Get ready for a joyride through the world of psychology, folks! We’ve got Jordan Peterson, a Canadian psychologist who’s not shy about sharing his sometimes controversial, always thought-provoking ideas. Buckle up, because we’re about to dive into his quotes and crack them open like a piñata at a birthday party.
“In order to be able to think, you have to risk being offensive.”
It’s like introducing your grandmother to the world of spicy food. She may cough, she may wheeze, but one day she might just thank you for showing her the wonders of jalapeños.
“You’re going to pay a price for every bloody thing you do and everything you don’t do.”
Think of it as choosing between doing your laundry now or later. If you do it now, you’ll miss out on your favorite TV show. If you don’t, you’ll have no clean clothes for your date tomorrow.
“Compare yourself to who you were yesterday, not to who someone else is today.”
Imagine you’ve just started running. Instead of comparing yourself to Usain Bolt, compare yourself to the version of you that could barely jog around the block yesterday.
“The purpose of life is finding the largest burden that you can bear and bearing it.”
It’s like doing a Costco run without a cart. You try to carry as much as you can without dropping everything.
“To learn is to die voluntarily and be born again, in great ways and small.”
It’s like updating your phone’s operating system. You have to say goodbye to the old interface you’re used to, but hello to better features and performance.
“If you don’t say what you think then you kill your unborn self.”
It’s like having the secret ingredient to the world’s best guacamole but never sharing it. Your potential to be known as the Guac Master remains unrealized.
“It’s better to do something badly than to not do it at all.”
It’s like singing karaoke. Sure, you might not hit all the notes perfectly, but you’re having fun and making memories.
“Do not let your children do anything that makes you dislike them.”
If your kid keeps drawing on the walls with crayons, it’s time to introduce them to paper and coloring books.
“You have to be a fool before you can be a master.”
It’s like learning to ride a bike. You’ll probably fall a few times, but each tumble brings you closer to nailing that perfect ride.
“Set your house in perfect order before you criticize the world.”
It’s like complaining about the trash in the park while your own backyard is filled with litter.
“Treat yourself like someone you are responsible for helping.”
Imagine you’re a babysitter, but the baby is actually you. You wouldn’t let the baby sit in a dirty diaper or skip their nap time, would you? That’s how you should look after your own needs.
“The secret to your existence is right in front of you. It manifests itself as all those things you know you should do, but are avoiding.”
It’s like ignoring the flashing check engine light in your car. The problem isn’t going to fix itself, and ignoring it might lead to bigger issues.
“There’s some real utility in gratitude. It’s also good protection against the dangers of victimhood and resentment.”
Gratitude is like sunscreen. Apply it daily to protect yourself from the burning effects of negativity and bitterness.
“If you’re not growing, then you’re just waiting around to die.”
It’s like being a plant. If you don’t get water and sunlight, you won’t grow and bloom.
“When you have something to say, silence is a lie.”
Think of it like being at a surprise party where you’re the only one who knows when the guest of honor is about to arrive. If you keep quiet and don’t give the signal, the surprise could be ruined. Your silence, in this case, doesn’t help the party, it hinders it!
“Make friends with people who want the best for you.”
This is akin to choosing teammates for a group project. You’d want people who are as invested in a successful outcome as you are, not those who are just along for the ride.
“Believe in the truth. The highest truth you can conceive of, and live in that. And see what happens.”
This is similar to navigating through a dark forest with only a compass. Trusting in the compass (or truth) to guide you towards your destination, even if the path is challenging and not always clear, is key to finding your way out.
“The successful among us delay gratification. The successful among us bargain with the future.”
It’s like saving up money to buy a house instead of spending it on impulsive shopping. You forego immediate pleasures for a more substantial and meaningful reward in the future.
“We require routine and tradition. That’s order. Order can become excessive, and that’s not good, but chaos can swamp us, so we drown – and that is also not good.”
Imagine balancing on a tightrope. Leaning too much towards order (one side) could make you rigid and inflexible, while leaning too much towards chaos (the other side) could make you lose control and fall.
“A harmless man is not a good man. A good man is a very dangerous man who has that under voluntary control.”
This is like a well-trained dog. It has the potential to bite, but chooses not to because of its training and discipline. In the same way, a good man has the capability to harm but chooses to control and use his strength wisely.
“Pursue what is meaningful, not what is expedient.”
It’s like climbing a mountain. The easy path might be to stay at the base, but the meaningful path is to make the difficult climb and reach the summit.
“What you aim at determines what you see.”
This is like using binoculars. When you focus on a particular point, your attention is drawn to that point and you notice details there more than anywhere else.
“You must determine where you are going, so that you can bargain for yourself, so that you don’t end up resentful, vengeful, and cruel.”
It’s like going to a market without a list. Without a clear idea of what you want, you might end up with items you don’t need, overspending, and regretting your decisions.
“Tell the truth — or, at least, don’t lie.”
Think of it like this: you’re a chef preparing a dish. Telling the truth is like using fresh ingredients, it might take more effort but the result is satisfying. Not lying, on the other hand, is simply making sure you’re not putting anything rotten or harmful in the dish – it might not be the tastiest meal, but it won’t give anyone food poisoning.
“If you cannot bring peace to your household, how dare you try to rule a city?”
This is similar to trying to clean up a park before cleaning up your own house. You need to take care of your immediate environment before you can effectively contribute to larger spaces.
