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In achieving the virtue that is individual excellence, each of them will fulfill his telos. Indeed, it is the shared pursuit of virtue that makes a city a city. - Aristotle
The quote above speaks to the importance of first getting oneself under control, mastering urges and temptations, and then trying to control the outside world. Men want status, control and power. Unfortunately, most men are not intrinsically ready to take the things no one wants to give away for free.
When I was younger I dreamt of being a professional baseball player. I was a good player, not a great player. I was the captain of my high school baseball team. We were a horrible team. At some point I realized that I was not going to be a professional baseball player and I was devastated. Why? Because, I no longer knew what I was going to do. For a man, this is a very difficult thing to handle. I had expectations from my family, I had aspirations of my own, and now things seemed clouded. I was angry, was lost, I was just like millions of other boys - aimless.
The path that I thought was laid out for me vanished. So, I needed to find a new path. My father was not a model I had in my life at the time. No one I knew went to college or was preparing to go to college. I kept searching and searching for the next external thing that was going to guide me. What I soon realized was the fact that I was not ready for something external to guide me internally. I need to start internally first. I needed to ground myself with a new mission, a new vision, and a new sense of inspiration. In short, I needed discipline.
I began working out at the local Gold’s Gym. I found a new passion that I still hold today. I find a sense of flow each and every time I work out. It is my element. 17 was a pivotal age for me. I no longer believed I was going to be a major leaguer and I had just started college. But, what was I to pursue? I didn't know at that time, so I let my passion of health and fitness guide me. I became a NASM certified trainer and hit the floor to gain clientele.
Funny story, I used to tell potential clients I was 21 so that they would trust in my “experience”. For the most part, it worked and I quickly built a book of business. I found a new path. I was going to make myself ass strong and healthy as possibly along with those that I had as clients. Physically I was set, wealth wise I was making good money for a 17 year old, but I still needed something more for my own wisdom and growth.
Telos
In steps Aristotle. At the age of 17 I had no idea that First Principles would become the foundation on which I erected my life’s mental lattice on. I am an Aristotelian and The Philosopher (yes, I said it), was the teacher I needed to master myself. Perhaps, he is the one you need to study from to do the same?
Mans ultimate aim, his telos is to flourish. For me, this really clicked when I read about Aristotle’s concept of Telos.
Aristotle's concept of telos is the idea that everything has a purpose or end goal, and that fulfilling that purpose is what makes something good. For humans, Aristotle believed the telos was to live a life of virtue and cultivate moral excellence in order to achieve eudaimonia, or a state of flourishing and happiness. He argued that all human actions should be aimed at achieving this end, and that living a virtuous life requires balancing competing desires and passions in accordance with reason and practical wisdom. In essence, Aristotle's telos is the pursuit of a meaningful and fulfilling life through the cultivation of moral excellence.
Virtues
Aristotle believed that cultivating virtues, or moral excellences, was essential to achieving the telos of eudaimonia, or a state of flourishing and happiness. Some of the virtues he believed were important to cultivate include:
Courage: the ability to face fear and danger with confidence and bravery.
Temperance: the ability to exercise self-control and moderation in all things.
Justice: the ability to treat others fairly and equitably.
Wisdom: the ability to make sound judgments and decisions based on reason and experience.
Honesty: the ability to speak truthfully and act with integrity.
Generosity: the ability to give freely of oneself and one's possessions.
Compassion: the ability to empathize with others and show kindness and understanding.
Humility: the ability to recognize one's own limitations and imperfections.
According to Aristotle, cultivating these virtues requires practice, habituation, and a continual striving to improve oneself.
Application
A man can apply the concept of telos to his life by identifying his ultimate purpose or end goal, and then striving to live a life that is in alignment with that purpose. The telos for humans, according to Aristotle, is to live a life of virtue and cultivate moral excellence in order to achieve eudaimonia, or a state of flourishing and happiness. Here are some practical ways a man can apply telos to his life:
Identify values: Identify the values that are most important to you and align with your ultimate purpose. These values can serve as a guide for your thoughts, actions, and decisions.
Set goals: Set specific goals that help you achieve your ultimate purpose, and make sure they align with your values.
Practice virtues: Cultivate the virtues that are important to achieving your ultimate purpose, and continually practice them in all areas of your life.
Self-reflection: Take time to reflect on your actions and behavior, and how they align with your ultimate purpose and values.
Seek out support: Find a community or support system that shares your values and can help you stay on track.
Continual improvement: Continually strive to improve yourself and cultivate moral excellence, knowing that it is a lifelong process.
By applying the concept of telos to his life, a man can live a life of purpose, meaning, and fulfillment, and ultimately achieve the state of eudaimonia that Aristotle believed was the ultimate goal of human existence.
