<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Focusing on ourselves instead of worrying about others was a vital tenet of the revered Roman emperor and philosophical teacher Marcus Aurelius. By directing attention inward and taking greater responsibility for our thoughts and actions, Aurelius believed we could make far more progress on the path to wisdom, tranquility, and virtue. Attempting to control or judge externals was deemed a fruitless pursuit that breeds anguish.</li></ul>

Stay Focused

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">A core tenet underlying Marcus Aurelius’ teachings centers on recognizing that we only have direct control over our thoughts and actions nothing else. We cannot dictate events, other people, fame, or outcomes or fully control our health and longevity. What we can control is our perspective, principles, and discipline toward handling all situations life presents us. Marcus Aurelius cautioned against squandering physical and mental energy on things outside our influence, arguing that this leads people into perpetual anguish and frustration over circumstances they cannot dictate.</li></ul>

Understand Your Control is Limited

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Instead we must acknowledge the boundaries of our absolute authority and channel efforts only into areas we can change for the better – our way of thinking and behaving regardless of events.</li></ul>

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Rather than judging the character and actions of others, which Marcus Aurelius deemed a superficial pastime that distracts from meaningful growth, the sage advised directing all attention and analysis upon one’s conscience and conduct. Monitoring our inconsistencies, lapses in restraint, gossip toward others, and unfinished business provide far greater opportunities for improvement than examining and gossiping over flaws in those around us. Marcus Aurelius suggested that by focusing outward and judging our neighbors, we breed discontent and excuse our need for ethical development.</li></ul>

Focus Inward, Not Outward

Daily time set aside for meditation, reflection, and honest self-appraisal concerning one’s deeds and temperament represents a significant practice emphasized in Marcus Aurelius’ Stoic leadership. Only by setting aside dedicated time for inner contemplation of our actions, motivations, and weaknesses can we align more closely with Stoic ideals of rationality, justice, courage, and moderation. This enables ongoing personal evolution. We must constantly remain mindful of our capabilities and shortcomings rather than growing complacent or distracted with external stimuli like material possessions

Practice mindfulness & Self-Reflection

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">For Marcus Aurelius, true virtue stemmed not from gathering accolades, glory, or the empty praise of others but from exercising wisdom, moderation, and just action aligned with natural law. He remarks in Meditations that one focused on goodness for its own sake may often garner hostility and resentment from lesser souls. However, satisfying one’s conscience matters far more than appeasing widespread consensus. Marcus Aurelius suggested that wisdom and restraint often distill hatred, whereas chasing fame or others’ approval weakens these higher principles. We should lead modest, disciplined.</li></ul>

Seek Virtue, Not Praise or Popularity

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">An extension of virtuous self-leadership, Aurelius’s Stoic teachings emphasize acting from conscience and principles rather than for perceived rewards or acclaim. As social creatures, receiving validation feels comforting. However, chasing these superficial ends above adhering to our concept of justice breeds hypocrisy and erodes ethical foundations. Marcus posited avoiding contradiction between one’s external persona and internal beliefs is critical for sustaining wisdom and progress. Therefore, we must ensure our deeds align with our reasoned sense of virtue, kindness, honesty, and logic.</li></ul>

Perform Actions Because They Are Right

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Finally, comparing ourselves to others or measuring self-worth by external indicators of success contradicts Marcus Aurelius’ emphasis on self-mastery and virtue ethics. He would argue that genuine progress emerges not from trivial competitive impulses and public measures of one’s superiority over peers. Instead, enlightenment and human flourishing derive from the inward pilgrimage one makes through practicing wisdom, discretion, the study of logic and nature, mastery over wayward impulses, and detachment from empty accolades.</li></ul>

Progress Comes From Working On Yourself

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Marcus Aurelius remarks that true contentment relies on internal development rather than superficial comparisons. By avoiding external reference points for our worth, we recognize that lasting growth stems solely through self-discipline and perfecting reason, character, and goodwill towards others.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">By internalizing Marcus Aurelius' core advice to understand our limited control, focus our attention inward, reflect mindfully on bettering ourselves daily, prioritize virtue above fame, act from conscience instead of compensation, and measure progress through self-mastery.</li></ul>

Marcus Aurelius' Wisdom

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Productivity

motivationandinspiration

Motivation & Inspiration

habits

Habits

mentalhealth

Mental Health

meditation

Meditation

How To Focus on Yourself and Not Others - Marcus Aurelius

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Obesity is an ever-present epidemic. Kidney specialists define obesity as being overweight to the point that if has negative health consequences. To reverse those negative effects, you must lose weight.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Dr.Fung notes that most doctors and dieticians prescribe eating fewer calories and burning even more calories originate from food. A calorie is a unit of energy, calculated by burning foods in the lab and and measuring the amount of heat released</li></ul>

1. We Face An Obesity Epidemic

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">We begin with the history of counting calories. The practice began in the early 1900s with a series of bestsellers that claimed calories were responsible for weight gain. These books advised that the best way to lose weight was to cut calories.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">This idea couldn't be more farfetched. These earlier theories are known as calorie focused diets or caloric diets. They claim that the reasons you can't lose weight are that you eat too much and are lazy.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">In truth, this is far from the case.</li></ul>

2. Don't Focus On Calories

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">In the late 1970s, fat became the new thing to avoid. Eating too much fat was linked to heart disease and is a key cause of obesity</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Everyone seemed to adopt a low-fat, high carb diet in response to this new finding. the basis of the food pyramid soon shifted to bread, pasta and potatoes. For decades, this high carb diet has been considered the healthier solution. But this is also a mistake.</li></ul>

3.Don't Focus on Fat

"Fat is simply the body's stored food energy. In times of food scarcity, stored food(fat) is naturally released to fill the void. The body does not burn muscle to feed itself until all the fat stores are used. It's crucial to note that... beneficial adaptive changes do not occur in the caloric-reduction diet strategy."

