Phocus

Why wouldn't people believe that if hundreds of millions of dollars have been invested into educating people that this is the case? @JevinR Same as everyone has said above: beans, nuts, lentils, oats, ect.. but its not actually as important as you think it is. For the purposes of building muscle (which is usually what people care about when discussing protein) what's more important is getting enough calories to go with your workouts.

Am I not an equitable substitute, Natasha?

Eckhart Tolle talks about this in his book The Power of Now. When you reach that point, you're "...one step away from annihilation, and one step away from enlightenment". This false sense of self that is craving annihilation is what needs to be exposed. Don't get caught up in the content of the illusion. It's not a movie. It's just light flickering on the wall. Who are you?

@likhil Leo speaks about Meditation vs Self Inquiry or, "looking". In his words, meditation is a very slow and indirect way of pursuing enlightenment. Go rewatch his "How to become enlightened" video.

Just now I was writing a post in my self-actualization journal when I had strangely powerful experience. Quick note, I do not like bugs. I am not consciously "afraid" of them, but if I see a bug and I have the ability to kill it, it's going to die. There is just no two ways about it. So, I was playing a video game on my phone and I could hear a fly buzzing around the room. Eventually, the fly flew over and landed on my hand that I was using to play the game with. Normally, I would have immediately flicked my wrist and swatted at the fly but I had an experience the previous day that showed me that this neurotic attacking, which was my previously conditioned mind-response, was not actually going to produce the results that I wanted. What I truly wanted was for the bug to not "bother" me. So, instead of attacking the bug, I focused my present energy and conscious attention on the bug. I sat and stared at the fly crawling around on my finger. It rubbed its front legs together to clean itself and sat peacefully on my hand. I realized that I was staring at a representation of my life's challenges. In one hand I held my phone with my video game actively running on it which represented my unconscious need for stimulation and on the other hand (literally and physically ON the other hand) I had a fly which represented consciousness and presence. It was such a satisfying feeling watching the fly. If I would have seen someone do what I just did a month ago, I would have thought they were very strange. Thank you @Leo Gura

I bought Leo's Ultimate Life Purpose course a few months ago. I made it through the first few videos but I wasn't fully ready to commit to it so I put it off. In the past... 2 weeks I had the right series of events occur that really drove me to massively contemplate setting a radically new direction in my life: Read a book that stressed the importance of setting measurable goals and taking immediate action Leo's video on the importance of being a Strategic Mother Fucker A failed job interview, which trigger a bunch of deep thinking about why.. A LONG conversation with an older (65) coworker about life, anything and everything Finally, after all of this, I realized that if I am going to be committing myself to this new (unknown) direction, I should invest some energy in making sure that I am going the right way. Thus, it is now time to complete the course. In the interest of preserving the integrity of the course, I won't be posting my notes or other course related material, but mostly about my inner monologue related to it and my reaction to different concepts.

Haha...

It's been a few days but, wow, I've had some POWERFUL and life-changing experiences. My perspective on the world has begun to completely transform. I'm going to have to re-read/listen to a variety of personal development content because I just see things so differently now. I am only through about 2/3rds of the "core concepts" but I believe I have already found my "bliss". It came to me spontaneously one night while lying in bed reflecting on a very unsatisfying and, somewhat unpleasant, conversation with my girlfriend. I was talking to her about some of thoughts related to enlightenment and described this conflict I was having between my "inner demons" which were pushing me to pursue that which would manifest material wealth instead of pursuing enlightenment. Throughout our "conversation" she just sat and stared at me blankly, offering nothing. I had solicited for feedback from her a few times but it was all very cold and forced. This bothered me. A lot. As I was lying in bed I was reflecting on a variety of things related to this experience and why this bothered me so much. But, it just sort of hit me "it bothers me because deep conversations are my thing. Oh, deep conversations are my thing!" The language used to describe this isn't very powerful but it was a moving experience. Deep conversations are something that many people enjoy but I have always sought out friends and strangers alike to better understand what their life-experience is like. A genuine curiosity. Throughout this process I have raised my awareness and become conscious of this. Other people have also recognized this in me as well. I still want to keep my mind open to other possibilities but if nothing else, this has been a great experience for how I could find other purposes should this one not pan out to be as practically applicable. The conversation around enlightenment was triggered by Leo's most recent video about enlightenment and had an enormous impact on me. I was already suppressing the belief that I should be pursuing enlightenment and he pretty much said "you're a fucking idiot if you're not pursuing enlightenment". For a while I was conflicted about how that would fit in with my life purpose but, I realized "Enlightenment wouldn't get in the way of my passion, it would supercharge it". The depth of compassion and rapport that I would be able to develop in conjunction with my natural analytical abilities, ect.. How I've Consumed the Course's Material The method that I have developed has been very effective in saturating my mind with these concepts and I think it has facilitated this transformation. The videos for this course are not downloadable or accessible offline in any way and initially I thought that was kind of annoying but I recognized that this is actually a hidden gift. Here is what I do: First time through, I watch the video seated at my desk, free of distractions. I take notes via a digital notepad and review the notes at the end of the video. I have only skipped notes on a few of the videos as they covered concepts presented in books that I had already read and was very familiar with. Throughout my day I will re-listen to the videos that were particularly interesting/valuable while doing other activities (driving, doing chores around the house, ect..) to make sure that I fully understand the concepts presented. I also have friend at work and my girlfriend who are interested in some of these concepts so, where possible, I teach them about the ideas presented and their application. This way, I have to understand the concepts completely and fully so that I can explain them and answer questions about them. As Leo has mentioned in some of his earlier videos, you need to work the course harder than it is working you. Your results will be proportional to the amount of energy you invest in the program. If you actually want to change your life, it is going to take a lot of work. That's why nobody does it!

