#128 Sam Harris on How to Instantly Achieve a Calm State | Impact Theory

Sam Harris, 5-time NYT best-selling author, believes the limits to human well-being have not yet been reached. By being open to being wrong, improving our conversations with others and with our own selves, we can learn to control our emotions and our destiny. On this episode of Impact Theory with Tom Bilyeu, Sam Harris talks about what to do if you suffer from anxiety, feel lost or hopeless, or just want to connect more effectively with real life.

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SHOW NOTES:

Sam defines what a good life is, and why we have to get our act together  [3:05]

Sam describes the relationship between philanthropy and psychological good  [5:12]

Sam challenges dogma and advocates open conversation and scientific investigation  [8:39]

Sam and Tom discuss skill acquisition, and how even well-being is a skill  [16:03]

Sam and Tom discuss emotional control  [22:34]

Sam explains that he has no life hacks to optimize learning  [26:46]

Sam describes meditation as jiu-jitsu for the mind  [29:56]

Sam explains why ego and never-ending thoughts cause suffering  [33:49]

Sam describes what a flourishing life would be  [40:11]

Sam talks about what to do if you are just completely lost  [45:27]

Sam shares the impact he would like to have on the world  [50:24]

QUOTES:

We have to be continually open to the possibility that we might be wrong, and in fact we are very likely to be wrong, a lot of the time. [11:59]

The half-life of negative emotions is incredibly short. [22:30]

I know there’s an infinite amount of stuff I want to read. I don’t go into the table of contents and look at the structure of the book, and go to the index and look at the topics. I just start on page one and start reading. When I get bored I stop. Do with that life-hack what you will.  [28:41]

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BOOKS MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE:

The End of Faith https://amzn.to/2x1iE1A [1:34]