102: How To Focus On Yourself - Marcus Aurelius, Nietzsche, Buddha, Lao Tzu, Sartre, Camus

Listen to this episode from Philosophies for Life on Spotify. In this podcast we will be talking about how to focus on yourself from the wisdom of 6 different philosophers and philosophies for life. The 6 philosophers we will be talking about for finding purpose in this video are Albert Camus (Absurdism), Nietzsche (Existentialism), Sartre (Existentialism), Marcus Aurelius (Stoicism), Lao Tzu (Taoism) and  Buddha (Buddhism). Diogenes, an ancient philosopher with the spirit of a wild beast and the wit of a poet, saw through the illusion of civilization. Where others pursued wealth and honor, he saw vanity. So, he rejected it all, choosing a life most would call madness but which he knew was true freedom. He didn’t just talk about philosophy—he lived it, stripped down to its rawest form. He owned nothing but a cloak, a staff, and a ceramic jar he called home. While others debated virtue in grand halls, he lived it under the open sky. He mocked the powerful, exposed the foolishness of the so-called wise, and reduced life to its barest essence: harmony with nature, free from the absurd expectations of society. Then came the moment that made him immortal. One day, Alexander the Great, the most powerful man alive, stood before him and declared, “Ask for anything, and I shall grant it.” Now, most would have begged for riches or status. Diogenes barely looked up and said, “Move aside, you’re blocking my sunlight.” Think about that for a moment: The conqueror of nations stood powerless before a man who wanted nothing. So who, then, was truly free? Most of us aren’t. From birth, we’re shaped by the world—told what to value, what to chase, what to fear. We measure ourselves by status, companion, and approval. And in an age of endless screens and constant judgment, this enslavement has only deepened. How do we break free? Diogenes didn’t ask us to live like him—he wanted us to see like him. To strip life down to what truly matters, to stop chasing what others say is important, and to reclaim the freedom to be ourselves, without apology or permission. So what’s next? Turn inward. Let go of borrowed desires. Stand firm in your own life. The world will always whisper its demands—but whether we listen is entirely up to us. In this video, we’ll explore how to focus on yourself through the wisdom of the world’s greatest philosophers. Starting with 01. Albert Camus -  Accept the absurdity 02. Nietzsche – Be the Superhuman 03. Sartre - Take responsibility for yourself 04. Marcus Aurelius – Control What You Can, Ignore the Rest 05. Lao Tzu – Flow Like Water 06. Buddha – Understand the True Nature of Self I hope you enjoyed listening to this podcast and hope that these lessons from 6 Brilliant Philosophers on how to focus on yourself will help you in your life..