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Dr.Jason Fung argues that neither calories nor fat are the main causes of weight gain. Rather, hormones are the primary driver of weight gain. The foods we eat contribute significantly to our hormones. These are also genetic factors in weight gain.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Hormones regulate your body fat. They control hoe much fat you store, where it gathers, and how your body ends up using it in the future.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">So weight management goes beyond keeping tabs on calories in and out. </li></ul>

4. Focus On Hormones

"Seventy percent of your tendency to gain weight is determined by your parentage. Obesity is overwhelmingly inherited."

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Five assumptions underlie "The Calorie Deception"</li></ul><ol><li class="ql-align-justify">The 1st  is that you can cut calories by exercising. This calorie deficit diet is often not sustainable, and most will fail at it. While you are likely not to experience any long-term changes. If you cut incoming calories, you will eventually have to cut the calories you burn.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">The 2nd fallacy is how your metabolic rate is steady. This false idea comes from the common belief that you regularly burn a certain number of calories. But this belief cannot consider all the variables of metabolism.</li></ol>

5. There Are Five False Assumptions About Calories

3.The 3rd  is that we cannot control calorie storage. we assume we can control our eating habits. However our bodies are the primary driving factors in when we eat & how much we consume. But Body fat regulation is automatic like breathing4.The 4th is that fat grows inexplicably. This couldn't be further from the truth. Nothing in our bodies happens by accident. Hormones control everything5.The 5th assumptions is all calories are alike. Proteins, fats & carbs all contain calories & your body uses these building blocks in different ways &  stimulates different hormone contributing to obesity

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Hormonal imbalance is responsible for obesity</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Hormones are molecules that deliver messages to cells. An example is insulin, which lets cells know when to take glucose out of the blood and use it as energy</li><li class="ql-align-justify">High Insulin levels encourage fat storage, while low levels are responsible for fat burning. Also when your insulin level is high over an extended period, your body is likely to store more fat. It's possible to gain weight simply by prescribing you insulin. The hormone is powerful enough to outweigh what you eat. Too much insulin over period will likely make you obese and unhealthy.</li></ul>

6. Hormone Imbalance is to Blame for Obesity

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Social factors make it harder to lose weigh. The food industry influences you through "triggering messaging".</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Big companies make money by selling you profitable food. It doesn't matter whether it is healthy or not.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">The food industry has three myths, The first is that snacking is good for health. The second is that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. The third is that adding fruits and vegetables to your diet makes it healthy. Big companies design these myths to help them sell their products.</li></ul>

7.Social Factors Contribute to Obesity

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">There is a link between socioeconomic status and obesity. States with the highest poverty levels also have the highest levels of obesity. The reason is that the cheapest and most filling foods are often refined carbohydrates. These are cheapest because there are agricultural subsidies for corn and wheat growers. This amounts to state-sponsored obesity. It targets the poorest and most vulnerable members of society.</li></ul>

"There is simple answer to the question of what to eat at snack time. Nothing. Don't eat snacks. Period. Simplify your life."

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Carbohydrates drive up blood sugar, which increases insulin levels. Over time these high amounts of insulin lead to increased fat storage and ultimately weight gain.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Sugar is the chief villain. Its most common forms are glucose and fructose. Glucose drastically drives up blood sugar levels. Your body is then forced to churn out more insulin, which contributes to sugar getting into the cells. Fructose has a different effect. It goes directly to the liver instead of being stored in the cells. The liver then breaks the fructose down and stores the excess as fat. The result is often a fatty liver.</li></ul>

8. Carbohydrates Are the Secret Assassin in Our Diets

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Insulin resistance causes your body to produce more insulin, creating a significant spike in insulin levels. The effect is an even greater storage of fat in the liver and an even greater insulin resistance.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">This is a vicious cycle, where your liver constantly fights for its life due to your carbohydrate intake. The remedy is to reduce sugar in your diet. This will lower your insulin levels, ultimately causing significant weight loss.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">You do not have to cut out the carbs altogether. Some carbohydrate containing foods can be healthy choices. These include eggplant, kale, spinach, carrots, broccoli</li></ul>

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Don't assume you can eliminate sugar in your diet. You can introduce healthier options and target the unhealthiest foods to get rid of.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">The glycemic index helps identify good carbs and bad carbs. When a carb has a high glycemic index and load score, it is likely to have the greatest impact on your blood sugar. Ultimately, this means greater insulin levels.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Avoid high-glycemic foods like white bread, processed cereals, soft drinks and candy. Substitute for low glycemic index foods like vegetables and some fruits.</li></ul>

