10 ways to be extraordinary - nietzsche

Friedrich Nietzsche - How To Be Extraordinary (Existentialism)

he cared deeply about humanity, as well as human overcoming their animal instincts or areas they got trapped in herd mentality. over human = overcoming the traps of most individuals

1. be an unconventional essentialist



quote: "it is my ambition to say in ten sentences what everyone else says in a whole book,—what everyone else does not say in a whole book." 51, twilight of idols under Goethe



implication: his aphorisms are sharp and punchy, and he often writes against what many people think to be true but is not



to find what is essential need experience and observation. not just thinking, but testing that thinking with action and interfacing with Life



as a writer, important to say as much with as little as possible (reminds of navalisms).



also focus relentlessly with what is truly important in Life. avoid the mundane (weather, small talk materialism, jobs where people are track, etc)



nietzche defines an essentialist: an individual with high self esteem with goals and priorities



(#to-read - how to build self esteem? what keeps low self esteem?)



2. be authentic

quote: "the disappointed man speaks:—I sought for great men, but all I found were the apes of their ideal." 39 in twilight of idols



philosophy with a 🔨 where he takes out famous thinkers



many people follow the herd and few are real, authentic, and honest with themselves. few people are free (like the lion or baby in thus spoke)



being authentic is hard, it takes courage, and will create friction in life as it's by definition not fitting in.



self discovery = self awareness.



when someone asks you to do something you can't do or don't want to = say no. confront people you disagree with.



being extraordinary, going beyond the ordinary starts with being your authentic self.



(how to help instill that individualism within a community, even if that community is well intentioned for everyone?)



(what happens if your authentic self is not one that is worth being? or is that self doubt and everyone has a version of themselves worth being?)



3. look for wisdom

quote: "once for all I wish to be blind to many things.—Wisdom sets bounds even to knowledge." 5, maxim and missiles in twilight of idols



philosopher = extrapolates from his own observations in Life and of different fields of knowledge





he distrusts academics or scholars who observe life of other people -> ie. they say nothing new, they only comment on differen things. it's an artificial kind of smart and a limited kind of understanding



knowledge = comes from learning, and causes slave mentality. we stop reflecting why we do what we do, or asking why



wisdom = from experience and day to day. takes time to understand who you are and what you want. filter out information



4. put your will into things

quote: "he who knows not how to plant his will in things, at least endows them with some meaning: that is to say, he believes that a will is already present in them. (A principle of faith.), 18 maxims and missles in twilight of idols

untrue stories of fake paradises, ex. religion tells you you are free. which comes with certain responsibilities (attending mass, what to believe, etc) and limits freedom (tells you what not to do in a prescriptive way)

so what did he do?

he created his own values after a "total reconsideration of all values"

question: what beliefs keep us captive?

• "everyone has a soulmate"

• "good always overcomes evil"

how can we better face reality as it is?



5. love your destiny (fate, circumstances, cards given to you)

quote: “My formula for greatness in a human being is amor fati: that one wants nothing to be different, not forward, not backward, not in all eternity. Not merely bear what is necessary, still less conceal it—all idealism is mendacity in the face of what is necessary—but love it.” Friedrich Nietzsche, 1888 (1908 published), Ecce Homo, Why I Am So Clever, 10



he did not believe in free will but reaffirming life as it is



seek deep understanding and acceptance. ETERNAL RECURRENCE -> if you were to relive this life over and over again would you?



cannot chose country, family, or circumstances born into. but can embrace it.



accept death.



purpose of life is not your happiness but a constant process of self discovery 🤯

• need self awareness - meditation or reflection, feedback

6. never fear failure

quote: “You must be ready to burn yourself in your own flame; how could you rise anew if you have not first become ashes?”, thus spoke in way of the creating one

fear is a stimulus of success, find meaning in suffering, learn from it

7. always speak your truth

"silence is worse: all truths kept silent become poisonous"

speak what is. speak is what is on your mind.

"god is dead."

have courage to speak extreme truths.

not an absolute concept, but an individual perspective

comes from your interpretation of the world.

speak truths in relationships. EVEN IN RELATIONSHIP WITH YOURSELF. need to listen and speak.

live life in accordance with your truth.

alignment.

8. stay connected with nature.

"all truly great thoughts are conceived while walking."

learn from environment.

walking = thinking in natural way.

9. be pragmatic

quote: ultimately no one can hear in things - books included - more than he already knows. if youhave no access to something from experience you will have no ear for it.

experience is the best way to learn

have to find solutions to problem - responsibility for knowledge - test with experiene



10. be a dynamite

quote: "i am not a man, i am a dynamite"

blast what's been done, and reconsider all values.

it comes at an individual price but serves community and world at large