Which school of thought is the best?

Ever had an inspiring idea or huge dream and felt like sharing it with a friend? You're not alone. Many of us want to share our goals and dreams with others. Sharing in itself gives us great joy, and we can also get feedback and receive encouragement when doing so. In "The monk who sold his Ferrari", Robin Sharma advocates putting positive pressure on ourselves to keep us inspired towards our goals (1). He claims that telling others of our plans or doing them for charity can be a big motivational factor. Sharing in this way means we create a bit of accountability. Sounds appealing, right?

But what if you're a more private person? If you're usually the type to keep your next steps and aspirations only to yourself, you're not wrong either. According to Robert Greene, concealing your intentions is one of the best things one can do. His book on "The 48 laws of power" states that most people lay their plans bare - a characteristic that makes them predictable and almost impossible to fear or respect (2). He, therefore, advises concealing our true plans and intentions in order to obtain power.

So, which of these schools of thought is best? The short answer: it depends on you.

You see, we're told what to do from the moment we can talk. Even the way we are taught in school depicts how following versus leading takes precedence, until we learn critical thinking at a certain age. Here's another observation: just because we're taught to think critically doesn't mean we will do so naturally. It's easy to follow someone's steps regarding what works and avoiding what doesn't, because that saves us energy and time trying to figure it out on our own. I believe that's precisely where the problem lies.

We are unique beings who come from diverse cultures, belief systems and educational backgrounds. How then, can one school of thought prevail when it comes to achieving results and success or making life decisions? I believe that we can achieve our goals when we practice our discretion. Here's a method I use when deciding to follow a system:

1. What are my values? Do I believe in honesty, live with integrity and care about others? Or am I centred on my own gains?
2. What do I aim to achieve with my goals? Are they geared towards the greater good in the end? Am I hurting/harming others in the process? Ancient philosophers talked about means and ends (3). All goals are either a way to get something (the means) or the final end (the result), and we must look at our goals to see where they are leading us. (Picture credit: Wesleyan University, Living the good life course, January 2022)
3. What does this (insert whoever you wish to follow) school of thought advocate in terms of my goals? Are their tips/steps in alignment with my values? Can I be who I want to be when following them, or do I have to throw my values out of the window?
4. Which actions must I take in order to achieve my goals according to them? Are they realistic? Waking up at 5am doesn't work for me e.g., which means that I'm putting my goals at risk by choosing a method that advocates waking up at this hour. Is this method realistic, in that case? On the other hand, can I learn something new through this school of thought that may get me out of my comfort zone? This is a bonus!
5. And finally, why am I following this school of thought? What are the results that people have achieved through it, and do I want to mirror similar results? I believe that we usually look at this step as our number one. We focus on results first, without paying attention to determining factors like step 1-4. By putting values first, we can be more aligned with our true self and our vision. Robin Sharma's book is clearly focused on simplicity, habits, nourishment of the body and soul, and building accountability. Announcing your goals is a good idea if you feel you match these ideals. Now, if you are in politics or even in a position of power in a company where revealing too much of your plans may work against you, you might follow Robert Greene's advice instead. This is where it comes down to discretion and values.

The aforementioned method is not exhaustive by any means. It is simply a way of assessing what works and how we can choose wisely, even when following someone influential. There's one more thing I'd like to point out here: we don't have to follow one particular school of thought to succeed in life. I choose to follow various steps from different schools of thought. I mix and match and create my own eclectic method, and know of others who do the same.

If you have any thoughts regarding the points presented in this article, please feel free to share them with me in the comments. I'd love to learn how you choose a school of thought.

Sources:

(1) Sharma, R. S. (1998). The monk who sold his Ferrari: A spiritual fable about fulfilling your dreams and reaching your destiny. Toronto: HarperCollins.

(2) Greene, R., & Elffers, J. (2000).?The 48 laws of power.

(3) https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/ethics-ancient/

#awareness #mindset #storytelling #values #leadership