9. Know Which Carbs to Target

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">All diets work and fail in equal measure. They fail because weight loss is not permanent. For weight loss to be permanent, you have to lose weight until you reach your body's set weight. In essence, this then resets your brain's 'fat thermostat.'</li><li class="ql-align-justify">To lose weight:</li></ul><ol><li class="ql-align-justify">Reduce added sugars, simple carbs and highly processed grains.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Make proteins 30% of your total calories.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Consume natural fats.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Increase your consumption of fibre and vinegar.</li></ol><ul><li class="ql-align-justify">But this is only one part of the solution. By the time you become obese, your body has likely already had long term insulin resistance.</li></ul>

10. Learn the Complete Solution to Obesity

"Natural unprocessed fats include olive oil, butter, coconut oil, beef tallow and leaf lard."

<ol><li class="ql-align-justify">Don't focus on calories or fat to lose weight.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Carbohydrates, particularly sugar are responsible for excessive weight gain.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">The food industry is partly responsible for the increase in obesity</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Hormones particularly insulin are responsible for weight gain an are integral to weight loss.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Low-carb, mid-protein diets are best for losing weight.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Fasting is crucial in keeping insulin at optimum levels</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Substitute added sugars, processed foods, and simple carbs with healthy fats, fibres and vinegar.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Avoid high-glycemic foods like white bread, processed cereals and soft drinks</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Snacking is not good. </li></ol>

Key Takeaways include:

The Obesity Code is a timely read that offers insight into the obesity epidemic. It delves into the current myths of weight loss and offers incredible insights into factors that lead to obesity. This book is a step-by-step guide on losing weight and rebooting your health.

FROM NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR DR. JASON FUNG: The landmark book that is helping thousands of people lose weight for good. Harness the power of intermittent fasting for lasting weight loss. Understand the science of weight gain and insulin resistance. Stop suffering and ditch calorie counting, yoyo diets, and excessive exercise. In this highly readable book, Dr. Jason Fung, long considered the founder of intermittent fasting, sets out an original theory of obesity and weight gain. He reveals that everything you've been told about how to lose weight is wrong: weight gain is driven by hormones, and only by understanding the effects of insulin and insulin resistance can we achieve lasting weight loss. Dr. Fung shares five basic steps to controlling your insulin for better health. And he explains how to use intermittent fasting to break the cycle of insulin resistance and reach a healthy weight—permanently.

food

Food

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Exercise & Fitness

sports

Sports

books

Books

Jason Fung

The Obesity Code

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">The First 20 Hours is about rapid skill acquisition: picking up new skills as quickly as possible. You can go from knowing nothing to performing well in a very short period. </li><li class="ql-align-justify">It could take 20 hours or less.</li></ul>

Introduction

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">You probably have a skill you have always wanted to learn. May be it's playing the piano, doing well on the tennis court, or becoming conversational in French. It's never too late to learn your chosen skill. One of the most common regrets is not pursing give up before even learning the basics, because they believe it's too late.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">However, you can use rapid skill acquisition to kick start your experience. By using this technique, you can become competent in the skills you want to learn by putting in 20 hours if work. These hours will make to learn basics but skill mastery will take longer</li></ul>

Use Rapid Skill Acquisition to Learn Within 20 Hours

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">The First few hours of leaning something new are always the hardest; this is where most people give up. This said, if you break your 20 hours down into an hour of practice per day, you will rapidly improve.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">You will find it much easier to continue building your skills after you've completed the first 20 hours. Once you get through the first 20 hours, you'll have significant practice will be easier. To make the most of these initial 20 hours, adopt the ten principles of rapid skill acquisition.</li></ul>

"Skill is the result of deliberate consistent practice, and in early-stage practice, quantity and speed trump absolute quality. The faster and more often you practice, the more rapidly you'll acquire the skill"

10 Clear principles to improve the efficiency of your skill acquisition:
<ol>
<li>Choose a lovable project</li>
<li>Focus your energy on one skill at a time</li>
<li>Define your target performance level</li>
<li>Deconstruct the skill into sub skills </li>
<li>Obtain critical tools</li>
<li>Eliminate barriers to practice</li>
<li>Make dedicated time for practice</li>
<li>Create fast feedback loops</li>
<li>Practice by the clock in short bursts</li>
<li>Emphasize quantity and speed.</li>
</ol>

Apply the Ten Principles of Skill Acquisition

"The best thing that can happen to a human being is to find a problem, to fall in love with that problem, and to live trying to solve that problem, unless another problem even more lovable appears"

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">There are probably many skills you'd like to acquire. But the first step of rapid skill acquisition is choosing to focus on one. Start by making a list of all the skills you're interested in, and pick the one most exciting to you right now. This excitement will help you stay motivated through your practice</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Use your time wisely when trying to learn something new, since you may only have about an hour a day to dedicate to it. Trying to learn multiple concepts at once would mean slow progress, which is not motivating at all.</li></ul>

Lean Your Chosen Skill by Focusing Your Energy

"Pick one, and only one, new skill you wish to acquire. Put all of your spare focus and energy into acquiring that skill and place other skills on temporary hold."

