ClassX Video Lessons Best Insights from Alan Watts, Jordan Peterson, Elon Musk, Aristotle, Eckhart Tolle, Joe Rogan &More
After Skool started in the summer of 2016, and since then, it has been an incredible journey. To celebrate reaching 1 million subscribers, let’s explore some of the most valuable lessons learned from these animated videos.
Alan Watts teaches us that life isn’t about reaching a destination. We’re often told to aim for goals like graduation, retirement, or even heaven, but the real purpose of life is simply to live. Think of life like dancing; the joy comes from the dance itself, not from finishing it.
Watts also helps us understand how to discover what we truly want in life. This question, “What do I want?” is simple yet challenging. Sometimes, we don’t know what we want because we already have it, or because we don’t know ourselves well enough. Understanding yourself is complex, but once you do, you’ll stop clinging to your identity and find a state of desirelessness. You’ll let go of the need to control everything and tap into an endless source of inner power.
Jordan Peterson emphasizes that taking responsibility is key to a fulfilling life. The more responsibility you accept, the more meaningful your life becomes. Blaming others for your problems keeps you feeling like a victim. Instead, by accepting responsibility, you find meaning in everything and pursue a life worth living, rather than just chasing short-term happiness.
Tony Robbins shares that life doesn’t happen to you; it happens for you. Our perspective shapes our reality. Only 5% of life is what happens to us, while 95% is how we react. For instance, breaking an ankle might seem bad, but it could lead to writing a successful book on physical therapy. While we can’t control every event, we can control how we perceive them.
David Foster Wallace suggests that everyone worships something, and the only choice we have is what to worship. Worshiping money or material things leaves us unsatisfied. Worshiping beauty can make us feel inadequate, and worshiping power can lead to fear. These forms of worship often happen unconsciously, so it’s crucial to be aware of what we value.
Eckhart Tolle teaches us to tap into higher consciousness by being present. While discomfort is inevitable, suffering is a choice. Suffering arises from fears about the future or painful memories of the past. In the present moment, suffering doesn’t exist. By detaching from our thinking mind, rooted in the ego, we can find freedom and peace.
Will Smith reminds us that failure isn’t the end; it’s a stepping stone to success. The more we fail, the more we learn and grow. Failure highlights areas where we need to evolve, helping us become better.
Simon Sinek emphasizes the importance of asking “Why?” before pursuing any major venture, like a business or marriage. Understanding your motivation is crucial for success and fulfillment.
Joe Rogan teaches us about the power of momentum. Starting something today and thinking about its future impact creates momentum. Even small actions, like doing ten push-ups, can build momentum and lead to significant progress over time.
Graham Hancock and Randall Carlson highlight the importance of understanding the mysteries of our past. As a species with amnesia, discovering our origins can help us better understand our purpose and direction.
Elon Musk encourages us to build a future that inspires us. Pursue paths that excite you and make you eager to get out of bed in the morning.
Joseph Campbell teaches that the best ideas often transcend words and can be misunderstood. When you encounter an inspiring idea, don’t let resistance deter you. Follow your intuition and don’t worry about explaining it to those who may not understand.
Aristotle teaches us how to learn effectively. An educated mind can entertain a thought without necessarily accepting it. Blind belief is as unproductive as outright dismissal. Each question can lead to new understanding and perspectives. Education is a lifelong journey, so stay curious and never stop questioning.
The goal of After Skool is to encourage questioning and exploration. While the ideas may seem scattered, a common thread runs through them all. The mission is to enhance profound ideas with art. Thank you for your support, and may you find much more than luck on your journey.
Take some time to write a journal entry about what you believe is the true purpose of life. Reflect on Alan Watts’ idea that life is like a dance and the joy comes from the dance itself. Consider how this perspective can change the way you view your goals and daily activities.
Inspired by Jordan Peterson, identify an area in your life where you can take more responsibility. Create a plan to address this area over the next week. Document your progress and reflect on how taking responsibility affects your sense of fulfillment and control over your life.
Choose a recent event in your life that you initially perceived as negative. Apply Tony Robbins’ principle that life happens for you, not to you. Write down how you can reinterpret this event in a positive light and what lessons you can learn from it.
Practice a 10-minute mindfulness meditation session focusing on being present, as taught by Eckhart Tolle. Pay attention to your breath and let go of thoughts about the past or future. After the session, write down any insights or feelings of peace you experienced.
Inspired by Simon Sinek, think about a major goal or project you are currently pursuing. Write a short essay exploring your “Why” behind this pursuit. Understanding your motivation can provide clarity and drive, so be honest and introspective in your writing.
Here’s a sanitized version of the YouTube transcript:
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After Skool began in the summer of 2016. It’s been quite a journey to this point, and what better way to celebrate 1 million subscribers than to review the very best lessons learned? Here are the most valuable insights I have gained from animating these videos.
From Alan Watts, I learned that life is not a journey with a destination. We are conditioned to think that life should be heading towards something like graduation, retirement, or heaven, but the true purpose of life is to live. Life is like dancing; when you dance, you are not trying to get anywhere or finish the dance. The point of dancing is the dance itself.
