The Modern Stoic #10: Are You Fears Real Or Imagined? - a podcast by Jon & Dre

This episode is a Tim Ferriss favourite – the basis for his TED talk on 'Fear-Setting'. This one's about overcoming the paralysis of worrying; how to tell whether our fears are real or imaginary; how to see through the web of our own fears and be able to release into the moment; and how we constantly trip ourselves up trying to plan and control things, rather than actually living.

Fear of the future and the unknown can leave us powerless and paralysed. But it doesn't have to be that way. As Seneca teaches in one of his most famous letters, 'We suffer more often in imagination than in reality'.

How easily we get lost in projecting problems and arguments into a future which hasn't yet happened. The trick, then, is to realise whether our fears are justified, or if they're just phantoms of the mind.

Dre provides a healthier mental perspective to apply to our lives so that we can effectively plan ahead and consider the possibilities without having to freak out in the process. Jon shares personal trials and tribulations from his long history with depression and anxiety, and how Stoicism has helped him to begin to put those fears to rest.

We deconstruct Tim Ferriss's powerful yet simple 'Fear-Setting' tool to help you take action and overcome decision paralysis, and draw out some surprising parallels with Buddhism.

This episode, we raise some deep questions for reflection: If we spend all our time preparing for what we think might happen, are we actually living at all? Does 'think positive' ever really help us in life? And does 'worrying' ever serve a purpose (except for insurance salesmen)?

Also Including:

• Dre's (melo)dramatic suicide plans
• What Teddy Roosevelt has in common with Seneca
• How to make a comeback in real life, not in the movies
• What happens when your fears are justified?

Find Out More:

• Like us on Facebook to ask for the Audible download code for Seneca's letters
• The full text for free on WikiSource
• Ryan Holiday's superb and accessible book on Stoicism: The Obstacle is the Way
• Tim Ferriss's brilliant TED talk on 'fear setting' and Stoicism

Be Silly. Be Kind. Be Weird.

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