This is the Call For Adventure | Dr. Jordan Peterson Motivation

Summary

The speaker emphasizes the importance of confronting life's harsh realities, including unjust suffering, death, and the metaphorical concept of 'hell.' They suggest that facing malevolence, both within oneself and from others, is a transformative process that can lead to deep psychological and physiological changes. By adopting a voluntary confrontational attitude towards stressors, one can undergo a cellular level transformation, potentially unlocking new aspects of their DNA. The ultimate goal is to prepare oneself not only to endure life's catastrophes but to maintain goodness and do good in the face of adversity, reflecting a profound religious and personal journey of self-improvement.

Takeaways

• 😨 Facing Reality: The script emphasizes the importance of confronting the harsh realities of life, including unjust suffering and death.
• 🔥 Existence of Hell: It suggests that there are things worse than death, implying the existence of a concept like 'hell' that one must face.
• 🤔 Personal Malevolence: The speaker posits that individuals will inevitably face their own malevolence and that of others, including societal pressures.
• 💪 Voluntary Exposure: It advocates for the practice of voluntary confrontation with fears and terrors as a means of personal transformation.
• 🧠 Psychological Change: The script discusses how voluntary confrontation can lead to a psychophysiological transformation, altering one's biochemistry of motivation and emotion.
• 🧬 Cellular Transformation: It mentions that engaging in new and complex activities can trigger the production of new proteins, leading to cellular reconstruction.
• 🤷‍♂️ Life's Challenges: The speaker acknowledges that life will throw more challenges than one can manage, but questions the potential for transformation if one does not withdraw in fear.
• 🛡 Preparing for Adversity: The script suggests that preparation for life's adversities, including unjust suffering and death, is crucial.
• 🏰 Spiritual Preparedness: It hints at the religious enterprise as a form of preparation for the inevitable challenges of life.
• 🌱 Growth Through Adversity: The speaker encourages embracing life's adversities as an opportunity for growth and transformation.
• 🛤️ The Path of Good: The script concludes with the idea that facing life's challenges can lead to a state of being where one continues to do good despite the hardships.

Q & A

What is the primary message of the speaker regarding facing life's challenges?

The speaker emphasizes that one must face the reality of unjust suffering, death, and even the concept of hell, suggesting that there are things worse than death and that facing these challenges can lead to a transformative personal growth.

What does the speaker mean by 'malevolence' in the context of the script?

The term 'malevolence' refers to the ill-will or harmful intentions one might encounter from oneself or others, including the mob, which the speaker suggests is something one must confront and overcome.

How does the speaker describe the psychological and physiological transformation that occurs when facing fears?

The speaker explains that voluntary confrontation of fears can lead to a transformation at a cellular level, affecting one's biochemistry of motivation and emotion, and even activating parts of DNA to produce new proteins.

What is the significance of adopting a 'voluntary confrontation' attitude according to the speaker?

Adopting a voluntary confrontation attitude towards stressors can change a person psychophysiologically, turning a potentially oppressive and paralyzing force into a catalyst for personal growth and transformation.

How does the speaker relate the practice of facing fears to religious preparation?

The speaker suggests that the process of preparing for life's challenges, including unjust suffering and death, is akin to a religious enterprise, a form of spiritual preparation for the inevitable.

What does the speaker suggest is the potential outcome of not facing life's challenges?

The speaker implies that not facing life's challenges can lead to hopelessness and desperation, whereas confronting them can transform a person into someone capable of bearing life's catastrophes.

What is the speaker's view on the possibility of becoming better despite life's adversities?

The speaker believes that it is not only possible but noble to become a better person by facing life's adversities, suggesting that one could still do good even when facing the worst life has to offer.

How does the speaker define 'unjust suffering' in the context of the script?

While the speaker does not explicitly define 'unjust suffering,' it is implied to refer to hardships or pain that one endures without apparent reason or fairness, which must be faced and understood.

What is the role of new and complex activities in personal transformation according to the speaker?

The speaker explains that engaging in new and complex activities can activate parts of the DNA that were previously inactive, leading to the production of new proteins and a reconstruction of the individual from the cellular level up.

