The foundation of not only masculine maturity, but of any growth model in life

We must be aware of our thoughts, our behaviors, and emotions to control our destiny in life. Once we are consistently aware of them, through discipline, we can control them and in turn control our outcomes in life.

While self-awareness is our foundation and where we begin our journey, it is place we always return to (hopefully daily through meditation, prayer, and journaling). 

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Depth Psychology: there is a vast world of subconscious thought that determines all of our conscious thoughts, actions, and emotions in life. It determines the questions we consistently ask ourselves and the way we answer and respond to those questions. The more we uncover and unpack those subconscious elements, the greater access and control we have over our conscious decisions we make that shape our lives.

What are our fears? What motivates us? What are we grateful for? What is our love language? What activities and skillsets drive our passions? What are our empowering beliefs? What are our limiting beliefs?

Activities: meditation, journaling, discussion

Resources: Carl Jung archetypes and stages of development, Tony Robbins 6 Psychological Needs, Dark Horse Project, King Warrior Magician, Lover, Frederick Nietzsche, Kierkegaard, Jordan Peterson

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(The Road Less Traveled, Scott Peck)

1. Deferred Gratification: process of scheduling the pain and pleasure of life in such a way to enhance the pleasure by meeting and experiencing the pain first and getting it over with.

-you can play hard and carelessly as long as you get all of your work done first.

2. Accepting Responsibility: I can solve a problem only when I say “This is my problem and its up to me to solve it!”

For the entirety of our lives me assess and re-assess where our responsibility lies in the ever changing course of events.

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3. Dedication to Reality: Our view of Reality is like a map with which to negotiate the terrain of life. If the map is true and accurate we will generally know where we are, and if we have decided where we want to go, we will generally know how to get there.

4. Balance: Extraordinary flexibility is required for successful living in all spheres of activity. To be organized and efficient, to live wisely, we must daily delay gratification and keep an eye on the future; yet to live joyously we must also possess the capacity, when it is not destructive, to live in the present and act spontane

NEXT ADDING VALUE

Brain Washing Ourselves with Good Intentions

6 Keys to increasing your value:

1. Be Aware of Yourself. Before you start to consider your goals, it’s important that you realize where you actually are …

2. Develop Yourself

A. Mind- how do you cultivate it? Brainwashing yourself
B. Body- mental clarity when you eat a light breakfast or no breakfast, exercise’s positive endorphin creation for clarity
C. Spirit- core value and belief system you carry for when times get tough
D. Financially- stop valuing materialism and become investment-minded
E. Socially- “You’re the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with.”

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3. Research your passions. … Is it practical, is there something similar as a fall back plan?

4. Educate Yourself. …reading books, podcasts

5. Find a Mentor. …

6. Network.

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Empathy and Good Judgment

Empathy is the cornerstone of powerful relationships. It is the transparency that that allows people to know we come in love and we are here to build a relationship that is most mutually beneficial and mutually respectful. On the road to authenticity we must realize that our vulnerability can become our currency.

Good Judgment is the vehicle by which we consistently make the hundreds of decisions we make every day to keep our life on the trajectory we want and know we deserve. Judgment requires more than instinct, it requires thoughtful and often painful decision making. The capacity for good judge is a tool that must be sharpened regularly, but once sharp allows us to best serve ourselves and others on a very consistent basis.

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These 2 concepts both require maturity, but they must growth together. It’s often the ideas can compete with or oppose each other. Empathy can be lazy when it gets in the way of our own development and our abilty to serve the greater good. Conversely, being too critical under the disguise judgment can limit our abilty to form potentially powerful relationships that allow exponential growth in our lives.

Learning to use these 2 together is the ultimate relationship builder!

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Contribution to Society is the Ultimate Gift to Self

Carl Jung refers to the 4th and final stage of Human development as the “stage of the Spirit.” We realize we are more than our body, we are more than our possessions, more than our friends, our country and so on. We come to the realization that we are divine beings, spiritual beings having a human experience, and not human beings having a spiritual experience. “Can you step back from your own mind and thus understand all things? Giving birth and nourishing, having without possessing, acting with no expectations, leading and not trying to control: this is the supreme virtue.”

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We realize that serving ourselves is never enough and that the ultimate fulfillment comes from serving others. We must craft our dreams and ambitions to a life that allow love to flow from us in everything we do. When asked what true happiness is, Dan Gable responded, “Whatever you want most in this life, help others to accomplish it!”