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Practice in 20 minute bursts so that you can focus all your energy on your chosen learning task. These bursts should involve deliberate and consistent practices. </li><li class="ql-align-justify">The faster and more often you practice the quicker you'll acquire the skill.</li></ul><ol><li class="ql-align-justify">Research the skill and related topics</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Jump in over your head</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Identify mental models & mental hooks</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Imagine the opposite of what you want</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Talk to practitioners to set expectations</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Eliminate distractions in your environment</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Use spaced repetition & reinforcement for memortization</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Create scaffolds & checklists</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Make & test predictions</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Honor your biology.</li></ol>

Apply the 10 Major Principles of Effective Learning

"Skill acquisition requires practicing the skill in question. It requires significant periods of sustained, focused concentration. It requires creativity, flexibility and the freedom to set your own standard of success.

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Deciding how proficient you want to become at your chosen skill is the third principle in rapid skill acquisition. This is called your "Target Performance Level". It's important because if you can envision the end goal, it'll be easier to get there. Decide what level of skill is "good enough" for you. For example, if you're learning to play an instrument, consider whether you want to play a few songs by heart or jump into a jam session.</li></ul>

Choose your Skill

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">As well as choosing your skill level, you also have to use smaller steps. Break your chosen skills down into bite-sized pieces that you can tackle one by one. You don't attempt to down an entire meal in one bite, and you shouldn't try to learn a skill in one swing.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">By dividing the work ahead of you, progress will be easier, and the steps you need to take to succeed will be clearer.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">As well as defining the specific skill level you want to pursue, you need to identify the tools you need to succeed at your skill level. The tools are the fundamental building blocks of your skills. </li></ul>

Use Smaller Steps & Acquire The Tools You Need

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">When learning a skill, there will always be barriers that interfere with your learning process. So, consider any emotional roadblocks that may stand in your path, like fear or self-doubt. Remove any distractions, like a phone that might ring. Create a distraction less learning environment.</li></ul>

Limit Distractions

"If you want to get good at anything where real life performance matters, you have to practice that skill in context. Study by itself, is never enough."

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">In today's world, people are busier than ever. So, if you want to learn a new skill, you need to make time to practice. Identify other activities in your life that you aren't fond of, and work to cut those out. Fill that time with practicing your new skill. Your goal is to free up at least 90 minutes for practice each day by cutting low-value activities as much as possible. You could divide this time into three to five practice sessions.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Can use Pomodoro technique</li></ul>

Give Yourself Time to Practice

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Practice in brief bursts. Shorten your working periods so you can avoid working on difficult or tedious activities for extended periods. Such activities can be draining and often lead to inefficiency. </li><li class="ql-align-justify">When you first start learning the hours of practice seen to drag on longer and longer. Because the task is difficult, it feels like you've spent longer practicing than you have.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Avoid this feeling by using a 20-Minute timer. The timer will let you know how long you've been practicing. Since you'll know how long you've been working, you'll be more motivated during that period.</li></ul>

Prioritize Quantity & Speed By Practicing in Short Bursts

<ol><li class="ql-align-justify">Decide exactly what you want to be able to do, and to what level</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Deconstruct a skill into the smallest possible subskills </li><li class="ql-align-justify">Learn enough about each sub-skill to able to practice intelligently and self-correct during practice.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Remove physical, mental and emotional barriers that get in the way of practice.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Practice the most important sub-skills for at least 20 Hours.</li></ol>

In Summary, to acquire a skill quickly

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Focus on one skill at a time</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Get the right tools for the job</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Remove distractions from your environment and address the fears</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Prioritize quantity and speed over quality in the first 20 hours</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Cut low value activities from your day. Use free time to practice your skills for at least 90 minutes. This can be broken into shorter bursts</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Track your progress and give yourself feedback, or else find a coach.</li></ul>

Let's run through some top tips to help you with your learning process:

The First 20 Hours focuses on the idea that you can become relatively good at anything within 20 hours.

Forget the 10,000 hour rule— what if it’s possible to learn the basics of any new skill in 20 hours or less?   Take a moment to consider how many things you want to learn to do. What’s on your list? What’s holding you back from getting started? Are you worried about the time and effort it takes to acquire new skills—time you don’t have and effort you can’t spare?   Research suggests it takes 10,000 hours to develop a new skill. In this nonstop world when will you ever find that much time and energy? To make matters worse, the early hours of prac­ticing something new are always the most frustrating. That’s why it’s difficult to learn how to speak a new language, play an instrument, hit a golf ball, or shoot great photos. It’s so much easier to watch TV or surf the web . . .   In The First 20 Hours, Josh Kaufman offers a systematic approach to rapid skill acquisition— how to learn any new skill as quickly as possible. His method shows you how to deconstruct com­plex skills, maximize productive practice, and remove common learning barriers. By complet­ing just 20 hours of focused, deliberate practice you’ll go from knowing absolutely nothing to performing noticeably well.   Kaufman personally field-tested the meth­ods in this book. You’ll have a front row seat as he develops a personal yoga practice, writes his own web-based computer programs, teaches himself to touch type on a nonstandard key­board, explores the oldest and most complex board game in history, picks up the ukulele, and learns how to windsurf. Here are a few of the sim­ple techniques he teaches:<ul><li>Define your target performance level: Fig­ure out what your desired level of skill looks like, what you’re trying to achieve, and what you’ll be able to do when you’re done. The more specific, the better.</li><li>Deconstruct the skill: Most of the things we think of as skills are actually bundles of smaller subskills. If you break down the subcompo­nents, it’s easier to figure out which ones are most important and practice those first.</li><li>Eliminate barriers to practice: Removing common distractions and unnecessary effort makes it much easier to sit down and focus on deliberate practice.</li><li>Create fast feedback loops: Getting accu­rate, real-time information about how well you’re performing during practice makes it much easier to improve.</li></ul>Whether you want to paint a portrait, launch a start-up, fly an airplane, or juggle flaming chain­saws, The First 20 Hours will help you pick up the basics of any skill in record time . . . and have more fun along the way.