Obstacles
Identifying one's ultimate purpose can be a challenging and complex process, and people may face a number of obstacles along the way. Here are some common obstacles that people may face when trying to identify their ultimate purpose:
Fear: Fear of failure, fear of the unknown, or fear of making the wrong choice can prevent people from exploring their purpose and taking risks.
Lack of clarity: People may struggle to identify their purpose because they lack clarity about their goals, values, and interests.
Societal pressure: Societal pressure to conform to certain expectations and norms can prevent people from exploring their true passions and purpose.
Self-doubt: Negative self-talk and self-doubt can prevent people from taking risks and pursuing their passions.
Lack of support: Lack of support from family, friends, or society can make it difficult for people to pursue their purpose.
Comparison: Comparing oneself to others and their successes can make it difficult to find one's own unique purpose.
Lack of time: Busy schedules and demands of daily life can make it difficult for people to take the time to reflect and explore their purpose.
Remember, identifying one's ultimate purpose is a personal journey that requires patience, self-reflection, and a willingness to take risks and overcome obstacles. It's important to be kind to oneself and seek support from others when needed
Eudaimonia
How can a man come to know himself? Never by thinking, but by doing. Try to do your duty and you will know at once what you are worth. - Goethe
Aristotle's concept of telos refers to the ultimate purpose or goal towards which an entity or activity is directed. In his philosophy, everything has a telos, including human beings. Aristotle believed that the telos of human beings is to achieve eudaimonia, or a state of happiness or flourishing, which is achieved through living a virtuous life.
He argued that the cultivation of virtues, such as courage, justice, and wisdom, is essential to achieving eudaimonia and fulfilling our telos as human beings.
Aristotle's concept of telos, or purpose, is central to his philosophy. He believed that everything in the natural world has a telos, or a goal or end to which it is naturally inclined. The main points of Aristotle's telos include:
Everything has a purpose: Aristotle believed that everything in the natural world, including plants, animals, and humans, has a telos, or a purpose or goal that it is naturally inclined towards.
Telos is related to form: Aristotle believed that an object's telos is related to its form or essence. For example, the telos of an acorn is to become an oak tree, because that is its natural form.
Telos is related to function: Aristotle believed that an object's telos is also related to its function or activity. For example, the telos of the eye is to see, because that is its natural function.
Telos is related to happiness: Aristotle believed that fulfilling one's telos leads to happiness or eudaimonia. He believed that humans have a telos of rational activity, and that fulfilling this telos leads to a life of happiness and fulfillment.
Aristotle's concept of telos emphasizes the idea that everything in the natural world has a purpose or goal towards which it is naturally inclined, and that fulfilling this purpose leads to happiness and fulfillment.
Continual
Aristotle believed that in order to achieve eudaimonia, one must live a life of virtue and excellence. He believed that virtues are habits or dispositions that are developed through practice and that enable individuals to act in accordance with reason and moral principles. For example, the virtue of courage enables individuals to face difficult situations with bravery, while the virtue of justice involves treating others fairly and equitably.
Aristotle also believed that eudaimonia is not a static state, but rather a dynamic process of ongoing personal growth and development. He argued that individuals must continually strive to improve themselves and develop their virtues in order to achieve a higher level of eudaimonia.
In addition to individual virtues, Aristotle believed that there are also social and political virtues that are necessary for a just and thriving society. These include virtues such as fairness, honesty, and civic responsibility.
According to Aristotle, determining what is virtuous and what is not involves finding the right balance between extremes or vices. This balance is known as the "Golden Mean". The Golden Mean is the midpoint between two extremes: one extreme being an excess of a certain trait or behavior, and the other extreme being a deficiency of that same trait or behavior. Like obesity and anorexia or gold toilets and cholera.
For example, courage is a virtue, but an excess of courage can lead to recklessness, while a deficiency of courage can lead to cowardice. The Golden Mean of courage is finding the right balance between recklessness and cowardice.
Aristotle believed that virtues are not innate qualities, but rather are developed through practice and habituation. He believed that through repeated practice of virtuous behavior, individuals can develop virtuous habits and become virtuous people.
In addition, Aristotle believed that virtuous behavior is determined by reason and practical wisdom. He believed that individuals should use their rational faculties to evaluate situations and make moral judgments, and that practical wisdom is necessary to apply moral principles to real-life situations.
Determining what is virtuous and what is not involves finding the right balance between extremes, developing virtuous habits through practice, and using reason and practical wisdom to make moral judgments.
The Mean
Aristotle's concept of telos emphasizes the importance of living a virtuous life and striving towards personal and societal excellence in order to achieve true happiness and fulfillment.
To expand on the idea of finding the right balance between extremes, Aristotle believed that every virtue has two corresponding vices or extremes. For example, the virtue of honesty has the vice of deception on one extreme, and the vice of bluntness on the other extreme. The Golden Mean of honesty is finding the right balance between these two vices, by being truthful without being blunt or deceitful.