Similar to what @Emerald Wilkins said, accept that you are a liar. Then, work from within the confines of "the box" to transcend it. Intellectually believing that you should no longer lie will not bring about any lasting change. Fix the problem at the root.

"A man should penetrate the world as he penetrates his woman. Not for personal gain or pleasure, but to magnify love, openness and depth." -David Deida

@Lynnel Great work, this will undoubtedly be a very valuable resource for anyone in a dysfunctional relationship or dealing with heartbreak. Obviously this material is very "pro-breakup" so, for the opposing side of things, how can one distinguish whether they are experiencing normal relationship growing pains that should be developed through vs. signs of dysfunction that signal you're not in the right relationship?

@Serenity Suffering stems from lack of acceptance (in yourself and other). Hopefully this helps:

Anything that is emotionally stimulating/triggering can be a great opportunity for spiritual growth. A relationship can also be a huge distraction. What is true for you?

I'd tend to agree with @clytaemnestra. Girls want emotional stimulation and to have FUN. Going to your house to talk awkwardly while you try and figure out how make that turn into sex is not fun. I mean there is a very rare chance that she happens to be extremely horny but that's VERY rarely the case and you should pretty much never expect that unless she straight up tells you she wants to bang on-the-spot. Sex for women is the culmination of a build-up of emotional stimulation. Take her out dancing or go see some live music. Do something interesting. Laugh, tease her, cross the line (just a little bit ), have some deep conversations and then bring it back to being light and fun again. After an evening of that, when she's in a good mood and having FUN... THEN you can invite her back to your place to check out the amazing view. When you do get her to your place, again, keep things fun. Have her play some of her favorite songs for you on YouTube, have some female-friendly drinks available or light snacks. Have a plan. You don't just want to be sitting on the bed next to each with nothing to say.

The best way to win "the game" is to stop playing. She already knows you're interested and if she's denied your advances then move on. Stop placating her and pursue other romantic options. If she starts flirting again, then, make a move again. Be very clear with your intent. If she denies you again, same thing, stop communicating and move on. If after this, she keeps coming after you then just don't respond. If she asks you "why you stopped being fun" then just tell her point-blank: You're an amazing girl and I'm very attracted to you but, you don't feel the same way about me so it's not fair continue on like this. One of two things will happen: She will stop coming back and you will actually just be friends She will open up to you and have a heart to heart with you and explain how she actually does like you and why she's been sending mixed signals. Quite frankly, the 1st one is more likely going to be what happens. It is very important though that when you stop communicating with her, you need to make sure you're not butt-hurt. Accept that you two are looking for different things and move on. She's still a great person who you were attracted to for a variety of valid reasons, you two just don't want the same thing and you need to stop deluding yourself. Also, you need to improve your skills with women in general. Go interact with more people and be more social. It will pay great dividends.

One of the books that Leo recommends is: The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/1592332285/ref=tmm_pap_used_olp_sr?ie=UTF8&condition=used&qid=&sr=

http://features.peta.org/how-to-go-vegan/ There are some good tips here. Peta focuses a little bit on meat replacements but I would actually suggest trying to follow more of a whole-foods plant-based diet. Vegan Gains and Jon Venus (both vegan bodybuilders/fitness personalities) have a number of videos showing what they eat in a typical day. You don't actually need as much protein as you're made to believe; its a bit conflict of interests when the person selling you protein shakes and bars is the same one telling you how much protein you need to eat in a day... just sayin. About .65 grams per pound is recommended for athletes and natural bodybuilders. Anything with beans/rice and some kind of sauce is going to be pretty tasty and filling. You can lookup different Mexican/Indian/middle eastern/Asian recipes for ideas. A lot of people feel like they are restricting their food options when they get rid of animal products but it actually pushes you to try different cuisines and opens up your pallet to so many new flavors and styles.