personaldevelopment

Personal Development

mindfulness

Mindfulness

timemanagement

Time Management

Josh Kaufman is an independent business teacher, education activist, and author of The Personal MBA: Master the Art of Business.Josh's unique, multidisciplinary approach to business education has helped hundreds of thousands of readers around the world master foundational business concepts on their own terms, and his work has been featured in BusinessWeek, Fortune, and Fast Company, as well as by influential websites like Lifehacker, HarvardBusiness.org, Cool Tools, and Seth Godin's Blog.

Josh Kaufman

The First 20 Hours

<ul><li>The Lone Wolf, The Iconoclast, The Self-directed Trailblazer. In masculine archetype, the sigma male rejects hierarchies, conventional. Focused intensely on continuous self-improvement and mastery.</li><li>The Sigma marches to the beat of his own drum. He lives life on his own terms , guided by an internal compass rooted in autonomy and self-actualization. The sigma forges an unconventional autonomous path that shuns prescribed rules and norms.</li><li>Sigmas derives deep confidence, introspection, and authenticity.</li><li>Sigmas primary drive is relentless self development across mental, physical and spiritual realms.</li></ul>

Why Sigma Male are so Special among others?

<ul><li>Sigma males forge their own path in life. They don't follow established norms or rules. Instead they think independently and chart their own course based on their personal goals and vision.</li><li>Sigmas are not afraid to be unconventional as they pursue autonomy.</li></ul>

They Blaze Their Own Trail.

<ul><li>Unlike alphas who crave social validation, sigmas aren't worried about receiving approval or accolades from others. They aren't people- pleasers and don't depend on external validation. Sigmas derive confidence from within. Their sense of self-worth comes from following their convictions.</li></ul>

They Don't Seek Validation 

<ul><li>Sigmas exude quiet confidence. They believe in themselves and their abilities. This self-confidence allows them to pursue challenges without self-doubt or hesitation. </li><li>Sigmas know what they bring to the table and don't feel the need to boast. Their composure under pressure commands respect.</li></ul>

They are Highly Confident and Self-Assured

<ul><li>Sigma males are relentlessly driven. They set challenging goals for themselves across different domains. They have high personal standards of achievement and aspire to accomplish great things in life. </li><li>Sigmas are intensely focused, able to drown out distractions and put their nose to the grindstone.</li></ul>

They are Ambitious Go-Getters

<ul><li>Sigmas spend a lot of time in thoughtful reflection and meta-analysis of their own mindset and behavior. They are constantly looking to improve themselves through mindset shifts or new skills.</li><li>Sigmas enjoy challenging. intellectual stimulation and have active inner lives. They prize knowledge and competence.</li></ul>

They are Introspective and Cerebral

<ul><li>Sigma males abhor being controlled or placed in subordinate roles. They cherish their freedom to think and act as they please.</li><li>Sigmas prefer to blaze their own trail rather than follow someone else's lead. They like taking charge of their own destiny without oversight.</li></ul>

They Value Autonomy and Independence 

<ul><li>Sigmas are introverted nonconformists who shun the herd mentality. They prefer their own company to socializing with groups and derive energy from solitude.</li><li>Sigmas dislike constraints on their time and freedom that come from group activities. They march to the beat of their own drum.</li></ul>

They Are Lone Wolves Who Prefer Solitude

<ul><li>Sigmas frame reality with an internal locus of control. They believe in determinism over fate. Rather than resign themselves to circumstances, they take positive action to better their situation.</li><li>Sigmas define success on their own terms, not by external standards. They design the lifestyle they want.</li></ul>

They Live Life on Their Own Terms

<ul><li>Sigmas spurn social hierarchies and reject the idea of settling into predefined roles. They may oscillate between omega, alpha and other roles as it suits their purpose.</li><li>Sigmas establish informal authority in a group based on competence as opposed to rank. They interact with people across the hierarchy as equals.</li></ul>

They Don’t Conform to Social Hierarchies

<ul><li>Sigmas prize self-actualization and self-development above all else. Their core drive is continuous self-improvement across physical, mental and spiritual domains.</li><li>Sigmas seek to master their psychology, emotions and thinking patterns. They pursue growth opportunities and enjoy pushing their capabilities.</li><li>Sigma males are highly independent men who focus intensely on self-mastery and actualization. They prioritize autonomy, competence and living life on their own terms.</li><li>Sigmas don’t conform to social expectations and forge their own path.</li></ul>

