's an active engagement in thoughtful deliberation.
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What Is Silence?
Cage’s most famous creation, titled 4’33, is a composition with a twist: it’s a four-minute, thirty-three-second-long stretch of uninterrupted silence.
Silence, doesn’t really exist; what we think of as silence isn’t actually silent, because it’s full of accidental sounds. By giving people silence, Cage was helping them to start actually hearing.
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Why Write About Your Day?
Writing can be a way to watch yourself as if you are a stranger, giving you a fresh perspective on your actions.
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Questions To Ask While Writing An Effective Journal
Try picking up a pen and paper, be sure to face up to any tough questions that arise:
- Why did I get so worked up about this today?
- Why do I care about impressing my coworkers?
- How did today’s problems reveal my character?
Honestly and thoughtfully facing up to these questions will make sure that you’re getting the most out of journaling.
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Routine
Routine, done for long enough and done sincerely enough, becomes more than routine. It becomes ritual—it becomes sanctified and holy.
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Stillness
Stillness is what aims the archer’s arrow. It inspires new ideas. It sharpens perspective and illuminates connections.
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Be Present
Be present. And if you’ve had trouble with this in the past? That’s okay. That’s the nice thing about the present. It keeps showing up to give you a second chance.
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Affirmations for knowledge.
Journal
This is what the best journals look like. They aren’t for the reader. They are for the writer. To slow the mind down. To wage peace with oneself.
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Routine
Routine, done for long enough and done sincerely enough, becomes more than routine. It becomes ritual—it becomes sanctified and holy.
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Spirit
Keep strong, if possible. In any case, keep cool. Have unlimited patience. Never corner an opponent, and always assist him to save face. Put yourself in his shoes—so as to see things through his eyes. Avoid self-righteousness like the devil—nothing is so self-blinding.
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