Aristotle also believed that virtues are interconnected and can support each other. For example, courage is necessary to practice honesty in difficult situations, and kindness is necessary to practice forgiveness. Similarly, vices can reinforce each other and lead to a cycle of negative behavior.
In terms of developing virtuous habits, Aristotle believed that individuals should practice virtuous behavior repeatedly until it becomes a habit. This means that individuals should consciously choose to act in a virtuous way, even when it may be difficult or uncomfortable, until it becomes second nature.
Aristotle believed that practical wisdom is necessary to apply moral principles to real-life situations. Practical wisdom involves the ability to evaluate situations and make decisions based on experience and good judgment. This means that individuals should not rely solely on abstract moral principles, but should also consider the specific circumstances of each situation.
Aristotle's philosophy of virtue ethics emphasizes the importance of finding the right balance between extremes, developing virtuous habits through practice, and using reason and practical wisdom to make moral judgments.
Complements
Aristotle's concept of telos emphasizes the importance of living a virtuous life and striving towards personal and societal excellence in order to achieve true happiness and fulfillment.
An example of how virtues can support each other is the relationship between courage and honesty.
Courage is the virtue of facing fear and taking risks in pursuit of a noble goal. In order to act courageously, one must be willing to face the truth, even when it may be difficult or uncomfortable. This is where honesty comes in - honesty is the virtue of telling the truth and avoiding deception.
In difficult situations, it often takes courage to be honest. For example, if a friend asks for your opinion on a sensitive issue, it may be difficult to tell the truth if it could hurt their feelings or damage your relationship. However, in this situation, honesty and courage support each other - by being honest, you are acting courageously, and by acting courageously, you are being honest.
Similarly, honesty can also support courage. If you are honest with yourself about your fears and weaknesses, you can face them head-on and develop the courage to overcome them. By acknowledging the truth about a difficult situation, you can take steps to address it and act courageously to overcome it.
The relationship between courage and honesty is an example of how virtues can support each other. By practicing multiple virtues, individuals can become well-rounded and develop a strong moral character.
According to Aristotle's virtue ethics, there are many virtues that are important for developing a strong moral character. Some of these virtues include:
Justice: the virtue of fairness and treating others equally. This includes respecting the rights and dignity of others.
Temperance: the virtue of self-control and moderation. This involves avoiding excess and indulgence in all aspects of life, including food, drink, and pleasure.
Wisdom: the virtue of using practical knowledge and experience to make good decisions. This involves being able to evaluate situations and make sound judgments.
Compassion: the virtue of showing empathy and concern for others. This involves being kind, understanding, and supportive towards others.
Humility: the virtue of recognizing one's limitations and weaknesses. This involves being open to feedback and criticism, and being willing to learn from others.
Gratitude: the virtue of recognizing and appreciating the good things in life. This involves being thankful for what one has, and expressing gratitude towards others.
Fortitude: the virtue of strength and perseverance in the face of adversity. This involves being resilient and determined in the face of challenges.
Overall, Aristotle believed that practicing these virtues and finding the right balance between them is key to developing a strong moral character and living a fulfilling life.
Mission
Years ago I started by writing out my personal principles and virtues and have aligned my life accordingly. It helped me. I took a sort of meta approach. I looked at things like Aristotles ethics, Platos ideals, Jewish Code, Christian values, Buddhist beliefs, Stoic virtues, Hindu principles etc and came up with things that resonated with me.
My doctrine is: Live so that I may desire to live again, that is my duty, for in any case I will live again. He who health is the greatest happiness, let him strive; he who wealth is the greatest happiness, let him create; he who strives for wisdom, following mastery, is the greatest happiness, let him learn. All that is necessary is that he should know what it is that gives him the highest happiness, and to fight for it by all means necessary, for Eternity is at stake.
In sum
Aristotle believed that cultivating virtues requires practice and habituation, which means actively and intentionally practicing virtuous behaviors until they become a habit. Here are some practical ways to practice and habituate virtues:
Set goals: Identify which virtues you want to cultivate and set specific goals to help you achieve them.
Self-reflection: Take time to reflect on your actions and behavior, and how they align with the virtues you want to cultivate.
Role models: Seek out role models who embody the virtues you want to cultivate, and observe their behavior and actions.
Mindfulness: Practice mindfulness to help you become more aware of your thoughts, feelings, and actions, and to help you make more conscious choices.
Gratitude: Cultivate a sense of gratitude and appreciation for the virtues you are practicing, as well as for the people and circumstances that help you along the way.
Accountability: Find an accountability partner or group to help you stay on track and provide support and encouragement.
Practice, practice, practice: Continually practice virtuous behaviors in all areas of your life, until they become second nature and a natural part of who you are.
Remember, cultivating virtues is a lifelong process that requires effort and dedication, but the rewards of living a virtuous life can be truly fulfilling and meaningful.