“The Telos Project”

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First, let me say, I’m not trying to sell anything—to you guys...unless you’re interested, which is definitely not the point of this thread.

But I am looking to plumb the depraved sherdog hive-mind. As much as I hate you filthy bastards, deep down I know that I’m one of you...

I’ve been working on a project for the last 18 years or so and I’m about to start publicizing it. It’s not really “Life Coaching” (and I hate that term, so I won’t be using it), but I haven’t come up with a great designation of my role. I’m asking you idiots to help me with this, so do your worst.

A lot of what I’ll be doing is teaching a practical philosophical/spiritual theory which includes elements from stoicism, existentialism, virtue ethics, and a hodgepodge of insights from world religions (in a one on one, quasi-therapeutic setting) coupling that with a set of exercises and goal-seeking strategies, and probably an informal lecture series—maybe on YouTube—maybe in person, probably both.

So I think that I’ll call myself an ethical and spiritual advisor. Maybe I’ll put a “/life-coach” on the end if that seems easier to understand. What do you dickwads think?

I’m also brainstorming the name of the project as a whole. My original name for it was “The Telos Project,” but there’s a bunch of assholes who run a counseling group in Texas that already took it.

Then I was thinking of calling it “Natural Teleology” (Telos & teleology are about purposes and the study of purposes).
 
Sounds interesting, how do you plan on selling this "life coaching"? Or you are just going to start on YouTube and as you get popular you may do 1 on 1 coaching?
 
Sounds interesting, how do you plan on selling this "life coaching"? Or you are just going to start on YouTube and as you get popular you may do 1 on 1 coaching?

This week I’m going to give a very short lecture on metaphysics and spritualim for a pretty big discussion group (25 people or so.) I’ll give them a basic rundown of the project, I’ll hand out cards, and go from there.

I plan to focus on the 1 on 1 aspect first, and once (if) I can get around 5 clients, i’ll start turning my attention to YouTube and a broader online presence (blog, discussion board, maybe an online curriculum).
 
Have you ironed out all the inconsistencies and conflicts that will arise between all the different ideas you are mixing?

This is sounds like a panacea to cure all of man's ailments.
 
This week I’m going to give a very short lecture on metaphysics and spritualim for a pretty big discussion group (25 people or so.) I’ll give them a basic rundown of the project, I’ll hand out cards, and go from there.

I plan to focus on the 1 on 1 aspect first, and once (if) I can get around 5 clients, i’ll start turning my attention to YouTube and a broader online presence (blog, discussion board, maybe an online curriculum).
I think you should do both, that way you are constantly growing, getting your name and teachings out there. Just my two cents. Best of luck though.
 
Have you ironed out all the inconsistencies and conflicts that will arise between all the different ideas you are mixing?

This is sounds like a panacea to cure all of man's ailments.

Thanks for the question!

In one sense, I haven’t worked all of it out (probably an impossibility). But, don’t think that it will be necessary for two reasons:

1) I will focus on the process of metaphysics and spirituality rather than its products. I’ll focus on developing critical and creative reasoning skills, and behavioral practices that will enable my clients to take advantage and use metaphysical and spiritual insights in a very grounded, practical, way. The goal is building a way of life, as opposed to teaching what ideas to believe.

2) Part of my method as a practitioner is to work through the language of spirituality and metaphysical thinking. The language itself has broad themes (and usually metaphors and symbols) that already lay a consistent foundation (or at least a foundation that can be made consistent.) A lot of the consistency is already built into the broad habits of thought that people who are concerned with this stuff already share.
 
Call it "The Stennis Way."
 
So I think that I’ll call myself an ethical and spiritual advisor. Maybe I’ll put a “/life-coach” on the end if that seems easier to understand. What do you dickwads think?

So like the old dude Baba Oje from Arrested Development?

43fb6d56-f126-4128-9e03-90766ff15c51.jpg
 
I’ve been working on a project for the last 18 years or so and I’m about to start publicizing it. It’s not really “Life Coaching” (and I hate that term, so I won’t be using it), but I haven’t come up with a great designation of my role. I’m asking you idiots to help me with this, so do your worst.

A lot of what I’ll be doing is teaching a practical philosophical/spiritual theory which includes elements from stoicism, existentialism, virtue ethics, and a hodgepodge of insights from world religions (in a one on one, quasi-therapeutic setting) coupling that with a set of exercises and goal-seeking strategies, and probably an informal lecture series—maybe on YouTube—maybe in person, probably both.

Advice from one of the idiots, and it won't be positive, sorry.

Are you expecting to make a living through this lifestyle? It usually works on the rich who have a lot of free time and a lot of money. It also works on idiots who don't have a clue as how to go through life. Yeah, you would be a 'life coach'. I don't care much for 'life coaches'. They are usually out to steal people's money and talk 'shit'. Advice is an opinion and we all have one. It is like me borrowing your watch to tell you what time it is.

18 years studying philosophical/spiritual theory with elements from stoicism, existentialism, virtue ethics, and a hodgepodge of insights from world religions coupled with a set of exercises and goal-seeking strategies. 18 years you say? Man, I can do that in 6 months. Exercises? WTF? Yeah, now we all know this is BS. You will not be the first or the last to sell this stuff to the public. "There is a sucker born every minute."

Most of what you will be selling can be found in books and the internet, but you are right, people are stupid and lazy and want someone else to do the thinking for them. Self-help seminars that lead to nowhere, but make the speakers rich. A lot like these 'quack' evangelists and therapists. All out to take advantage of people and make money.

Just my 2 cents...
quacks.jpg
 
Advice from one of the idiots, and it won't be positive, sorry.

Are you expecting to make a living through this lifestyle? It usually works on the rich who have a lot of free time and a lot of money. It also works on idiots who don't have a clue as how to go through life. Yeah, you would be a 'life coach'. I don't care much for 'life coaches'. They are usually out to steal people's money and talk 'shit'. Advice is an opinion and we all have one. It is like me borrowing your watch to tell you what time it is.

18 years studying philosophical/spiritual theory with elements from stoicism, existentialism, virtue ethics, and a hodgepodge of insights from world religions coupled with a set of exercises and goal-seeking strategies. 18 years you say? Man, I can do that in 6 months. Exercises? WTF? Yeah, now we all know this is BS. You will not be the first or the last to sell this stuff to the public. "There is a sucker born every minute."

Most of what you will be selling can be found in books and the internet, but you are right, people are stupid and lazy and want someone else to do the thinking for them. Self-help seminars that lead to nowhere, but make the speakers rich. A lot like these 'quack' evangelists and therapists. All out to take advantage of people and make money.

Just my 2 cents...
quacks.jpg

Thanks for replying! I get where you’re coming from, and I respect your view. And part of the reason I want to avoid the name “life coach” is that I share the same concern for quacks and snake-oil salesman. If you think that that’s my angle, you’re entitled to that belief, of course, but you’re mistaken.

I’d love to see you try to cram my studies into 6 months!!! Those 18 years included, among other things, a bachelor’s, a Master’s, and a PhD...so forgive me if I’m skeptical of your claims here...

What’s BS about exercises? Maybe you just don’t know what I mean by it. Sounds like you might be the perfect candidate for excercises in patience and humility—they are designed with exactly this kind of thing in mind: the bad habit of jumping to negative conclusions before asking questions.

It is true that most of the stuff I’ll teach can be found on the internet, although the particular formulation I give to the problems and solutions are original. But as a matter of perspective: information about just about anything can be found on the internet. But there are still colleges and universities that hire specialists to teach those things. That’s what I am—a specialist who teaches, 1 on 1. And people don’t go to college “because they are lazy and they want other people to think for them.”

I have a stable career already, and this will be a side-hustle. I’ll take it as far as I can take it, and if that means making money off of people, I see zero problem with that if I’m able to provide a valuable service.
 
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You need to make it accessible to the masses. Something that doesn’t communicate “metaphysics” but communicates “personal training for your mind.” That sounds like a something you could sell to corporations for employee seminars. I’m not sure how you get a foot in the door though.
 
You need to make it accessible to the masses. Something that doesn’t communicate “metaphysics” but communicates “personal training for your mind.” That sounds like a something you could sell to corporations for employee seminars. I’m not sure how you get a foot in the door though.

Thanks!

Yeah, I’ve considered the potential for corporate consulting. That would probably be a year or two down the road—best case scenario.

A component of the process would include mindfulness training, so I’m sure that that part could be made accessible.
 
Thanks for replying! I get where you’re coming from, and I respect your view. And part of the reason I want to avoid the name “life coach” is that I share the same concern for quacks and snake-oil salesman. If you think that that’s my angle, you’re entitled to that belief, of course, but you’re mistaken.

