On the 48th episode of the What is a Good Life? podcast, I am delighted to introduce Dr. Brennan Jacoby as our guest. Brennan is a Philosopher and the Founder of Philosophy At Work, a collective of philosophers and business psychologists teaching professionals the skills they need to think their best.
In this episode, we explore making space for meaning in our lives without forcing it. We delve into various tensions, from wanting to make the most of life to vegging out, accepting ourselves without lowering our standards, and balancing the time spent building a career with the need to invest in personal relationships.
Additionally, we discuss the limitations of various philosophies when taken to their fullest interpretation, the importance of realising the subjective nature of our experiences, and the necessity of reflection to understand what we are projecting onto life. Throughout the conversation, we emphasise the profound significance of caring, noticing, and orienting towards a better life.
For some reason, I found this conversation very cathartic. Brennan possesses a wonderful capacity to engage in a genuine conversation and an exploration while referencing philosophical concepts and sharing grounded, relatable personal examples. If you are anything like me, this episode will make you feel more comfortable with being human and navigating the tensions and experiences inherent in the pursuit of your own good life.
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Running Order:
02:22 How should I live?
05:39 Making sense of our distractions
09:13 Making space for meaning
15:06 You can’t force meaning
19:16 A good life is everything in it
23:56 Letting go of fixed states and answers
28:16 There may not be a “right” answer but it can be “better”
32:04 Living with care and noticing
39:36 Being OK with everything
46:00 Navigating our imperfection
52:01 Acceptance without lowering the bar
57:46 What is a good life for Brennan?
For further content and information check out the following:
- For the podcast's YouTube page: https://www.youtube.com/@whatisagoodlife/videos
- My newsletter: https://www.whatisagood.life/
- My LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-mccartney-14b0161b4/
- Brennan's website:
https://philosophyatwork.co.uk/- Brennan's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-brennan-jacoby-51807790/