Guidelines is my eBook that summarises the main lessons from 33 of the best-selling self-help books in one place. A few things that I liked: Everyone needs a philosophy of life; otherwise the life is wasted in unnecessary pursuits. Home » Blog » Book Summaries » A Guide to the Good Life by William Irvine [BOOK SUMMARY & PDF]. Although Irvine is advocating Stoicism, it isn’t the only option available for those seeking a philosophy in life. A Guide to the Good Life Guide to the Good Life provides an easily accessible and practical-minded introduction to the ancient philosophy of life known as Stoicism. Stoicism: Thanksgiving Every Day (and then some), Reviewed in the United States on March 7, 2018. He lives in Dayton, Ohio. We become hard to please and celebrate our newly-found inability to enjoy “anything but the best”. Irvine suggests that we all find a philosophy to follow in our daily lives. The Stoics spend time imagining that they’ve lost the things they value. You cope. In A Guide to the Good Life, William B. Irvine plumbs the wisdom of Stoic philosophy, one of the most popular and successful schools of thought in ancient Rome, and shows how its insight and advice are still remarkably applicable to modern lives. I love it. The Secret to a Smarter Baby Laura Jana, MD, FAAP & AAP Council on Early Childhood 231 4; Instead, it’s worth focusing on what we have complete control of: the goals we set for ourselves, our values, and our character. An Easy To Understand Guide To Enlightenment.  Learn how to live a better, more rewarding life.  Live free! Popular Free eBooks! I'm a retired intelligence analyst. Highlight, take notes, and search in the book, In this edition, page numbers are just like the physical edition. William B. Irvine is a Stoic expert, an author and professor at Wright State University based in Dayton, Ohio.. In A Guide to the Good Life, William B. Irvine plumbs the wisdom of Stoic philosophy, one of the most popular and successful schools of thought in ancient Rome, and shows how its insight and advice are still remarkably applicable to modern lives. Stop taking for granted the things you worked so hard to get. LEARN HOW TO SET UP A BASIC SYSTEM FOR STAYING ORGANISED! Stoics sometimes undertake acts of voluntary discomfort in order to appreciate what they already have and increase their enjoyment of life. Yet, when we find ourselves irritated by someone’s words, we should pause to reflect on our own shortcomings, so we can become more empathetic to this individual’s faults and therefore become more tolerant of them. The most important question in our life, according to Epictetus? In A Guide to the Good Life, William B. Irvine plumbs the wisdom of Stoic philosophy, one of the most popular and successful schools of thought in ancient Rome, and shows how its insight and advice are still remarkably applicable to modern lives. The result is a philosophy that will help you overcome suffering and achieve tranquility. A guide for those with the misfortune of having been born human. A guide to the good life (the ancient art of stoic joy) is all about being content with less, and letting go of stress. The book challenges you to think about living life as an art. For more on his life and writings, visit his author website at WilliamBIrvine.com There is the perception that practitioners of Stoicism tend to try … A Guide To The Good Life: An Interview With William B. Irvine Read More » Other people are the cause of most of the negative emotions we experience. Uses psychological insights and the practical techniques of the Stoics, offering a roadmap for anyone seeking to avoid the feelings of chronic dissatisfaction Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 17, 2018. If it is, there is little reason to be upset with what is self-evident. Such minor voluntary discomforts can help them grow the necessary confidence to withstand major discomforts as well, easing future anxieties. Create a safety buffer of resilience, make firm decisions under uncertainty, and hunt for asymmetric options with life-changing upside. He points out that Stoicism is very different than the stereotypes we have developed about unfeeling robots, and in fact it contains a lot of … To avoid enslaving ourselves when dealing with other people, we need to be indifferent to what they think of us. I embrace the focus on living the Stoic philosophy, learning techniques to banish negative emotions and the distractions surrounding us in a consumer society which take me off the path to deciding what my "grand goal in living" is and staying focused on that goal every day. He is the author of several books such as On Desire and A Slap in the Face. I have read a number of books on philosophy many about concepts that I still find extremely difficult to grasp. Without adopting a philosophy of life, there are lurking dangers: mis-living, spending our life pursuing the wrong goals or pursuing worthwhile goals in a manner destined to make us fail. There was an error retrieving your Wish Lists. The key to happiness for the Stoics is to prevent ourselves from taking for granted the things we worked so hard to get. In A Guide to the Good Life, William B. Irvine plumbs the wisdom of Stoic philosophy, one of the most popular and successful schools of thought in ancient Rome, and shows how its insight and advice are still remarkably applicable to modern lives. In order to navigate out of this carousel please use your heading shortcut key to navigate to the next or previous heading. Our goal is not merely to survive and reproduce, but to enjoy a tranquil existence. A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy | William B. Irvine. Meanwhile, we will also feel delight for the world around us. That is, instead of changing the world around us, Epictetus advises us to seek contentment by changing ourselves & our own desires. The book challenges you to think about living life as an art. Some critics argue that Irvine leaves out Stoic logic, simplifies ideas etc, but that misses the point entirely. He lives in Dayton, Ohio. It is not only an introduction to Stoicism, but is also a clear, engaging and well written translation of Stoic ethics into a 21st century context. A Guide to the Good Life is an eye-opening read about how to live a happier and more meaningful life. Happiness depends on your values, not on your possessions. To minimise the amount of grief they experience in life, Stoics engage in prospective negative visualisation: by contemplating the deaths of those they love, they remove some of the shock they will experience if they die. The 13-digit and 10-digit formats both work. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 10, 2018, Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 24, 2019. A Guide to The Good Life Summary If you lack a grand goal in living, you lack a coherent philosophy of life. Professor Irvine has At bedtime, Seneca’s teacher, Sextius, would ask himself: “What ailment of yours have you cured today?” “What failing have you resisted?” “Where can you show improvement?”. The timeless wisdom of the Stoics can help anyone find inner peace, happiness, and freedom; and this book is the perfect starting point. There was a problem loading your book clubs. There's not a lot of tranquility in the national security business. Please try again. Give as a gift or purchase for a team or group. Irvine highly suggests that we all find a philosophy to follow in our daily lives. This book is a timeless collection of extended meditations and short aphorisms that has been consulted and admired by statesmen, thinkers and readers through the centuries. “Let us cherish and love old age; for it is full of pleasure if one knows how to use it. For example, they may choose to go outside in the cold for a while and then come back in, in order to really enjoy the warmth and sense of shelter. Stoics spend less time wishing things could be different and more time enjoying things as they are, experiencing tranquility. A refreshing presentation of Stoicism that shows how this ancient philosophy can still direct us toward a better life. In retrospective negative visualisation, Stoics imagine never having had something that they have lost, replacing feelings of regret at having lost something with feelings of thanks for once having had it. A Guide to the Good Life by William B. Irvine. William B Irvine is professor of philosophy at Wright State University, the author of seven books, including A Guide to the Good Life, and he is a contributor for the Huffington Post, Salon, Time, and the BBC. When insulted, pause to consider whether what the insulter said is true. To get the free app, enter your mobile phone number. Redemption links and eBooks cannot be resold. For the Stoics, becoming a clear, unbiased and self-disciplined thinker allows one to understand the natural universal reason in all things (or ‘logos’ in ancient Greek). Does this book contain quality or formatting issues? To preserve tranquility, Stoics approach the past and the present from a fatalistic perspective: 3e have no control over the past, nor do we have any control over the present (if by ‘the present’ we mean ‘this very moment’). This summary is not intended as a replacement for the original book and all quotes are credited to the above mentioned author and publisher. 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