They Focus on Self-Mastery and Improvement

<ul><li>Alpha Male.</li><li>Beta Male.</li><li>Gamma Male.</li><li>Delta Male.</li><li>Zeta Male.</li><li>Sigma Male.</li><li>Omega Male.</li></ul>

 A Guide to the 7 Male Personalities

<ul><li>Exuding charm and machismo, they’re known for their natural confidence and exceptional leadership abilities. Anecdotally, alpha males are “the bad boy” of the male ecosystem. They know what they want, never back down from a fight, and aren’t afraid of making waves to obtain their goals.</li><li>Common personality traits: Brave, High-achieving, Social</li><li>Careers they excel at: CEO, Manager, Military general, politician.</li></ul>

Alpha males: are strong-willed leaders who love to take charge.

<ul><li>Shyer and more reserved, beta males value personal relationships over material wealth or career achievements. Pop culture suggests they’re great conversationalists and have a lot of success domestically. They’re often associated with happy, long-term marriages and children that adore them. Betas are communicative, creative, and make great romantic partners.</li><li>Common personality traits: Friendly, Gentle, Selfless</li><li>Careers they excel at: Doctor, Nurse, Social worker, Teacher</li></ul>

Beta males: Are extremely kind and down to earth.

<ul><li>Equally creative and adventurous, they’re often portrayed as fun-loving men of culture. They love to travel and believe their purpose in life is to have fun, rich, fulfilling experiences (ideally in exotic locations). Loud and bombastic, they’re constantly on the move and can create powerful friendships wherever they go.</li><li>Common personality traits: Adventurous, Fun-loving, Goofy</li><li>Careers they excel at: Actor, Event Coordinator, Pilot, Travel agent</li></ul>

Gamma males are the life of the party.

<ul><li>Highly adaptable, deltas are known for their competence and work ethic rather than their leadership and ambition. Delta males love learning new skills for the sake of improving themselves, not for power or extrinsic successes. Because of this, they often have a very healthy work-life balance. They’re dependable and unpretentious. Every male friend group benefits from delta males.</li><li>Common personality traits: Hardworking, Loyal, Responsible</li><li>Careers they excel at: Accountant, Dentist, Engineer, Firefighter</li></ul>

Delta males are very responsible and keep the world moving. 

<ul><li>There’s a reason the zeta male is the least talked about personality type in pop culture. They’re rare nonconformists who don’t care what other people think. They know themselves and refuse to change to fit into the rigid social standards of society. Zeta males are fierce creatives who blaze new paths for themselves and others.</li><li>Common personality traits: Creative, Independent, Self-aware</li><li>Careers they excel at: Actor, Artist, Musician, Writer</li></ul>

Zeta males are one-of-a-kind progressives.

<ul><li>They have all the confidence of alphas, but aren’t interested in power or social status. They have enough life experience to follow their own moral compass and spend their time helping other people discover their inner power. Sigma men’s natural wit, intuition, and sense of persuasion earn them the respect of their peers though they’re comfortable enough in themselves not to need it.</li><li>Common personality traits: Bold, Nurturing, Wise</li><li>Careers they excel at: Entrepreneur, Philosopher, Professor, Therapist</li></ul>

Sigma males are confident mentors who play by their own rules.

<ul><li>Pop culture portrays them as the shyer, more reserved yin to the zeta male’s yang. They’re independent and very comfortable in their own company. They’d rather spend time coming up with (usually brilliant) new ideas and inventions of their own instead of socializing with others. They have uncouth but delightful senses of humor and their theories often change the world for the better.</li><li>Common personality traits: Self-motivated, Strategic, Quiet</li><li>Careers they excel at: Chemist, Composer, Inventor, Mathematician</li></ul>

Omega males are skilled introverts who don’t need external validation.

<ul><li>Sigmas are self-directed and follow their own compass rather than external validation.</li><li>They have robust self-confidence that comes from within, not approval from others.</li><li>Sigmas set ambitious goals and work diligently to achieve them.</li><li>They spend time in introspection and seek continuous self-improvement.</li><li>Autonomy, independence and freedom are highly valued by sigma males.</li><li>Sigmas prefer solitude and don’t cave to group pressure or conformity.</li><li>They view success through their own lens, not by social standards.</li><li>Self-mastery across physical, mental and spiritual realms is the sigma male’s primary focus.</li></ul>

Key Takeaways

Type of Male Personalities & their Traits. Which Male are you?

Types Of Males & Why Sigma Males are so Special among all? 10 Traits Of a Sigma Male.

