Dr. Sam Goldstein: The No.1 Skill For Surviving The 21st Century
What I learned from speaking with Dr. Sam Goldstein.
Hey, it's the Jona Digest.
“I count him braver who overcomes his desires than him who conquers his enemies; for the hardest victory is over self.” – Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics
This week, I spoke with Dr. Sam Goldstein, a neuropsychologist, author, and expert on self-discipline. Here are the 5 biggest lessons I took from our conversation:
1. Biology Is Not Destiny, It Just Affects Probability
There are three elements that determine your likelihood of success:
Ability (hardwired traits)
Knowledge (what you learn)
Skill (how well you execute)
While you can't change your natural abilities, you can always acquire new knowledge and develop better skills.
If you struggle with self-discipline today, you're not doomed; you simply get to work harder on the knowledge and skill components.
2. Don't Restrict Technology, Learn to Manage It
Rather than building walls to keep the digital world out, we need to teach ourselves (and our future kids) how to deal with technology wisely. You can't enforce restrictions forever, and the world will manage you if you don't learn to manage it first.
3. Self-Discipline Makes the World Accept You
Self-discipline, resilience, and tenacity work together to make society more willing to support you, cut you slack, and open doors.
When you can do boring tasks, function under stress, and stick through challenges, people naturally want to help you succeed.
4. Stress Yourself Proactively For Resilience
Instead of waiting until you're drowning to learn how to swim, preload yourself with coping skills before hardship hits. Assume that challenges will come to you and build your psychological toolkit in advance; it's far more effective than looking for solutions during a crisis.
5. Examine Where Your Motivation Actually Comes From
Ask yourself honestly: Does your drive come from within (intrinsic) or from external rewards & fears? Children naturally want to help without expecting anything in return; that's intrinsic motivation.
You can activate that internal drive through more reflection & getting to know the insides of your mind.
I wish you much love & success,
Jona
Here is my first podcast episode: