Five Great Ideas From Aristotle

It was Socrates who said that the purpose of philosophy is to help each of us become "an excellent human". That seems like a respectable and reasonable big-picture goal for every person on the planet.

But what about the specifics? How do we become excellent humans? How can we use philosophy in our everyday lives to help us succeed in this most important goal as homo sapiens?

The surprising thing about philosophy is that it is incredibly user-friendly if you take it in small doses. For thousands of years, thoughtful individuals have contemplated the meaning of life. Many of the greatest philosophers spoke eloquently about the challenges we all face today in words that are easily understood and truly inspiring.

Don't believe it? Let's start with a few thoughts from Aristotle. The student of Plato, who was the student of Socrates, Aristotle lived in the third century B.C. But don't hold that against him! Aristotle was full of interesting ideas, and he had quite a sense of humor as well. He's a guy you could imagine sitting in your kitchen, engaging in a memorable conversation over a shared bottle of wine. Think of him as a really wise friend, and use his ideas to help you TODAY to become a more excellent human.

Aristotle believed that everything had a purpose. He stated that our purpose as humans is to think in order to live a good life. That's it. As long as we continue to contemplate the universe and our role in it, we are fulfilling our purpose.

So, to help you contemplate the universe today, here are five inspiring thoughts from our friend, Aristotle:

Thought #1:

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit."

What is it that you repeatedly do? Greet people on the street, let another car into a busy street in front of you, leave nice tips for frazzled waitpersons, read to your children, phone your elderly aunt? What do your habits say about you? Is that the message you want to send?

How can you change your habits or adopt new ones to reflect your desire to become more excellent? What excellent acts can you do repeatedly so that they become a habit? What can you do TODAY to intentionally start a habit that will lead to excellence? Pick something simple and just get started.

Thought #2:

"Education is the best provision for old age."What are you learning these days?

How are you spending your free time? Take a look at how you are including learning in your daily life. Do you read? If so, are you learning from it? Do you watch television? Yes, it can be educational, but seriously analyze your viewing habits and see if you can't incorporate more learning and less vegetating.

Don't pick something boring. Choose ways to learn that excite and inspire you. A cooking class through your local community college? A new sport? A stack of library books on a country you're hoping to visit someday? Pursue your interests with a passion, and you will always continue learning. Promise yourself you'll always have interesting things to talk about when you are old-and this doesn't mean ailments and treatments! Learn now how to ignite your own curiosity and pursue learning as a lifelong adventure.

Thought #3:

"It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it."

We all do it--we hear an idea, and we immediately attach ourselves to an opinion about it without really giving it the time it takes to form a reasoned conclusion. The problem with smart people is that we tend to use our intelligence to argue in defense of our chosen opinions. We'd be a whole lot wiser if we did less arguing and more thinking!

The next time someone makes a suggestion you don't like or states an opinion you disagree with, try this: Wait three minutes before denouncing it. Now, this doesn't that you should just sit there, fuming or smug or disinterested. Instead, "entertain" the thought. Ask questions. Show interest. Be open, engaged and nonconfrontational. When your three minutes are up, you can feel free to express your original opinion. More often than not, your original opinion will have changed a bit because you have spent some time holding a thought without attacking it.

The trick here is to separate the thought from the thinker. Are you sure you don't dislike the thought because you dislike the thinker? We all have people in our lives who push our buttons. Take the high road. Entertain the thought. Your eventual rebuttal will be more easily accepted after you've shown that you have carefully considered the concept. Try this at work, try it with your friends, try it with your family. This is a surefire path to excellence.

Thought #4:

"What lies in our power to do, also lies in our power not to do."

Ah, yes. Those bad habits? You can change them. If you had the initiative at some point to do something, you can choose to stop doing it. This goes for overeating, smoking, drinking too much, and all the usual bad habits.

It also hold true for things we don't even think of as habits anymore-watching too much television, driving instead of walking, reading nothing but celebrity magazines, gossiping, spending too much time shopping, etc. If you haven't always done it, you don't have to continue doing it. You do have the power to make changes.

Thought #5:

"Well begun is half done."

