Who you are vs What you think the world thinks you are - JRE interview w/ Guy Ritchie

Funny you posted this I listened to the first 9 minutes this morning and then got interrupted. The great thing about Joe Rogan is he knows enough to know he doesn't know and because of that is very intellectually curious. Because of that he invites comedians, scientists(Neal DeGrass Tyson), et.al. to explains their points of view on a myriad of their respective topics and opinions.

This was sublimely deep in a way I never appreciated Guy Ritchie. I mean his movies are great and appeal to me stylistically, but to really hear how he loves to tell stories and how deep he goes into his plot using multiple layers of depth was refreshing. He certainly is no Michael Bay in that respect, and that's a good thing.

Then I listened to the part you highlighted about self awareness. Again, very deep. I want to go off my leash a bit and say that I meet very few people whom I see as having an hint of introspection. If the ones who have it it is mostly the meek smart guys on brokerage team I run across. Seldom however is it the rain makers and salesmen who have this introspection. They have instead some almost primitive cognition of how to sell. Now maybe selling doesn't lend itself to being conscious of our actions because it usually is the assholes who are very good at sales, so sure of themselves. And you frankly have to, so I donut begrudge them that. But as an example of a person whom I think represents the personally accountable man is Ray Dalio. Listen to any of his press releases on YouTube, there is a bright man and not just because he is wealthy or correct but because he centers his firms investment strategy upon the mantra of introspection. In his case it is the introspection of ideas and strategies and the constant looking inward of positions in the market and thinking "is this the right play because I want it to be the right play or because it actually is.

In our culture you can make a guess that 40% of people lack a basic introspection and those are the people on the far right and far left. They can't look inward and see if a position they have makes sense because it is right or instead just because it defines them as a person. Now I'm highly cynical, always trust a person to do what is in their self interest and always trust a smart person will do mental gymnastics to prove to themselves they are right. At the end of the day nobody wants criticism all they want is consensus.

Later Guy touches upon the book "Extreme Ownership by Jocko Willink and a subordinate in the service with him who I feel bad for not remembering his name. Now I highly recommend this book, perhaps one of the best business and philosophy books I've ever read, and for perspective I consider myself an avid reader judging by the books on my nightstand(at least 5). One of the best 150 pages I've read recently is from the first part of Sapiens by some Israeli name I can hardly pronounce or spell. Back to Jocko, now in this book he clearly cuts out how in life and in a mission everything is your fault. You ever tell your boss sorry I was late the trains were delayed? Well his answer would be it was my fault. And then he would mentally go over what he had done wrong that morning to cause him to be for work(hypothetically of course). Was it I didn't a lot myself enough time for breakfast, or did my power go off last night and restart my alarm clock and now because of that and to prevent this in the future maybe I need two alarm clocks, one battery operated. It is this mode of thinking, this ownership that FORCES you to be introspective. To take up this mindset of ownership you have to be accountable for everything. Now I know what some younger guys are thinking because I was a younger guy. Sounds Effin exhausting, and well it is. You will only makes changes when and IF it is important to you. Laid off from your last job, was it really downsizing or those excuses you tell yourself or was it because your work just wasn't top notch. Now it sounds scary to be this critical of yourself and it is but only if you don't want to put in the effort of going about and fixing it. As an example I've yoyo dieted in the past gain 30 lose 30 but always in a way that's i would gain it back. I've taken myself upon a new diet where it is brutally hard. Now for details I'm not talking about a calorie restrictive diet but a tracking macros diet and no cheating. It is the hardest diet I've been on but it is because I actually wanted to lose weight not through unsustainable 16 hour cardio sessions a week where I gain it all back when I stop. Losing weight because critically important and so it has taken precedence over a burger and fries.

Another thing Guy Ritchie said about minute 50 is that "Monkeys"(sic) don't worry if you are not that extreme ownership guy right now and it doesn't resonate with you. You can't lead a horse to water, you will be ready when you are ready and not sooner.