Alan Watts also taught me how to find out what I want in life. The question of “What do I want?” is one of the simplest yet hardest questions to answer. There are two reasons why you might not know what you want: reason number one is that you already have it, and reason number two is that you don’t know yourself. To know yourself is a complex endeavor, but once you understand this, you will cease to cling to your identity and reach a state of desirelessness. You won’t try to control everything, and you will discover an endless source of power from within.
On a similar note, Jordan Peterson teaches that taking responsibility is the key to fulfillment. The more responsibility you accept, the more meaningful your life will be. If you go around blaming others for your problems, you will always feel like a victim. However, if you accept responsibility for everything, you will find meaning in everything. Pursue a life worth living rather than just short-term happiness.
Tony Robbins says that life does not happen to you; it happens for you. This means that the way we choose to see things shapes our reality. Only 5% of life is what happens, while 95% is how you choose to react. For example, if you fall and break your ankle, that event might seem bad, but it could lead you to write a book on physical therapy and become successful. While we cannot control many events in life, we can control how we perceive them.
David Foster Wallace states that everybody worships something; the only choice we get in life is what to worship. If you worship money and material things, you will never feel satisfied. If you worship beauty and allure, you may always feel inadequate. Worshiping power can lead to feelings of weakness and fear. The insidious aspect of these forms of worship is that they often occur unconsciously.
From Eckhart Tolle, I learned how to tap into a higher consciousness by being present. Discomfort in life is inevitable, but suffering is a choice. Suffering arises from our fearful thoughts about the future or painful memories of the past. It does not exist in the present moment. If you are truly present, you can be free from suffering. The secret to being present is to detach your true self from your thinking mind, which is rooted in the ego. Tolle says that the beginning of freedom is realizing that you are not just your thoughts.
Will Smith taught me that failure is not the end; it is a stepping stone to success. The more you fail, the more you learn and grow. Failure helps you recognize areas where you need to evolve.
Simon Sinek taught me that the most important question is “Why?” Before pursuing any major venture in life, such as a business or a marriage, you must understand your motivation.
From Joe Rogan, I learned how to stay motivated. It’s all about momentum. If you start something today, think about where it will be in a year, two years, or ten years. Focusing energy on a goal will create momentum. Even small actions, like doing ten push-ups after a long break, can start to build that momentum.
From Graham Hancock and Randall Carlson, I learned the importance of understanding the mysteries of our past. We are a species with amnesia; if we discover our origins, we will better understand our purpose and direction.
Elon Musk emphasizes the need to build a future that inspires us, pursuing paths that excite us to get out of bed in the morning.
Joseph Campbell taught me that the best ideas are often misunderstood because they transcend words. In the movie Gladiator, Marcus Aurelius reflects on the fragility of sacred ideas. When you encounter an inspiring idea, do not let resistance deter you. Chase your intuition and don’t worry about explaining it to those who may not understand.
From Aristotle, I learned how to learn. He said that an educated mind can entertain a thought without necessarily accepting it. Blindly believing something is just as unproductive as dismissing it entirely. Each question you have can lead to new understanding and perspectives. Education is a lifelong process, so stay curious and never stop questioning.
The goal of After Skool is to encourage you to question things. The ideas on this channel may seem scattered, but there is a common thread that runs through them all. The mission of After Skool is to enhance profound ideas with art. Thank you for all the support, and I wish you much more than luck.
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This version maintains the essence of the original transcript while removing any informal language and ensuring clarity.
Life – The existence of an individual human being or animal, often considered in terms of its philosophical significance and the experiences it encompasses. – Philosophers have long debated the meaning of life and what constitutes a fulfilling existence.
Purpose – The reason for which something is done or created, or for which something exists, often explored in philosophical discussions about human existence and goals. – In existential philosophy, finding one’s purpose is considered a central aspect of living an authentic life.
Responsibility – The state or fact of having a duty to deal with something or of having control over someone, often discussed in ethics and moral philosophy. – With great power comes great responsibility, a concept frequently examined in ethical philosophy.
Perspective – A particular attitude toward or way of regarding something; a point of view, crucial in understanding different philosophical arguments and theories. – Adopting a philosophical perspective can help individuals understand complex ethical dilemmas.
Worship – The feeling or expression of reverence and adoration for a deity, often analyzed in philosophy of religion regarding its role and significance in human life. – Philosophers of religion study how worship influences moral and ethical behavior.
Presence – The state or fact of existing, occurring, or being present, often discussed in existential philosophy regarding the nature of being. – The philosopher emphasized the importance of being fully present in the moment to achieve a deeper understanding of existence.
Failure – The lack of success in achieving a goal, often explored in philosophical discussions about human experience and growth. – Many philosophers argue that failure is an essential part of the learning process and personal development.
Motivation – The reason or reasons one has for acting or behaving in a particular way, often examined in philosophy to understand human actions and desires. – Understanding one’s motivation is crucial in ethical philosophy when evaluating moral actions.
Understanding – The ability to comprehend or grasp the meaning of something, a key concept in epistemology, the study of knowledge. – Philosophers seek to deepen their understanding of the world through critical analysis and reasoning.
Learning – The acquisition of knowledge or skills through experience, study, or being taught, often discussed in philosophy of education. – Socrates believed that true learning comes from questioning and dialogue, a method still valued in philosophical education today.
