Philosophers Notes - Episode 34: Seneca on the Importance of Focus

Brian Johnson's (founder of Zaadz) newest venture is Philosophers Notes, a kind of cliff notes to the great books in philosophy, psychology, and personal growth. Here is a recent episode of his podcast. Good stuff - Seneca is one of my favorites.

Episode 34: Seneca on the Importance of Focus

“To be everywhere is to be nowhere.” ~ Seneca from Letters from a Stoic

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• PhilosophersNotes

Transcript

Seneca on the Importance of Focus

“To be everywhere is to be nowhere.” ~ Seneca from Letters from a Stoic

Love the fact that was said by a guy who lived 2,000 years ago. (Apparently multi-tasking/over-working has been around for awhile. :)

There are obviously a lot of ways we can look at this: from the frenzied pace we tend to live running from one activity to another to the constant juggling of projects in a never-ending loop of trying to do way more than possible and/or necessary. So, I’ll ask: are you being “everywhere” and therefore “nowhere”? How can you slow down and experience the Power of Now?

Another thought comes to mind: Ken Wilber, the modern Integral Philosopher (see Notes), talks about the fact that we have what he calls “multiple lines of development” in our lives--from the spiritual line of development to the intellectual, creative, physical, social, family, moral, etc. Obviously, we want to push all of our lines forward but Wilber likes to say, “Don’t be a metaphyscial glutton.”

Don’t try to develop ALL your lines at once. Slow down, pick a line or two to work on and FOCUS. In other words, “To be everywhere is to be nowhere.”

Tags: Philosophers Notes, Episode 34, Seneca, Importance of Focus, philosophy