[August 9, 2022] Tell the truth. At least do not lie. If you can tell the truth, that is a tall order. Stop saying things you know are lies, and that will change your life if you do that. Here is some Jordan Peterson advice.1
How can you survive in the real world if you falsify it? You think to yourself, “I’m just lying to other people.” No, you’re not. You can’t just lie to other people because what you say becomes you, especially if you practice it. We build ourselves out of words. Don’t say things you know to be false; that’s a good starting place to make yourself better. And that aligns you with the truth.
How can telling the truth be a bad idea? Imagine that what is true is what reflects reality. Then, by aligning yourself with reality works. You might just say, “If I lie, I’ll get away with something.” No, you don’t. Just look at those people you know closely. Are you aware of them ever getting away with anything, even once? The answer is assuredly “no.”
If you cannot see what lying does to you (and others), then you are too stupid to see what your lies cost. You are too willfully blind, or you are not self-perceptive to see it. You don’t get away with anything, absolutely nothing, and that is terrifying actually to understand that.
Are you someone who thinks that you alone can warp the sense of reality with your words? And get away with it? No, you are not God. Some people say that they’ve lied often and gotten away with it, proof that lying works. Dr. Peterson asks, “So, everything in your life is right, just the way you want it to be?”
There are psychopaths; they have no conscious, and they lie all the time. How do they get away with it? They don’t. They have to move from town to town because people figure out who they are, and so they have to move on. If you think that is getting away with lying, then consider they have no close or long-term relationships, no trust, no brotherly affection, no friends, and generally no financial success. How is that getting away with it?
Perhaps you say that so far, you’ve gotten away with lying. Maybe you have, and maybe you’re just too dim to see the consequences because you’ve blinded yourself. No one knows what you could have been if you wouldn’t have lied your way to where you are now. If you violate your conscience, you will pay a heavy price.
You become what you practice, and if you withdraw and lie, you become a lying coward. That’s what happens. You don’t have to practice it that much before that happens.
Part of living the good life is realizing that there is no escape, there’s no safe path. There’s a noble path, there’s an honorable path, there is simply no safe path. Possibly, you would not want the safe path anyway because striving for safety is not how our relatives of the past operated, and it is a dead end.
Do you want adventure in your life? Good. Then tell the truth; you will undoubtedly have the adventure of your life.
All good advice from Dr. Jordan Peterson.
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Please read my new book, “Our Longest Year in Iraq,” on Amazon (link here).
Great advice, what else is there to say. Gen. Satterfield, please put up more by Dr. Jordan Peterson for us to read about and think on.
👍 Exactly what I was thinking, Anya. Good to see you back on the leadership forum.
Types of lies
– white lies
– lies by omission
– exaggerations
– “gray” or subtle lies
– complete untruths
Excellent article, Gen. S. Since you’ve written a lot about Dr. Jordan Peterson, I’ve gone onto YouTube and listened to a few of his lectures. And, I think they have made me a better person. 😊
I’m with you on that DocJeff. I love listening to Dr. Peterson too. I gained a lot of great info and can apply what he says to myself.
Me as well. I’ve been learning quiet a bit about myself and have learned to set clear goals and then work toward accomplishing them.
You go girlfriend. I’m doing the same.
I see a change in Gen. Satterfield’s website a significant change. I liked the old way of his writing and now with his new focus on the individual, I like it even more. Keep up the great works, Gen. Satterfield and keep writing. Oh, and let us know more about your new upcoming book. I did buy a copy of ‘Our Longest Year in Iraq’ (like others have pointed out. I loved it. I highly recommend it.
“You cannot be protected from the things that frighten you.” — Dr. Jordan Peterson
More great advice, not just good advice. But, sadly, today we have all our institutions that insist that we lie. This is where our churches should make a stand. That is what they can do.
And encourage adopting willingly responsibility. Bear the greatest responsibility that you can carry.
Sadly, our leaders say otherwise. Just become wards of the state. You need not adopt any responsibility, we’ll take care of you … let me finish that thought … take care of you like a baby with no right to do anything.
Tell the truth. At least do not lie. If you can tell the truth, that is a tall order. Stop saying things you know are lies, and that will change your life if you do that. Here is some Jordan Peterson advice. On it. A great philosophy of life.
:You become what you practice, and if you withdraw and lie, you become a lying coward. ” Hmmmm, sounds like some of the politicians I know.
Gen. Satterfield, another inspiring article. Well done!!!
Yep, great work here. And, today let’s make sure we read all the comments in this forum. You will find some additional ideas that can help you along your path to the good life. I can’t wait for Gen. Satterfield’s new book. A while back, he hinted that he was writing another one. Come on, Gen. S. give us a hint when it will be out. Thanks.
Yes! The ninth commandment of the Bible reminds us not to lie, or in some circles “bear false witness.” When we walk away from the truth, we walk away from God.
Hi folks, I hope all is well with you and your families. Gen. S. has given us a great start to learning how to improve ourselves. Let’s not let it go. Try this experiment. Don’t lie for a month. Then, see what adventure it takes you on.
Good ole plain darn good advice from Dr. Peterson. Thank you Gen. Satterfield for reinforcing some of the comments you’ve made repeatedly in the past.
Just another reason to keep coming back to this leadership website, Gen. Satterfield has made this into a great place to gain an understanding of leadership at its most basic level and to become better folks ourselves.
Don’t forget to buy his book “Our Longest Year in Iraq” 2021 and leave a comment on Amazon.
I got my copy. Thanks Forrest. Good to hear from you again. ✔
Yes, thanks!!!!! Our Longest Year in Iraq … can’t get any better for a book that matters far more than you might expect.
Yep, great modern thinker!