It's funny, because I have read most of the books referenced thus far in the course but without the strategy that Leo employs, they all just end up as "neat little facts" that I learn about life. None of them turn into the powerful, life-changing revelations that they are meant to be until you understand that context with which to apply them. Most people I talk to in personal-development know about the 10,000 hour rule but... I couldn't apply it to the work I do currently so it gets tossed away a factoid I can recite. Truly embrace the radical nature of something as simple as that. That one small fact hold the key to unlimited greatness, ESPECIALLY if your chosen path is not music, artwork or sports. For a long time I have advised people "It doesn't matter what you pick, you can make a LOT of money doing anything, as long as you do it well enough. The hardest part is just picking one thing." but I didn't follow my own advice. The synergy between the life purpose course and the free videos is also quite remarkable. Now, I can see how these deep insights can help supercharge my mission, which is really what they are for. Up until I started this, it was just cool factoids that I enjoyed learning about because I am a self-help junkie and recognizing the truth of those principals makes you feel good. Now they are powerful tools. Truly amazing gifts that Leo is handing out for free. When I consider spending $100 on a nice night out, I don't really think twice. Go have a nice dinner, a few drinks, who knows what else. But... spend $100 on books? "Man, that's a lot of books. Maybe I should only get a couple right now." Old me, you've got to go. Oh yeah, I guess I need to actually read them, huh? Edit: I actually only had about $50 worth of books I was considering buying but after that I am going to make a point to checkout with no less than $100.

I struggled a bit with my egoic need for financial status but I think the most recent set of videos have helped me to correct that perspective. As Leo said, not only is following your life purpose the best way to change the world, it's also the best way to make piles of money so... there really is no other option. Submit to the process. Create your art and give your gift to the world. I LOVE the story about Joseph Campbell's journey to mastery and the discovery of the heroes journey. Not only that, but the unavoidable trap that he... avoided. Such a brilliant man. I can say, with a 100% degree of certainty, that I would not have been able to do what he did. It's really amazing and inspiring. It gives me goosebumps just thinking about it. Today, I noticed that my day job feels much less like a chore. Even that career, which was initially chosen by chance, is now imbued with purpose. It is supporting me while I pursue this journey. It makes me appreciate the comfortable life that I am able to afford while I pursue this endeavor. I know that I'll need to scale back the quality of life that I am accustomed to though or it will take much longer to transition into doing work that supports my life purpose. You can't change the world working part time.

It's been a while since I really read this 7 year old report of myself, but it is still spot on. I can also see the greater implications of these particular strengths. Very interesting. pdf.pdf

