Modern Wisdom

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#302 - Ryan Bush - A Guide To Mental Self-Mastery

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Apr 1, 2021

Guest

Ryan Bush

Ryan Bush, a systems designer and author of "Designing the Mind," discusses effective strategies for mental self-mastery. He emphasizes designing your mind to function optimally and cultivating meta-cognition to improve emotional regulation and decision-making. Bush explores the integration of ancient philosophies with modern psychology, touching on concepts like 'dukkha' to understand desire and happiness. He advocates for introspection and practical techniques to overcome cognitive biases, enabling listeners to transform their mindset and achieve greater emotional stability.

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Episode notes

insights

INSIGHT

Internal vs. External Focus

Humans are naturally wired to focus on the external world, often neglecting their internal world.
Prioritizing internal changes over external gratification leads to greater well-being.

insights

INSIGHT

Ancient Wisdom vs. Modern Science

Ancient wisdom traditions offer valuable insights into mental mastery, but modern science provides more effective tools and understanding.
Combining ancient wisdom with modern science provides a more complete approach to self-improvement.

insights

INSIGHT

Gap Between Skill and Wisdom

Modern education prioritizes knowledge and employability over mental well-being and wisdom.
Self-help offers some guidance but often lacks a systematic approach to mental development.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Mastering the Mind: A Modern Guide to Internal Control

05:22 • 2min

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Bridging Ancient Wisdom and Modern Science

07:25 • 11min

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Mastering Thought: The Journey of Metacognition

18:15 • 12min

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The Journey of Introspection and Self-Mastery

30:16 • 9min

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Understanding Dukkha: Navigating Desires and Happiness

39:36 • 28min

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Exploring Underrated Psychological Insights

01:07:29 • 2min

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Sapiens

A Brief History of Humankind

Yuval Noah Harari

This book surveys the history of humankind from the Stone Age to the 21st century, focusing on Homo sapiens. It divides human history into four major parts: the Cognitive Revolution, the Agricultural Revolution, the Unification of Humankind, and the Scientific Revolution. Harari argues that Homo sapiens dominate the world due to their unique ability to cooperate in large numbers through beliefs in imagined realities such as gods, nations, money, and human rights. The book also examines the impact of human activities on the global ecosystem and speculates on the future of humanity, including the potential for genetic engineering and non-organic life.

Atomic Habits

James Clear

Atomic Habits by James Clear provides a practical and scientifically-backed guide to forming good habits and breaking bad ones. The book introduces the Four Laws of Behavior Change: make it obvious, make it attractive, make it easy, and make it satisfying. It also emphasizes the importance of small, incremental changes (atomic habits) that compound over time to produce significant results. Clear discusses techniques such as habit stacking, optimizing the environment to support desired habits, and focusing on continuous improvement rather than goal fixation. The book is filled with actionable strategies, real-life examples, and stories from various fields, making it a valuable resource for anyone seeking to improve their habits and achieve personal growth.

Waking Up

A Guide to Spirituality Without Religion

Sam Harris

In this book, Sam Harris argues that there is more to understanding reality than science and secular culture generally allow. He explores the scientific underpinnings of spirituality, suggesting that how we pay attention to the present moment largely determines the quality of our lives. The book is part memoir and part exploration, discussing the illusion of the self, the benefits of meditation, and the importance of understanding consciousness through both scientific and philosophical lenses.

Why Buddhism is True

The Science and Philosophy of Meditation and Enlightenment

Robert Wright

In this book, Robert Wright argues that Buddhism offers a secular, Westernized approach to mindfulness meditation that can help individuals and society by reducing suffering and increasing empathy. He draws on evolutionary biology, psychology, and neuroscience to support Buddhist teachings, such as the concept of 'no-self' and the nature of human suffering. The book is a personal journey that began with Wright's work on evolutionary psychology and deepened through his practice of meditation and conversations with skilled meditators. It aims to show how Buddhist principles can be applied in a secular age to improve individual and societal well-being.

The Happiness Hypothesis

Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom

Jonathan Haidt

In 'The Happiness Hypothesis,' Jonathan Haidt delves into the nature of happiness, fulfillment, and meaning. He discusses the division of the self into two parts: the primitive limbic system and the rational neocortex, using the metaphor of a rider and an elephant to explain the relationship between conscious and unconscious processes. Haidt examines 'Great Ideas' from ancient thinkers like Plato, Buddha, and Jesus, and evaluates them in light of contemporary psychological research. He argues that happiness is influenced by both internal and external factors, including biological set points, life conditions, and voluntary activities. The book also explores the importance of social relationships, the role of adversity in personal growth, and the concept of 'vital engagement' in work and life.

Nine Levels of Increasing Embrace in Ego Development

A Theory of Ego Development

Susanne Cook-Greuter

Susanne Cook-Greuter's Ego Development Theory (EDT) outlines nine distinct stages of human development, each representing a qualitatively different and increasingly complex view of self and reality. The stages range from the Impulsive and Preconventional to the advanced postconventional stages such as Construct-Aware, Ego-Aware, and Unitive. Her work emphasizes the process of increasing embrace, where each stage contains the previous ones as subsets and represents a new whole with its own coherence and integration. The theory is based on empirical research using Sentence Completion Tests and in-depth interviews, blending ideas from Western psychological development and Eastern philosophies to describe the journey towards greater self-awareness, wisdom, and effectiveness.

toward a Psychology of Being

Abraham Maslow

In 'Toward a Psychology of Being', Abraham Maslow delves into human potential and self-actualization, advocating for a holistic approach to psychology that emphasizes growth and fulfillment. The book critiques traditional psychology's focus on pathology and instead explores the traits of healthy, self-actualizing individuals. Maslow's work has significantly influenced modern psychology and personal development.

Designing the Mind

Ryan Bush

Designing The Mind

Designing the Mind: The Principles of Psychitecture by Ryan A. Bush presents a framework for self-transformation by viewing the mind as a programmable system. The book combines insights from ancient philosophers like Marcus Aurelius and the Buddha with modern psychological research to help readers overcome cognitive biases, manage emotions, and cultivate wisdom. It offers practical tools for introspection, mindfulness, and behavioral change, empowering individuals to take control of their mental landscape and achieve personal growth.

Ryan Bush is systems designer and an author.

Redesigning your mind is hard because there are a lot of influences at play. A very comprehensive approach is needed to really impact our mindset. Today I think I might have found someone who has all the tools.

Expect to learn how to design your mind to work with you not against you, how to cultivate meta-cognition, how to rewire your mental biases, how to restructure your emotions, how to modulate your desires, how to build self control and much more...

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Extra Stuff:

Buy Designing The Mind - https://amzn.to/3tR3189

Complete Ryan's Survey - https://designingthemind.org/survey

The 9 Levels Of Increasing Embrace - http://www.cook-greuter.com/Cook-Greuter%209%20levels%20paper%20new%201.1'14%2097p%5B1%5D.pdf

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