A short +1 podcast episode by Brian Johnson emphasizing that knowing virtues or theories is insufficient without practice. Using Aristotle’s analogy of the Olympic Games (winners are competitors, not merely the best-looking or strongest), Johnson argues that action—practice—produces real achievement. The episode closes with a call-to-action and a promo for the Optimize membership, which offers Philosopher’s Notes, masterclasses, and resources for optimal living.
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You're listening to the Optymyze with Brian Johnson podcast. Unlock the full Optymyze experience and join over 10,000 premium members at Optimize Me. Hi, this is Brian. Welcome back to another Optimize one. I can't resist one more plus one on Aristotle. Here's the deal. The Olympic Games started in Olympia, not too far outside of Athens in 776 B.C. a few centuries later, Aristotle told us that you can't just show up at the Olympics and look like a great athlete. You have to actually compete. Here's how he puts it, and I quote, just as at the Olympic Games, it is not the best looking or the strongest men present that are crowned with wreaths, but the competitors. Because it is from them that the winners come. So it is those who act that rightly win the honors and rewards in life. Now, to recap his point, you can't just know how to live virtuously. You need to actually live with virtue. And I repeat, theory is rudimentary philosophy, practice is the advanced work. And I'm reminded of Donald Robertson's genius wisdom on the difference between being a warrior of the mind and a mere librarian of the mind. As we discussed in the Philosophy of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, he tells us the ancients conceived of the ideal philosopher as a veritable warrior of the mind, a spiritual hero akin to Hercules himself. But since the demise of the Hellenistic schools, the philosopher has become something more bookish. Not a warrior, but a mere librarian of the mind. Today's one Is there a theory you need to make a practice? Which one and how will you bring it to life today? Here's to leaving the library and heading into the Olympic arena that is our lives. Hey, this is Brian with a quick question for you. Do you know what the word optimize literally means? It's from the Latin optimus, which means the best. In our case, we're talking about helping you create the best version of you. So another quick question. What's the best version of you look like you? How does that version of you show up in the world? Helping you be that version of yourself all day, every day is what our optimized membership program is all about. Now, we obviously give away a ton of content for free and we give our 10,000 plus premium members a ton more. Members get hundreds of Philosopher's Notes which are 20 minute book summaries that help you apply the best big ideas for from the best optimal living books to your life today. Plus members get dozens of hour long optimal living 101 masterclasses more wisdom in less time for your busy life on everything from the science of setting and achieving goals, how to optimize your energy via the fundamentals of nutrition, movement, sleep and meditation, and how to be super productive day in and day out, while of course, enjoying the whole process. Every facet of your life optimized equals you at your absolute best.
