The Council of Gods Quotes

“The battle between impulse and wisdom is not a sign that one is weak or flawed - it is a natural feature of being human. Our psyches are not monolithic, but assemblages of different drives, emotions, and thought patterns. By acknowledging the battle, we can more consciously support the side of wisdom.”
― Kevin L. Michel, The Council of Gods

“The image of a man deliberately constraining his freedom in order to achieve a greater goal resonates powerfully through the ages. We may not face singing sirens on a remote isle, but every person harbors their own sirens - alluring distractions and destructive temptations. Like Odysseus, we are strapped to a journey, and along the way we will inevitably hear those calls.”
― Kevin L. Michel, The Council of Gods

“Social Commitments: Turn a solitary goal into a social contract. If you want to ensure you hit the gym, agree to meet a friend there on specific days. Knowing someone is waiting for you creates a commitment that is harder to break than a promise to yourself alone.”
― Kevin L. Michel, The Council of Gods

“Environment design is another powerful tool. Our surroundings often dictate our behavior subconsciously—we tend to follow the path of least resistance. So, shaping the environment can make desired behaviors the default.”
― Kevin L. Michel, The Council of Gods

“Centuries after Plato’s allegory, neuroscience now confirms that indeed, perception is a filter, not a passive window onto reality. Our brains are not cameras capturing an objective world; they are artists crafting a narrative. Light pours onto your retina upside‑down and full of gaps—yet you don’t see the world as an upside‑down patchwork full of holes.”
― Kevin L. Michel, The Council of Gods

“Imagine this scene as the council of gods inside you. When you face a tough decision or a strong temptation, it is as if these inner gods gather in debate or even combat. In the reverberations of their shouts and whispers, we recognize our own internal struggle.”
― Kevin L. Michel, The Council of Gods

“Now picture that one day, a single prisoner is somehow freed … The familiar wall with its comforting shadows suddenly feels safer and saner than this new blinding light and its strange shapes. Gradually, as his eyes adapt, he starts to see forms in true detail—first vague outlines, then clear shapes with colors beyond any palette of shadow.”
― Kevin L. Michel, The Council of Gods

“No choice is perfect; aim for a decision that satisfies your most important criteria and accept that it might not satisfy every wish.”
― Kevin L. Michel, The Council of Gods

“Question first impressions: recognize that your initial perception of a situation may be incomplete or biased.”
― Kevin L. Michel, The Council of Gods

“When every part of you feels heard and given its due, the inner ‘gods’ are more likely to work together rather than sabotage one another.”
― Kevin L. Michel, The Council of Gods

“Instead of viewing an emotion like anger or fear as an enemy to suppress, consider what useful message it carries.”
― Kevin L. Michel, The Council of Gods

“In essence, your mind isn’t truly of one mind; it’s an assembly of different processes and perspectives, honed over eons of evolution, each with its own agenda and voice.”
― Kevin L. Michel, The Council of Gods

“We carry within us a multiplicity - we are not one voice, but many.”
― Kevin L. Michel, The Council of Gods

“The goal, these myths suggest, is not for one force within us to utterly destroy the others, but to achieve a dynamic harmony.”
― Kevin L. Michel, The Council of Gods

“Understanding this brain‑based battle can be empowering.”
― Kevin L. Michel, The Council of Gods

“Embarking on this journey is an act of courage and curiosity. It is a decision to step into the role of the hero in your own story.”
― Kevin L. Michel, The Council of Gods

“Understanding this inner council is the first step to self‑mastery.”
― Kevin L. Michel, The Council of Gods

“Our brains are not cameras capturing an objective world. Instead, the brain is more like an artist or a storyteller - taking in fragments of sensory data and crafting a narrative of what it believes to be out there.”
― Kevin L. Michel, The Council of Gods

“This allegory, known as Plato’s Cave, is a powerful illustration of a simple truth: what we take to be reality might only be a shadow.”
― Kevin L. Michel, The Council of Gods