I have heard a number of arguments against being vegan/vegetarian in my short time of following a plant-based diet so I'll list a few here to dispel some of the most common myths: You need to eat animal products or you'll be deficient in specific micro-nutrients/amino acids/something really technical that is difficult to disprove. This comes up often with things like B12, calcium, Iron, Omega 3 fats, ect... Basically, all things that the mainstream has been brainwashed to think that only come from animal products. The rampant steroid abuse in the fitness industry is also responsible for the over-recommended daily values for protein (not to mention the conflict of interests when they are all selling protein powders and other supplements). B12 doesn't come from animals. Calcium exists in a wide variety of plant-based sources, as does iron. Fish don't produce omega 3 fats. As for the technobabble from a variety of online sources that suggest our bodies can't function without some specific micro-nutrient found in an animal product, that is easily disproved by referencing... everyone who has been vegan 5+, 10+, 15+ years with perfectly healthy bodies that get regular blood-work done showing no deficiencies of any kind. This is of course, discount the millions of years of our evolutionary history where our species followed vegan diets because we hadn't invented fire yet. Evidence shows that we've only been eating meat for about 100,000 years, that's why we have so many evolutionary features of herbivores. There are also a number of fitness models, power-lifters and athlete's that are going vegan and competing at the top levels available, including some setting multiple world records. Plant-based diets are bad for you/the environment because of the water used to grow the plants and toxins associated with insecticides and herbicides. This can immediately be dismissed and turned around because the animals you eat require 50-100 pounds of PLANTS to produce 1 pound of meat. Any toxins in the environment that animals consume are then concentrated and stored in their fat and then passed on to you in much higher doses and I already listed out the enormous destructive consequences that animal agriculture is having on our planet. Plants feel pain. I have a hard time taking this seriously, but even if we just completely concede that soy beans and corn are capable of feeling the same complex emotions and psychological conditions of highly intelligent mammals, you're still killing 50-100 X more as described above. Animals can be killed humanely. Some argue that it's POSSIBLE to grow and harvest animals humanely but... the fact of the matter is they aren't. 99% of all food animals produced in the USA come from factory farms. They live miserable lives and are killed in inhumane ways. Every slaughterhouse is different, but Ag-gag laws exist for a reason. Same with Animal Enterprise Terrorism Act. I only eat Organic/grass fed/free range/cage free/ect.. These are mostly just to make people feel better about . It has nothing to do with the way the animal is treated or the use of hormones and antibiotics. You can raise an organic beef cow in a factory farm. In fact, it wouldn't really make much sense for an organic beef cow NOT to be factory farmed because the organic certification already requires a much higher cost of production. "Well my friend has pet chickens/cows/goats/ect.. and they are played classical music and given daily massages so it's ok to eat THAT meat/dairy/eggs". A lot of people use this to justify eating meat/dairy/eggs because they don't want to acknowledge that they are supporting an EXTREMELY corrupt and disgusting industry. Even if you are one of 0.00001% of people who truly does consume a very tiny amount of ethically raised animal products, does that mean you are going to follow a vegan diet when you eat out at restaurants? When you buy preprepared food? Ect.. Probably not. All of those animal products are going to come from factory farms. None of it is organic. Still, most people who say that don't actually live it. They know its wrong, they just don't want to change. I have encountered this many times in my short time while I've abstained from animal products. I am not accusing anyone here. Simply making the observation, that in my experience, this has been the case for people that I know in my "real" life. Vegan's eat a bunch of processed meat replacements that are unhealthy or only eat salads. Simply being vegan doesn't mean you're healthy, although it massively increases the odds that you are. Sodas, potato chips, french fries, oreos, and a huge host of other "accidentally vegan" foods are not good for you. Same with gluten-free and fat-free foods. It's just a fact about the food item. I eat very few meat-replacements and very few salads. My diet mostly consists of sweet potatoes, brown rice, a variety of beans, oats, fruits and vegetables. Ultimately, consuming animal products is choice that we're all currently afforded. In the coming decades, we're all going to be forced into a mostly plant-based diet by necessity. That's just the reality of the situation. As for defining "vegan" a google search for "veganism" yields the following:

Agreed, he is a smart man and if it truly opposed his long term goals then he would no longer be doing it. At some point in the future his relationship with Actualized.org will change to support the new goals he has most likely. That being said, at the time of writing this, and when I listened to that portion of the course, that paradox (or whatever you want to call it) exists. I am not trying to imply that Leo is somehow not practicing what he preaches. As he has discussed and we can all clearly see, he truly is one of the few who does. Just making an observation. I could have worded that original post better to convey that message more clearly.

Leo has mentioned several times on the forums, and at least twice that I've seen in videos, that the greatest barrier to his own personal development and self actualization is Actualized.org. It does allow him to generate income while pursuing his passion, but it comes with obligations.

As mentioned in another thread, It seems as though the obvious answer to the question of life purpose is to pursue raising the level of consciousness and awareness of the masses. I don't know if this is a trap, as by all of our participation in this community we are already demonstrating some level of passion for personal development/enlightenment, but for now I won't dismiss this and will continue to evaluate/reevaluate it as I go through this course. I love the heroes journey. Again, a topic I am familiar with but I don't have the depth of knowledge in this area that I feel like something of this topic's importance is warranted. I love the reframe that Leo offers related to "threshold guardians". In my own words, their purpose is not to stop you from conquering them and claiming the prize they guard, their purpose is to only allow the "worthy" access to their prizes. It also highlights the change in meaning that these prizes undergo when they represent your blood, sweat and tears; not just a shiny trinket you bought or were given. Through my introspection, as I've considered a variety of the different "world changing life purposes", I have also uncovered one of my first major "inner demons": I am afraid of not being traditionally successful (aka, being wealthy, having a hot spouse, various other things associated with status). This was somewhat of a sleeper for me as it doesn't present itself in me the same way that it does for most people. I don't care about my clothing, my car, or a number of other superficial things. But I do care about some stuff, and the idea of committing my life to something that doesn't produce a 7 figure salary is somewhat frightening. My lower self thinks "if I'm going to be investing that level of effort and energy into anything, then there needs to be a light at the end of the tunnel, and that light needs to come with a lot of zeros after it". Leo asks "Are you proud of the work you do? Are you proud of the way you live your life?" The first one is easy, I am proud of what I do. The second one though, has much deeper implications... The answer to that question, is more related to why I am taking this on in the first place.

The only logical conclusion I can make is that food is bad for you. Thank you for this insight @Leo Gura