289 - Interview with Mark Tuitert: Olympic Gold Medalist Speed Skater and Stoic Author
Feb 28, 2024
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An interview with Olympic gold medalist speed skater Mark Tuitert discussing discipline, handling stress, forgiving parents, and his new book. Delve into his journey towards forgiveness, practical Stoicism application, unexpected life paths, embracing discomfort, and seizing opportunities.
01:10:52
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Quick takeaways
Stoicism helped Mark Tuitert overcome career challenges and win an Olympic gold medal.
Stoicism enabled Mark to find peace in familial struggles and honor his mother's memory.
Mark emphasizes self-reflection and acceptance in modern society through Stoic practices.
Deep dives
Stoicism and Overcoming Challenges in Olympic Career
Mark Toutout, an Olympic gold medalist speed skater, discusses how he used stoicism to overcome challenges in his career. Despite missing out on two Olympics due to various reasons, he found solace in philosophical texts from Stoic philosophers like Marcus Aurelius and Epictetus. By focusing on his internal mindset and embracing fear rather than pushing it away, he was able to achieve his goal of winning a gold medal in the Vancouver Olympics.
Reflections on Family Relationships and Stoic Principles
Mark shares personal experiences regarding his strained relationships, including his parents' divorce and his mother's suicide. He emphasizes the importance of detaching from negative emotions, letting go of guilt, and accepting one's limitations in dealing with family dynamics. Through stoicism, he found peace in honoring his mother's memory by living a fulfilling life and recognizing the balance between pain and love in human relationships.
Embracing Stoic Philosophy in Everyday Life and Dealing with Setbacks
Mark delves into the relevance of stoicism in modern society, particularly in navigating fast-paced technological advancements and emotional reactions in social media. He highlights the significance of self-reflection, acceptance of reality, and refraining from blame in facing challenges. By adopting stoic practices of reflection, gratitude, and contemplation of death, he strives to live authentically, embrace life's complexities, and find contentment amidst striving for personal ambitions.
The Power of Questioning and Self-Reflection in Philosophy
Challenging oneself through questioning, inspired by Socrates, reveals the importance of examining one's beliefs and values. Stoicism emphasizes values like temperance, justice, courage, and wisdom, guiding individuals to the core of ethical living and self-improvement. Stoics built on Socratic methods to refine philosophical ideas, encouraging individuals to question their beliefs and strive for self-betterment.
Acceptance, Facing Discomfort, and Embracing Life's Challenges
Stoicism teaches acceptance of reality and finding beauty in life's challenges. By acknowledging what is within our control and what is not, individuals can navigate difficult situations with resilience and wisdom. Contemplating death to appreciate life fully and living without regrets are core Stoic principles, promoting introspection, empathy, and growth amidst adversity.
This week's episode is an interview with Mark Tuitert, an Olympic gold medalist speed skater and Stoic author. We sat down in his home outside of Amsterdam and had a wonderful conversation about discipline, handling stress, forgiving parents, and about his new book The Stoic Mindset. I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I enjoyed the conversation. You can find out more about Mark Tuitert at https://marktuitert.nl