<ul><li>Flow is a state of total immersion while doing an activity. Flow comes from the intense concentration around your own actions and their immediate feedback. Think of a painter who carefully observes how straight his lines are or the accuracy of his colors. Think of a chess player who eagerly awaits his opponents move, all the while planning his own. Most of us only associate this state of flow with certain activities. However, it's possible to turn all aspects of our lives into a unified, flow experience. In doing so you can significantly improve your productivity and create a happier life.</li></ul>

<ul><li>The most crucial element of entering a flow state is to have clarity in your goals. This requires you always have a purpose for what you are doing. Hence, to enter a flow state you must think of step-by-step goals rather than the overarching goals. Although the overarching goal is check-mate, you should focus on how to clear a particular space or take your opponent's pieces.</li></ul>

The Conditions Required to Enter a Flow State

<ul><li>Some activities are more prone to flow. We enjoy games because they naturally make us lose ourselves in the micro-objectives. However, things get messier in our everyday lives. It is hard for us to keep track of our day-to-day goals as we deal with the minutiae of life. The best way around this is to give yourself goals for every activity you do. This integrates the activity into the rest of your life and gives it meaning along the way.</li></ul>

<ul><li>Feedback is crucial element of flow since it engages us through results. This allows us to learn and improve as we continue with our activities. Some tasks are not enjoyable because their feedback isn't immediately apparent, so they don't give us a sense of growth or learning</li><li>One way of making these activities fun and engaging is to turn into games. For instance, you can try to fold your clothes quicker by trying new techniques. You should no longer find them as uninteresting as they used to be.</li></ul>

The Importance of Feedback

"Control of consciousness determines the Quality of Life."

<ul><li>The transformational process of integrating flow into your life will help you in four ways</li></ul><ol><li>Flow teaches you how to control your inner self. Control over attention, mood and willpower</li><li>You'll be able to enter a flow state in everyday situations, even during challenging periods.</li><li>You will develop an increasingly complex self. After each minor challenge you overcome, you'll want to move on to a more complex one. This development gives you more opportunity to learn</li><li>Flow will restructure your life, Your days won't be composed of merely self-repeating episodes of work, leisure and other tasks.</li></ol>

The Four Ways Flow Helps Your Life

<ul><li>Flow has eight major components as identified by composers, rock climbers, painters, surgeons, programmers and other people who experience it.</li></ul>

The Major Components of Flow

<ul><li>When singing a song,a musician knows precisely what notes he must play. A painter knows where his next brush must touch the painting. A writer knows what his next words must communicate to his readers.</li><li>Similarly, our day-to-day activities should have their own immediate goals. Otherwise they appear meaningless to us. These goals help us track our progress in life and offer something tangible as feedback for our actions.</li></ul>

Each Action Must Have a Goal or Purpose

<ul><li>Feedback helps us measure the impact of our actions. A pool player who misses a shot knows he should change position or how he holds the cue. Following the feedback trail of an activity induces a person into a flow state. Each observation and reaction teaches people what works and what doesn't.</li><li>Concentration without feedback is problematic since you don't know if what you are doing is worthwhile or meaningful. So, your attention and craving for feedback gets hijacked by whatever else is near you. This process leads to boredom or mental distraction.</li></ul>

Measure Your Progress by Looking for Feedback

“Most enjoyable activities are not natural; they demand an effort that initially one is reluctant to make. But once the interaction starts to provide feedback to the person's skills, it usually begins to be intrinsically rewarding.”

<ul><li>A Game of Chess is only fun if both players are at a similar skill level. If the opponent is much better, then the game feels frustrating. If the adversary is too weak, the game becomes tiresome. The same principle applies to work and other activities. Alternatively, if the challenge matches your skill, it eventually becomes interesting and enjoyable.</li></ul>

The Challenges of the Activity Must Not Overwhelm the Skill of the Person

<ul><li>During our daily lives, we tend to split our attention in multiple directions. To experience flow, however you must direct your focus and concentration towards a single activity. This single tasking feels good and is a rewarding experience since it does not overwhelm our minds with other issues.</li></ul>

The Feeling of Focus and Concentration on What You are Doing

<ul><li>During a flow experience, we temporarily lose track of problems and hardships. After all, you cannot worry about mundane issues while playing a video game or painting a picture. If you shifted away to your troubles, you would scatter your attention and make mistakes in your activity. In a way, a flow experience is an escape from reality and a significant source of relief.</li></ul>

Flow Cuts You Off From Your Day-to-Day Problems and Stress

<ul><li>Flow gives you a sense of control over your activities that can extend over your entire life. Importantly, it's not a total sense of control, since that would mean your skills far exceed the challenges of your tasks and activities. Instead, during flow, you feel a sense of control right at the edge of your capabilities.</li></ul>

Flow Gives You a Sense of Control

<ul><li>Once you enter into flow, you lose track of what other people think of you. You are no longer self-conscious about what you do or how ridiculous it might seem to others. This has the major benefit of freeing up mental resources to concentrate on the task. Team activities tend to bring you into this state. At the height of the flow state, you no longer feel like an individual but more as an integral component of the entire team.</li></ul>

Flow Silences Your Inner Voice or Self-Consciousness.

<ul><li>Flow changes your perception of time because it adapts to your experience. More often than not, it will seem as if the activity took far less time than it actually did.</li></ul>

Sense of Time Becomes Distorted

“To overcome the anxieties and depressions of contemporary life, individuals must become independent of the social environment to the degree that they no longer respond exclusively in terms of its rewards and punishments. To achieve such autonomy, a person has to learn to provide rewards to herself. She has to develop the ability to find enjoyment and purpose regardless of external circumstances.”

