How to Instantly Achieve a Calm State | Sam Harris (Replay) | Impact Theory with Tom Bilyeu

Intro

In this episode of Impact Theory with Tom Bilyeu, neuroscientist, philosopher, and five-time New York Times best-selling author Sam Harris discusses living a good life, the importance of well-being, and the power of mindfulness. With his unique background in philosophy, neuroscience, and meditation, Harris offers valuable insights into achieving a calm state and finding meaning in life.

Main Takeaways

Living a Good Life and Human Well-being

• The ultimate flourishing of conscious minds is the horizon we should strive for.
• We want to effortlessly cooperate with creative and happy strangers.
• Building a civilization where everyone thrives is crucial to avoid an unsustainable world.
• We need to address partisanship, tribalism, and fear of incompatible aims, especially in the presence of destructive technology.

Finding Purpose and Psychological Satisfaction

• The purpose of life is to see how much of our potential we can actuate and serve others.
• Having a guiding light or purpose can vary, such as making money to give away to help people or using a marketable talent for philanthropy.
• Extracting psychological satisfaction from philanthropy is important.
• It’s important to be aware of the impact of our actions on others and to connect with others on a psychological level.

Effective Communication and Belief Systems

• Communicating ideas effectively can influence belief systems and promote well-being for others.
• Belief systems should align with reality to some degree to avoid suffering.
• While a slight self-serving bias can be useful, extreme delusion can be detrimental.
• It’s important to be open to new evidence and better arguments perpetually.

Mindfulness and Emotional Control

• Mindfulness meditation involves paying close attention to one’s experience without reacting, which can be helpful in managing anxiety, such as fear of public speaking.
• Mindfulness allows us to drop lower and realize there’s a place from which we can feel anxiety and be indifferent to it.
• Anxiety and excitement are closely related in physiology, and the difference lies in the framing and story we tell ourselves.
• The power of framing negative emotions can lead to psychological freedom and a short half-life of negative emotions.

Reading, Consumption, and Learning

• Tim Ferriss shares his approach to learning and consuming information, emphasizing the importance of interrupting negative states by focusing on something else.
• The amount of information available for consumption has exponentially increased in recent years, leading to an infinite amount of content to read and consume.
• The speaker has become a fickle reader, discarding books early and not feeling obligated to finish them.
• The speaker constantly consumes information through audiobooks, podcasts, and news while multitasking and is rarely without some form of information input.

Meditation and Self-Exploration

• Meditation is likened to Jiu Jitsu for the mind, allowing for control and minimal violence.
• The practice of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) involves leveraging physics and positioning against opponents, creating a relaxed yet high testosterone experience.
• BJJ can be seen as a practice of continually breaking the spell of being attacked and ambushed by thoughts and reactivity.
• The ego is not identical to the physical body and is perceived as a kind of mask, leading to feelings of being a witness of experiences.

Summary

Living a Good Life and Human Well-being

Sam Harris believes that the ultimate goal of humanity should be the flourishing of conscious minds. This involves effortlessly cooperating with creative and happy strangers and building a civilization where everyone thrives. To achieve this, we need to address partisanship, tribalism, and fear of incompatible aims, especially in the presence of destructive technology. The purpose of life, according to Harris, is to see how much of our potential we can actuate and serve others. Having a guiding light or purpose can vary, but extracting psychological satisfaction from philanthropy and being aware of the impact of our actions on others are crucial.

Effective Communication and Belief Systems

Harris emphasizes the importance of communicating ideas effectively to influence belief systems and promote well-being. Belief systems should align with reality to avoid unnecessary suffering. While a slight self-serving bias can be useful, extreme delusion can be detrimental. It’s important to be open to new evidence and better arguments perpetually, as human conversation is the only mechanism for error correction and understanding reality.

Mindfulness and Emotional Control

Mindfulness meditation is a powerful tool for managing anxiety and emotional control. By paying close attention to one’s experience without reacting, individuals can drop lower and realize there’s a place from which they can be indifferent to anxiety. Framing negative emotions can lead to psychological freedom and a shorter duration of negative emotions. Anxiety and excitement are closely related in physiology, with the difference lying in the framing and story individuals tell themselves.

Reading, Consumption, and Learning

Tim Ferriss shares his approach to learning and consuming information, which involves interrupting negative states by focusing on something else. With the exponential increase in available information, individuals must be selective in their consumption. The speaker highlights the importance of being a fickle reader, discarding books early if they don’t resonate. Constant consumption of information through various mediums can lead to continuous learning and growth.

Meditation and Self-Exploration

Meditation is compared to Jiu Jitsu for the mind, allowing individuals to gain control and minimize reactivity. Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) is seen as a practice of breaking the spell of being attacked by thoughts and reactivity. The ego is perceived as a mask, and individuals can explore their true experiences by becoming witnesses rather than being identified with their thoughts. Meditation and self-exploration offer opportunities for personal growth and a deeper understanding of oneself.

Conclusion

In this episode, Sam Harris provides valuable insights into living a good life, effective communication, mindfulness, reading, and meditation. By striving for the ultimate flourishing of conscious minds and addressing societal challenges, we can build a civilization where everyone thrives. Harris emphasizes the importance of aligning belief systems with reality and being open to new evidence and better arguments. Mindfulness and emotional control can lead to psychological freedom, and selective reading and continuous learning are essential in the information age. Finally, meditation and self-exploration offer opportunities for personal growth and a deeper understanding of oneself.