I’d love to see you try to cram my studies into 6 months!!! Those 18 years included, among other things, a bachelor’s, a Master’s, and a PhD...so forgive me if I’m skeptical of your claims here...

What’s BS about exercises? Maybe you just don’t know what I mean by it. Sounds like you might be the perfect candidate for excercises in patience and humility—they are designed with exactly this kind of thing in mind: the bad habit of jumping to negative conclusions before asking questions.

It is true that most of the stuff I’ll teach can be found on the internet, although the particular formulation I give to the problems and solutions are original. But as a matter of perspective: information about just about anything can be found on the internet. But there are still colleges and universities that hire specialists to teach those things. That’s what I am—a specialist who teaches, 1 on 1. And people don’t go to college “because they are lazy and they want other people to think for them.”

I have a stable career already, and this will be a side-hustle. I’ll take it as far as I can take it, and if that means making money off of people, I see zero problem with that if I’m able to provide a valuable service.

Very well put my friend. This new information sheds a whole new perspective into the subject. Yes, I was going to ask you about degrees and certifications, but you already answered that. A BA, a MA, and a PhD in what? Now you have credentials, which changes the whole aspect of what you are trying to sell. Patience & humility. Two great qualities, but do you have them? What makes you think I don't have them? I really don't know you and you don't know me. You don't have the first clue as to what my life has been like.

Ok, a 'specialist' who teaches some ideology he came up with and a college professor are not the same thing. Anyone supervising/evaluating your work? Will your 'students' get any credentials? How much will you be charging for these 'lectures'? Who determines if your service is valuable? Students who attend college to get any type of degree are not the 'lazy' people I was referring to.

...either way, good luck with your venture.
 
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I like the idea a lot, sounds very in line with my own personal beliefs.

In terms of branding - I have a friend with a philosophy PhD who completed some basic requirements to be a "philosophical counselor" (we became friends when I hired her actually). It's a light title but her approach was very similar to yours.

Beyond that I'd just be very careful about not sounding too self-helpy or new agey. If you're still ironing out any of the philosophy I'm sure a few of us here would be happy to comment on it.

Good luck.
 
Very well put my friend. This new information sheds a whole new perspective into the subject. Yes, I was going to ask you about degrees and certifications, but you already answered that. A BA, a MA, and a PhD in what? Now you have credentials, which changes the whole aspect of what you are trying to sell. Patience & humility. Two great qualities, but do you have them? What makes you think I don't have them? I really don't know you and you don't know me. You don't have the first clue as to what my life has been like.

Ok, a 'specialist' who teaches some ideology he came up with and a college professor are not the same thing. Anyone supervising/evaluating your work? Will your 'students' get any credentials? How much will you be charging for these 'lectures'? Who determines if your service is valuable? Students who attend college to get any type of degree are not the 'lazy' people I was referring to.

...either way, good luck with your venture.
Thanks for dialoguing. Doing this is very helpful. I have my own concerns about the project and it’s viability and value, so it’s important for me to hear the criticisms, meet the challenges, and improve where I need to.

PhD is in philosophy.

Patience and humility—do I HAVE them? No. But I do practice them daily, and I have figured out the situations where I’ll need to use them the most. These are learned and practiced skills, and, like any other skills, they can be developed and improved.

Why do I think that you don’t HAVE them? Well, for one, they aren’t possessions that can be owned or properties of an identity. They are habits. Now, I have no ideal how often you embody those habits—none whatsoever. However, it seemed to me that your response to my project was rushed and too self-assured—so you didn’t give yourself the chance to more fully engage.

No one would be supervising my work (but no one REALLY did when I was a professor, either.) My students won’t get any credentials.

I certainly won’t charge for lectures now...for now, my lectures will be my marketing and advertising team.

The only people who can determine the value of my services are the people who either pay or don’t pay me. I’ll be fine financially either way, but if I could really make this work, it would be a dream come true, and my life would be a good bit more interesting.
 
If your future clients ever read your OP you might lose business. Even if its true that theyre trashy idiots no one likes being told that in those terms. Good luck, will not be a client.
 
If your future clients ever read your OP you might lose business. Even if its true that theyre trashy idiots no one likes being told that in those terms. Good luck, will not be a client.
Oh god...this is my first time in the Mayberry lounge, so I don’t know how things are done around here. Maybe I’m an outsider here, and did not properly observe room etiquette. But in the UFC forum we make fun of each other mercilessly—it’s the norm.

Either way, I was joking...
 
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