Description

Donald J. Robertson, cognitive-behavioral psychotherapist and author of "How to Think Like a Roman Emperor" and "How to Think Like Socrates," joins Chance Seales to explore how ancient Stoic principles can help young men navigate modern challenges around work, money, relationships, and finding meaning.

All Boy with Chance Seales on Substack

Adversity as Growth

• Setbacks and challenges are necessary for character development

• Retrospective vs. prospective views of adversity differ dramatically

• What seems catastrophic in anticipation often becomes valuable in hindsight

• Character traits like courage and integrity require struggle to develop

Unhealthy Worrying:

• Occurs when anxious (impaired cognitive state)

• Focused entirely on future scenarios

• Verbal, repetitive "what if" thinking

• Loses awareness of present moment

Constructive Planning:

• Done when calm and rational

• More visual than verbal

• Maintains present-moment awareness

• Imagine viewing your situation from great height or across time

• Reduces overwhelming feelings without trivializing real issues

• Money is neither inherently good nor bad

• The key question: How will you use wealth?

• Wisdom in usage matters more than accumulation

• External goals vs. intrinsic values create different life orientations

Finding your "why"

1. Extrinsic motivation: Working toward external outcomes (salary, promotion, recognition)

2. Intrinsic motivation: Acting according to personal values (creativity, integrity, service)

Actions vs. Feelings

• External focus creates "I'll be happy when..." mentality

• Fundamental principle: Actions don't have to follow feelings

• "Do not feel your way into new actions, act your way into new feelings"

• Many people assume emotions must drive behavior

• Death gives life meaning through creating urgency and perspective

• Brushes with mortality often trigger spiritual "awakening"

• Forces us to question superficial cultural values

1. What do you want your life to stand for or represent?

2. What do you want to be remembered for after you're dead?

Tools for Young Men

• Breaking Free from Cultural Programming

• Recognize how consumer culture exploits insecurities

• Question whether external achievements truly bring fulfillment

• Develop intrinsic values independent of social validation

Resources:

• Stoicism: Philosophy as a way of life by Donald J. Robertson

• "How to Think Like a Roman Emperor" by Donald J. Robertson

• "How to Think Like Socrates" by Donald J. Robertson

• “The Philosophy of Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy” by Donald J. Robertson