We all understand that setting a goal, doing the research, and making a plan will increase the likelihood that our chosen task will be successfully completed. Whether it's a home improvement project, a vacation schedule, or a tricky new recipe, proper preparation will save us a lot of time and effort.

Start using Aristotle's ideas today to help you become an excellent human. Make your best acts your best habits. Learn something new each day. Entertain contrary thoughts. Begin to undo bad habits. Prepare yourself for excellence.

Aristotle would be so proud.

About The Author

Maya Talisman Frost is a mind masseuse. Her course, Massage Your Mind!: Defining Your Life Philosophy, has inspired thinkers in over 70 countries around the world. She is the publisher of the Friday Mind Massage, a free weekly ezine serving up a satisfying blend of clarity, comfort and comic relief. To learn more, visit http://www.massageyourmind.com or http://www.mindmasseuse.com.

maya@massageyourmind.com

---

How to Use the Power of Words to Your Benefit - Part II

A friend of mine read the article, How to Use... Read More

Two Months, Two Actions: First Steps to Success

Susan stood on the scale the other day. She had... Read More

Life Rewards Action

Thinking is good, yes it is. I strongly encourage thinking.... Read More

How to Stay Motivated - Part 1

As a "Motivation Trainer" for over 20 years, I have... Read More

Develop Guts to Achieve Glory

It is just amazing the amount of people who don't... Read More

Becoming Rich in Your Own Way

If you really want to become rich, then begin by... Read More

Do You have a Dream?

Do you find yourself sitting at work longing to be... Read More

Choose Your Suffering - Be Willing to Pay the Price for Success!

One day when my friend Todd and I were having... Read More

Finding Direction: Finding Passion Series - 2 of 3

In order to find the right direction for ourselves, we... Read More

By Planning and Exerting Effort, You Can Change Things For The Better

Most of us plan to find the love of our... Read More

7 Tips For Unstoppable Motivation And Enduring Success

Procrastination is of no use to you in your quest... Read More

Keep Motivated To Succeed Online!

Starting and managing a business takes motivation and talent. It... Read More

Procrastination Strategies: Boost Your Productivity by Getting On With It

We all suffer from procrastination from time to time but... Read More

Two Ways to Feel Fear

In a memorable Depression-era radio speech on the radio, President... Read More

Making A Lot Out Of A Little - Use It Or Lose It

"Making a lot out of a little"Ever noticed how some... Read More

Testy Horses and the Art of Speed Waiting

"What are you waiting for?" said Nelson, looking at me... Read More

Book Summary: If Life is a Game, These are the Rules

This #1 New York Times bestseller offers some useful and... Read More

A Resolution for Excellence

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not... Read More

Finding Yourself: Finding Passion Series - 1 of 3

We have been told that the things we don't like... Read More

ABCs for High Achievers

A im for what you want by focusing clearly on... Read More

Why You Dont Ned Motivation

As a life coach, I often hear people say they... Read More

The New Morality

In a world where dynamism alters egos and principles in... Read More

The Untold Truth About Mentors, and Why You DONT Need One

I think there is a misconception about what a mentor... Read More

The Easy Way To Lasting Self Motivation

Will power alone will never work over the long term.... Read More

Motivation By Daily Applause

One of our most powerful psychological needs is the craving... Read More

Explanations?... or Excuses?

Which of the following "explanations" have you heard (or used!)... Read More

10 Ways to Overcome Procrastination: The Challenge for Tomorrow!

Did you realize that as much as 47% of the... Read More

Why You Should Write Your Obituary Today

Writing your own obituary sounds and feels a little strange,... Read More

Realistic Dreams

The wish to have or be something, especially one that... Read More

Personal Safety: How To Avoid Accidents And Live A Safe, Longer & Happy Life

Have you ever had an accident?Do you value your personal... Read More

4 Qualities of Highly Successful People

What if you can be, do or have anything you... Read More

Taking Action NOW: 9 Key Strategies...Part I

Awareness, understanding what impacts you!Awareness makes it possible for you... Read More

Motivation To Change, Why Is It So Hard?

We encounter constant changes throughout our life; it could be... Read More