Fact: We all live our lives according to some philosophy…

… But most people just don't realise it.

Philosophy, left to languish, has let us all down. But we need it more than ever.

Now, what is an article on philosophy doing on a website dedicated to better mental health?

How boring can an article get!

Quick!

Answer quick: When I say the word "philosophy", what springs immediately to your mind?

Remember your answer now. I'll come back to it in a moment.

Go backwards

OK, let's step back first. Way, way back. Back… to when philosophy was a highly regarded subject. When philosophers such as Aristotle and Socrates made names for themselves.

(It's hard to imagine someone today getting famous for being philosophical, isn't it?)

Yet, their names have resounded through the centuries…

Boring?

… And seriously shaped our very lives today. Much of what you see going on started with those people. Communism started with some of Socrates' ideas. Aristotle helped to shape capitalism. The laws that you live under, the way you earn money, the taxes that you pay… these all started with someone's philosophy.

"But, how can that be?" you may ask.

Good question!

What's it got to do with me?

Back in Ancient Greece, and in fact until early last century, philosophy had a practical and important purpose:

It was supposed to help us work out how to live! The purpose of philosophy was to work out how the world worked, what we should do about it, and how to live happy, moral and fulfilled lives.

But, when I asked you at the top of this article what "philosophy" brought to mind, it was probably some irrelevant nonsense. Like, "How many angels fit on the head of a pin?" Or maybe just, "Boring!"

You see, the job of a philosopher is to give you something that is practical, useful, and important. Working out how many angels fit on the head of a pin hardly fits that purpose, does it?

Where has philosophy gone?

Modern philosophers seem to have lost their claim to any relevance. Perhaps that's deliberate: Without a firm philosophy to base your life on, politicians can easily sway you to their opinions.

Fact: We all live our lives according to some philosophy…

… But most people just don't realise it.

That's why it's so easy for us to get lost and manipulated.

Practical philosophy, the kind that affects our governments, rules, economy, morals and in the end our very day-to-day lives, has been ignored and left to perish.

That's sad, and is one of the reasons that this world does have such fierce problems.

What philosophy is really about

So, what should philosophy really be about?

It's simple.

Philosophy is about working out how to live. How to live a happy, moral and fulfilled life. (I already said that, didn't I?)

It's either practical… or it's pointless!

I've studied many super-successful people. Not just the financially successful, but also the happy, the contented, the achievers.

Without exception, the happiest people have sound, practical, moral, and above all useful philosophies.

Isn't it time…?

Isn't it time for you to work out your philosophy?

Working out your philosophy

When you work out your philosophy, you become sure of what you want and what you don't. Sales pitches don't influence you the way they used to, and you no longer worry about what other people think.

Working out your philosophy is quite simple, but goes beyond the scope of this article. You could work with a coach, many of whom are trained to find out your values (a fundamental part of your philosophy).

Perhaps sometime, I'll write an article about how to work out your philosophy!