Yes, Ryan, stillness is indeed the key!
I must say that I am pleasantly surprised by this book.
As such, it may be the first book of his that I’ve read, but it will certainly not be the last.
I believe that this book delivers insightful ideas in a structured and relatable manner. Furthermore the storytelling is truly phenomenal. He emphasizes ideas through the perspective real people, and this may seem banal, but I believe it to be key for understanding. Explaining a concept is nice and all, but to make the concept relatable is to humanize it and thus increasing the chance of the reader understanding and actually implementing it in their lives.
Below are a few of the ideas mentioned by Ryan Holiday that I found the most fascinating, along with a few of own my thoughts regarding them.
“Who is so certain that they’ll get another moment,
that they can so confidently skip over this one?”
– I don’t know about you, but I for one am not certain that I’ll get another moment, and yet it feels as if I somehow expect it… It feels as if a part of me thinks that it is totally okay if I do not achieve my dreams now, because well, I have my entire life in front of me… but do I really know that? Past and future may as well not exist, all we have is now.
“Mo’ money, mo’ problems, and also mo’ stuff, less freedom”
– Sometimes I ask myself, for what reason do I want all this stuff and why am I so intent on becoming rich. For what awaits in the end of this pursuit is more problems and less freedom, a chain that we willingly forge ourselves. Should we not strive for something more permanent? Something more fulfilling? Ask myself I do, but it has yet to produce any substantial change in me. Another step, let’s keep asking difficult questions, this is how we become better.
“It’s difficult to understand yourself if you are never by yourself”
– Very wise words that we should all take to heart. To me it means that it is important to make time for actually being with yourself. No phones, no people, no distractions.
Momento mori; Death is inevitable
– Reflecting on death may seem strange and quite the depressive habit to have, but I would argue the contrary. I will die one day, and until that day comes I will make the most of my time, relishing in each and every moment.
Benjamin Bratz 