How does the speaker perceive the idea of facing life's challenges as an 'adventure'?

The speaker views facing life's challenges as an adventure that can be embraced voluntarily, suggesting that this approach can transform the scope of one's life, including dealing with unjust suffering, death, and even hell.

What is the speaker's perspective on the relationship between facing life's difficulties and doing good?

The speaker posits that facing life's difficulties can not only prepare an individual for what's coming but also enable them to maintain a sense of goodness and avoid bitterness, resentment, and the temptation to worsen their situation.

Outlines

00:00

🔥 Facing the Reality of Suffering and Transformation

The speaker emphasizes the importance of confronting the harsh realities of life, including suffering, death, and the concept of 'hell'. They argue that there are things worse than death and that facing one's own malevolence and that of others is inevitable. The paragraph discusses the idea of voluntary exposure to fear and terror as a means of personal transformation, suggesting that such confrontation can lead to a deep, cellular change in an individual. The speaker also touches on the psychological and physiological evidence supporting the transformative power of stressors when approached with an attitude of voluntary confrontation.

Keywords

💡Unjust Suffering

Unjust suffering refers to the pain and hardship that individuals endure without any apparent reason or fairness. In the video, it is presented as a reality that people must face, and it is linked to the idea that there are worse things than death, setting the stage for a deeper discussion on confronting life's challenges. The script mentions facing 'unjust suffering and death' as part of the human experience that can lead to transformative growth.

💡Hell

In the context of the video, 'hell' is used metaphorically to represent extreme suffering or a state of torment that is considered worse than death. It is suggested as a reality that individuals may face in life, prompting the need for preparation and transformation to confront such adversities without succumbing to despair or bitterness.

💡Malevolence

Malevolence is the intent to cause harm or evil. The video discusses facing one's own malevolence, which implies self-reflection and acknowledgment of one's darker impulses. It also refers to the malevolence of others, including the mob, indicating the need to confront and understand the harmful actions of people in society.

💡Voluntary Exposure

Voluntary exposure is the act of deliberately facing and confronting that which is frightening or distressing. The video encourages this as a means of personal transformation, suggesting that by choosing to face fears, one can undergo a profound change at a psychological and physiological level.

💡Transformation

Transformation in the video is the process of change and growth that occurs when an individual chooses to confront rather than avoid their fears and challenges. It is described as a deep, cellular-level change that can result from adopting an attitude of voluntary confrontation, leading to a new pattern of being.

💡Stressors

Stressors are factors or events that cause stress or strain. The video discusses how turning stressors into challenges can lead to a transformation in one's biochemistry of motivation and emotion, suggesting that stress can be a catalyst for positive change when faced proactively.

💡Catastrophe

Catastrophe, in this context, refers to a sudden and extreme disaster or misfortune. The video suggests that through preparation and transformation, one can become capable of bearing the weight of life's catastrophes, including unjust suffering and death.

💡Good

The concept of 'good' in the video is associated with the moral and ethical actions one chooses to take, especially in the face of adversity. It is posited that facing life's challenges can lead to a state where one not only endures but continues to act in a good and noble manner.

💡Religious Enterprise

The term 'religious enterprise' is used to describe the process of spiritual preparation and transformation. It is suggested that this preparation is not just a religious or metaphysical concept but a practical approach to life's inevitable challenges.

💡Adventure

In the video, 'adventure' is used metaphorically to describe the voluntary journey of confronting life's difficulties. It implies an active and courageous approach to life's challenges, viewing them as opportunities for growth rather than insurmountable barriers.

💡Bitterness and Resentment

Bitterness and resentment are negative emotions that arise from feeling wronged or mistreated. The video warns against allowing these emotions to take hold when facing life's adversities, suggesting that true preparation involves maintaining a positive and constructive attitude.

Highlights

Facing the reality of unjust suffering, death, and even hell is an essential part of life.

There are things worse than death, such as the malevolence within ourselves and others.

Voluntary confrontation of what terrifies and dismays us can lead to profound personal transformation.

Psychological research shows that adopting an attitude of voluntary confrontation can change our biochemistry and motivation.

