561. Scott Adams on Cancer, Cancellation, and the Power of Saying Yes | Scott Adams

Scott Adams' journey to becoming a famous cartoonist was marked by unexpected turns and a pursuit of the joyful aspect of entertainment.

Heading: Adams Pursued His Dream Of Becoming a Famous Cartoonist Despite Unlikely Success

Scott Adams always harbored the dream of becoming a famous cartoonist. Despite realizing the overwhelming odds against success in this field, he did not pursue it initially and instead gravitated toward a pre-law track. Adams' dislike for the adversarial nature of law, where winning often means someone else's loss, prompted him to seek a different career path.

Adams Chose Law Over Cartoon Fame

Discovering that the chances of cartoon fame were slim, Scott Adams chose to study pre-law, setting aside his cartooning ambitions. However, his disinterest in the win-lose dynamic of the legal profession eventually steered him back towards the idea of entertainment, where he felt everyone could win.

Adams Pursued Entertainment for Mental Health and "Winning" Without "Losing."

Adams viewed entertainment as morally positive, beneficial for mental health, and as a field of mutual gain. He sought to create joy without the expense of others' happiness. This aspiration lead him towards a path in cartooning, where both creator and audience could enjoy the fruits of success.

Adams Persisted Despite Setbacks, Leading To Dilbert's Success

Adams faced numerous rejections and setbacks on his road to becoming a cartoonist. Despite these challenges, he received encouraging correspondences from fellow cartoonist, Jack Cassidy, w ...

Scott Adams, the creator of the "Dilbert" comic strip, shares his interesting perspectives on affirmations, goals, and the nature of reality, which seem to have played a significant role in his personal and professional life.

Adams Endorses Affirmations and Goals to Shape Reality

Adams talks about the use of affirmations in achieving his personal and professional goals, asserting that setting and visualizing desired outcomes can align perceptions and life's narrative in a way that increases the likelihood of those outcomes occurring.

Adams' Ambitious Goals Realized Unexpectedly Through Affirmations

Adams discusses how affirmations led to the unexpected fulfillment of personal and financial goals. After encountering promotional obstacles in his corporate job due to perceived limited opportunities for white men, Adams turned to affirmations to aid his ambition of becoming a famous cartoonist. Despite the challenges of a pre-internet era and lack of industry connections, Adams persisted with his affirmations. This unlikely journey eventually led to a pivotal moment when the Wall Street Journal noticed his work, which in turn led to both a book deal and widespread recognition.

Adams Asserts That By Visualizing and Affirming Desired Outcomes, One Can Align Their Perceptions and Life's "Story" to Increase the Likelihood of Those Outcomes

While Adams himself did not discuss this in detail, Jordan Peterson's "Future Authoring" program aligns with Adams's beliefs on visualization and affirmations. The program prompts participants to envision a bright future as a method for aligning their perceptions and actions toward their desired outcomes. Peterson also elucidates that we live within a story shaped by our emotions and focus, and setting a goal can subsequently orient our perceptions to manifest those goals. This discourse complements the idea that affirmations can pivot one's reality by setting a clear intention for desired achievements.

Adams Believes He Is in a Mind-Controlled, Imaginative Simulation

Adams expresses a belief that he is living in a sort of imaginative simulation and posits that he can direct his life by mentally drafting what he wa ...

Scott Adams, the famous cartoonist and author, exhibits a confident and optimistic mindset that has not only characterized his approach to life but also allowed him to overcome various challenges.

Adams' Optimism and Confidence Overcame Challenges

Destined For Success and Wealth From a Young Age

Adams recounts an early experience at an Easter egg hunt when he was 11 years old that instilled a deep sense of confidence in him. After multiple unsuccessful attempts over the years, Adams finally discovered the "golden egg" during his last eligible year, an event that led to a newspaper feature. This incident made Adams entertain the notion that he might be destined for success and capable of achieving the improbable, a belief further substantiated by praises he received from adults around him. He remembered an older woman on the street as well as his own mother predicting his wealth and success. Being the progeny of a humorous father and an artistic mother, Adams was acknowledged for his inherited talents from an early age, which built his confidence.

Adams' Optimism and Determination Let Him Persist and Find Unconventional Solutions

Adams' optimistic and tenacious mindset is evident in the way he addresses challenges. His conversation with Jordan Peterson showcased his confidence and sense of humor, traits that have carried him in his career. Although details are not provided on the specific unconventional solutions Adams has found, his discussion of past successes indicates he uses these traits to persist and overcome challenges.

Adams Overcomes Incurable Conditions Through Rejecting Limits and Seeking Alternative Treatments

Adams has encountered supposedly incurable conditions with determination and an open ...

Scott Adams, faced with a diagnosis of metastasized, terminal prostate cancer, exemplifies resilience and the power of positive thinking as he seeks unconventional solutions.

Facing Terminal Prostate Cancer, Adams Remains Positive, Seeking Unconventional Solutions

Adams acknowledges the gravity of his diagnosis but remains undeterred, fueled by past experiences of overcoming conditions once thought incurable.

Adams Acknowledges His Serious Diagnosis, but Remains Undeterred, Drawing On Past Experiences Of Overcoming "Incurable" Conditions

Adams describes his terminal cancer diagnosis, noting that metastasized prostate cancer is typically not amenable to a cure. However, Adams recalls a time when he suffered excruciating pain, rendering him unable to walk and dependent on a walker and wheelchair. Faced with such adversity, Adams had contemplated an end-of-life plan as legally allowed in California. This contemplation came before he began exploring new treatment strategies, demonstrating his openness to seeking solutions even in dire circumstances.

Adams Explores New Treatments, Believing Breakthroughs Can Lead To Recovery

Although specifics about Adams' pursuit of unconventional solutions are not mentioned, his overall attitude and statements indicate a proactive approach. Approximately three weeks before the interview, Adams embarked on a new treatment involving [restricted term] blockers, which astonishingly relieved his pain and allowed him to walk without assistance. His hopes are buoyed by the rapid pac ...