<ul><li>Flow activities bring you to a state of enjoyment, but not necessarily one of pleasure. Pleasure is a biological response and functions as our body's way of telling us if what we are doing is valuable for our survival. Food and sex are the quintessential pleasures</li><li>Pleasure doesn't lead to personal growth. Pleasure can be deceiving since it can lead us to addiction or focusing our lives around basic instincts like food & Sex</li><li>However a happy life can't be achieved by merely having many isolated flow experiences. To do this you need to master of your consciousness & personality.</li></ul>

What is the Difference Between Pleasure & Enjoyment?

<ul><li>Activities that generate flow are called Autotelic. The word comes from the Greek terms "Auto" which means self, and "telos" which means purpose.</li><li>An autotelic activity is one which you do for its own sake, without seeking an external reward. However, some people can turn every activity into a flow. These people have what's called an autotelic personality. An autotelic personality isn't something a person is born with, but it's nurtured.</li></ul>

The Five Characteristics and Traits of a Complex & Autotelic Personality

<ul><li>On a large scale, this means you have set your ambitions and desires in life. But on a smaller scale, it means you have goals and purposes for every activity that you engage in.</li><li>The other dimension is the clarity of feedback. This allows you to view the world objectively, without falling prey to fallacies to protect your beliefs. Clarity of feedback opens you to advice and criticism, which allows you to improve yourself.</li></ul>

1. Clarity of Purpose, Goals and Feedback

<ul><li>This is the ability to focus and clamp down on a single goal and give it your all. It means clearing your mind and focusing your energy, concentration and attention on a single point.</li></ul>

2. The Ability to Center

<ul><li>This is the awareness that you always have a choice in what you do. Complex and demanding choices aren't forced upon you. People with autotelic personalities don't feel trapped in difficult situations. They know their choices lead to these situations, So they own up to the consequences or benefits.</li></ul>

3. Always Having a Choice

<ul><li>People with complex personalities care about all they do and commit themselves. They actively involve themselves in the activity. They will engage with these activities because they genuinely want to.</li></ul>

4. Commitment to a Chosen Activity

<ul><li>People with complex personalities are always ready to expand their personalities and skills by taking on new challenges and learning along the way. They explore new concepts and try new things frequently.</li></ul>

5. Challenge Seeking

Consciousness Is How You Experience Things<ul><li>Activities like driving a car or lying your shoelaces are only possible by paying attention to them. But our attention has limits, which makes it difficult to concentrate on too many activities at once. When your mind is overwhelmed by too many problems, it enters a state of disarry. In this state your thoughts swirl and prevent you from focusing on the most important goals you have</li><li>This phenomenon is called psychic entropy. It's the process in which our minds want to go in one direction but our bodies in another, as you can't satisfy most of your goals</li></ul>

How Psychic Entropy Leads to Boredom, Anxiety and Stress

<ul><li>By clearing your mind of other thoughts and concern you allow yourself to concentrate on one activity. Subsequently you can fully engage with it and enter a peaceful and serene state of flow that is more efficient and enjoyable.</li></ul>

<ul><li>The two mental states most commonly associated with psychic entropy are boredom and anxiety. Working while engaged in these states feels like a chore and an uphill battle</li><li>Boredom has two primary causes, The first one is an insufficiently challenging task. Here your skills and abilities far exceed the tasks difficulty, so it feels like you aren't learning. The second cause is insufficient feedback. Insufficient feedback provides the sensation that what you are doing doesn't matter and has no impact on the world around you</li></ul>

Understanding Boredom & Anxiety

<ul><li>Anxiety is an en tropic psychological state that emerges when you are overwhelmed by too many tasks or tasks out of your skill level. At this point you aren't in control of your consciousness and feel like decisions are made for you. You can't focus on the required goals.</li></ul>

FLOW which is defined as being completely absorbed in an activity. This book examines how people can achieve flow and its positive effects on their lives. It also looks at how individuals can use it to bring out their best potential.

“Csikszentmihalyi arrives at an insight that many of us can intuitively grasp, despite our insistent (and culturally supported) denial of this truth. That is, it is not what happens to us that determines our happiness, but the manner in which we make sense of that reality. . . . The manner in which Csikszentmihalyi integrates research on consciousness, personal psychology and spirituality is illuminating.” —Los Angeles Times Book ReviewThe bestselling classic that holds the key to unlocking meaning, creativity, peak performance, and true happiness. Legendary psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi's famous investigations of "optimal experience" have revealed that what makes an experience genuinely satisfying is a state of consciousness called flow. During flow, people typically experience deep enjoyment, creativity, and a total involvement with life. In this new edition of his groundbreaking classic work, Csikszentmihalyi ("the leading researcher into ‘flow states’" —Newsweek) demonstrates the ways this positive state can be controlled, not just left to chance. Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience teaches how, by ordering the information that enters our consciousness, we can discover true happiness, unlock our potential, and greatly improve the quality of our lives.

How To Focus on Yourself and Not Others - Marcus Aurelius

The Obesity Code

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Types Of Males & Why Sigma Males are so Special among all? 10 Traits Of a Sigma Male.

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