Stressful situations can be transformed into opportunities for growth and advancement.

Engaging with new and complex challenges can activate previously unused parts of our DNA, leading to cellular reconstruction.

The process of doing good in the face of life's catastrophes and exposure to hell is a noble and realistic goal.

Religion, in its deepest sense, can be seen as a process of preparing for life's inevitable challenges.

Becoming prepared for life's difficulties can help maintain a positive and constructive attitude even in the face of adversity.

The possibility of transforming oneself into someone who continues to do good despite facing life's worst challenges.

The importance of not withdrawing in fear from life's challenges and instead embracing them as opportunities for growth.

The idea that life's problems are not insurmountable and can be transformed into a voluntary adventure.

The transformative power of facing life's difficulties with a spirit of adventure rather than despair.

The potential for deep personal transformation at a cellular level through embracing life's challenges.

The role of psychology in understanding how voluntary confrontation can lead to significant changes in motivation and emotion.

The concept that the religious enterprise is fundamentally about preparing oneself for the inevitable difficulties of life.

The transformative journey of turning life's catastrophes into opportunities for personal growth and doing good.

Transcripts

and I would say you don't just have to

face the reality of unjust suffering and

death in your life you have to face the

reality of hell I think there are things

in life that are worse than death there

are things in life that are worse than

unjust suffering and death and that the

things that lead to hell are worse and

you might think well I don't have to

worry about that it's like yeah you do

as a matter of fact because you're going

to face those things too and you're

going to face that when you face your

own malevolence which you will and

you're going to face that when you face

the malevolence of others including the

mob and some that's just death and

tragedy just and some of it is something

far darker and deeper than that and so

face that and so that's kind of

interesting if you practice forthright

and voluntary exposure to that which

terrifies and dismays you it transforms

you and we really know this as

psychologist we we even know there's

more and more evidence suggesting for

example that if you imagine you adopt

this attitude of voluntary confrontation

that changes you psychophys logically

much of the biochemistry of motivation

and emotion is transformed when you take

a stressor which could be oppressive and

paralyze you and cause you to withdraw

and you reverse that you decide to

advance it's like a different Spirit

inhabits you and and I mean this

physiologically there's a whole

different pattern of being that makes

itself manifest in you neurologically

and psychophysiologically and

pharmacologically so you take it on as a

challenge that transforms you at a

cellular level too because one of the

things we've discovered in recent years

is that if you do something new and

complex then that turns on new that

parts of your DNA that haven't produced

proteins before will start producing new

proteins and reconstruct you from the

cellular level up so it's a deep

transformation and we we have no idea

how deep and again you could ask

yourself if you didn't withdraw in fear

from everything that life threw at you

who could you become are more things

thrown at us than we can manage well

that's a tricky question and you might

say well that's just presents an

insuperable barrier to progress that's

not very helpful cuz you're alive here

you are you got these problems to

contend with and if it's an impossible

task then how could you be anything but

hopeless and desperate but then you

think well wait a second how would

things transform if I took this on as a

voluntary Adventure you know regardless

of its scope and the scope would include

unjust suffering death and hell and

that's not just some religious or

metaphysical Vision it's like no no

you're actually going to have to contend

with that in your life in whatever way

those things make themselves manifest to

you personally that's coming man and so

maybe you better get prepared and then

the question might be well what would

happen if you got prepared and the

answer might be you'd be prepared and I

think the religious Enterprise in its

deepest sense is that process of

preparation and you know you might want

to even push that a bit further you

might say well not only do you want to

get prepared for what's coming your way

but you want to be so prepared that when

it comes your way that it doesn't make

you bitter and resentful and tempted by

the desire to walk the path that would

make all of that even worse and so you

might say well if you could really face

up to what you need to face up to not

only could you turn yourself into some

one that could bear the catastrophe of

life and exposure to hell but maybe you

could turn yourself into someone who

would still do good even well facing

those things that's a Prett Noble goal

you know cuz it's realistic it's not

naive at all it says look man you know

trouble's coming your way and it's real

and and yet it's possible that you could

confront that and still do good in the

deepest sense