Post by alpha on Dec 15, 2016 8:02:49 GMT -8
Greetings!
I am currently a college student pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering-- I have approximately two years left.
I first heard Jocko on the Waking Up podcast with Sam Harris about six months ago. I had just transferred from a community college to a university and my compute increased to ~35 minutes one way; thus, I was catching up on all the podcasts I had missed before.
After hearing that interview, I immediately started listening to the Jocko podcast. Needless to say, it didn't take me long to get caught up.
One of the most valuable lessons I have learned while listening is that everyone traverses the dark planes in one way or another. This idea provided insight to me because a rough childhood (riddled with poverty and homelessness) left a chip on my shoulder.
Although I have always perceived my aldolecent years in a (as Jocko would say) "good" way, I had trouble with relationships because I couldn't sympathize with other people's problems. I would treat them with respect, but I couldn't understand them-- and I feel as if these are equally important.
Fast forward to today, I realize that everyone has a different level of tolerance for what they perceive they can handle. Having been homeless, I know I can survive; however, if the worst thing someone has had to deal with is walking to school everyday, then they might not be aware of what they're capable of adapting to. How do you know if you possess courage if you've never had to be courageous?
With that being said, I have found that there was a rough transition between being in poverty for my entire childhood to money being plentiful (and perhaps my idea of plenty is skewed, too). I have started to adapt, though. I find it easier to sympathize with other people's problems-- and I owe it to the podcast.
When Jocko reads about warriors who have experienced the horrible circumstances of war, I have started to realize that everyone has had those experiences (albeit, maybe not intense, but dark nonetheless). A very helpful podcast on this topic for me was Jocko's podcast with Tim Ferris. Being able to hear how Mr. Ferris thought everything hinged on him being successful in college opened my eyes further. It's not death, it's not disease... but for him, it was war.
With that being known, it's easier to treat others with respect and understand them as human beings-- because they've survived up to this point.
They survived on their battlefields, just like you and me.
Anyway, I tend to ramble when I write.
It's a true pleasure being here. I look forward to talking with like minded people... people who are always progressing and taking strides to be better today than we were yesterday.
Thanks for having me,
David
I am currently a college student pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering-- I have approximately two years left.
I first heard Jocko on the Waking Up podcast with Sam Harris about six months ago. I had just transferred from a community college to a university and my compute increased to ~35 minutes one way; thus, I was catching up on all the podcasts I had missed before.
After hearing that interview, I immediately started listening to the Jocko podcast. Needless to say, it didn't take me long to get caught up.
One of the most valuable lessons I have learned while listening is that everyone traverses the dark planes in one way or another. This idea provided insight to me because a rough childhood (riddled with poverty and homelessness) left a chip on my shoulder.
Although I have always perceived my aldolecent years in a (as Jocko would say) "good" way, I had trouble with relationships because I couldn't sympathize with other people's problems. I would treat them with respect, but I couldn't understand them-- and I feel as if these are equally important.
Fast forward to today, I realize that everyone has a different level of tolerance for what they perceive they can handle. Having been homeless, I know I can survive; however, if the worst thing someone has had to deal with is walking to school everyday, then they might not be aware of what they're capable of adapting to. How do you know if you possess courage if you've never had to be courageous?
With that being said, I have found that there was a rough transition between being in poverty for my entire childhood to money being plentiful (and perhaps my idea of plenty is skewed, too). I have started to adapt, though. I find it easier to sympathize with other people's problems-- and I owe it to the podcast.
When Jocko reads about warriors who have experienced the horrible circumstances of war, I have started to realize that everyone has had those experiences (albeit, maybe not intense, but dark nonetheless). A very helpful podcast on this topic for me was Jocko's podcast with Tim Ferris. Being able to hear how Mr. Ferris thought everything hinged on him being successful in college opened my eyes further. It's not death, it's not disease... but for him, it was war.
With that being known, it's easier to treat others with respect and understand them as human beings-- because they've survived up to this point.
They survived on their battlefields, just like you and me.
Anyway, I tend to ramble when I write.
It's a true pleasure being here. I look forward to talking with like minded people... people who are always progressing and taking strides to be better today than we were yesterday.
Thanks for having me,
David
