Buddhism and Taoism expert Mike Sturm joins the show to uncover how to develop a deep personal relationship with yourself – the Wabi-Sabi way.
Mike Sturm has taught philosophy at college level for several years and researched Buddhism and Taoism extensively. He writes about self-improvement and productivity from the perspective of spirituality and first principles. In this reflective conversation, we focus in particular on ‘Wabi-Sabi’, an ancient Japanese philosophy that centres on appreciating the beauty in imperfection and accepting the more natural cycle of life.
Join us as we explore some of the key insights from his book The Wabi-sabi Way: Simple Principles to Bring Calm, Meaning & Authenticity to Your Daily Life. We discuss personal authenticity, reviewing habits, the power of validation and embracing imperfection – and Captain America.
Talking Points
What is Wabi-sabi?
The Western challenges with meditation and stillness
The notion of time
Ease vs. easy
Where to get started with the Wabi-sabi mindset
The practice of impermanence
Simple steps to live the Wabi-sabi way
Quote
"Accepting where you’ve been is the only way of getting to where you want to go."
Helpful Links
‘The Wabi-sabi Way’ by Mike Sturm
Muse Headband
“The Dexterous Butcher” by Chuang Tzu
‘The Seven Day Circle’ by Eviatar Zerubavel
Episode 354: How To Decide with Annie Duke
‘How to Decide: Simple Tools for Making Better Choices’ by Annie Duke
Episode 243: The Art of Noticing with Rob Walker
Episode 203: The Evolution of Getting Things Done with David Allen
Episode 360: A World Without Email with Cal Newport
Episode 286: Doing Project 333 with Courtney Carver
Captain America video essay
‘The Autobiography of Malcolm X’ by Alex Haley and Malcolm X
Mike’s Medium
Mike’s Twitter
MikeSturm.net
Want to discover some of the books mentioned on the podcast? Check out Scribd, my reading app of choice.
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Episode 381