In partnership with

Unleash your thumos to start Life-Maxxing

What drove Alexander the Great to conquer lands near and far and build one of the largest empires in history by the time he was 30? The ancient Greeks called it thumos—a forgotten emotion that drove their heroes to wrestle lions, slay monsters, and bed a few gods or goddesses along the way.

These days, you're more likely to find yourself wrestling the urge to keep doomscrolling rather than wrestling lions. But to build the life of your dreams, you must dig deep and reignite this forgotten emotion. Here’s how to find your thumos.

What can thumos do for you?

The ancient Greeks revered thumos as a primal force that drove humanity to greatness. They believed that if you had too little thumos, you were unable to participate in life. But what exactly is thumos, and why should we care about rekindling it?

The word thumos is linked to “breath” and “blood,” and is often mistranslated as "anger." Although ancient texts often link thumos to rage, it encompasses a wide range of emotions: a burning desire for glory, the courage of a warrior, the feeling of righteous indignation.

Where did all the thumos go?

Humanity has always had thumos - and we have always glorified it, with good reason. At a basic level, thumos is a primitive drive for excellence. And in humanity’s ancient past, we needed this drive just to survive.

Think of the unflinching courage and sheer will pre-historic humans needed to hunt the extinct cave bear. Imagine a caveman steadying his nerves as he creeps into the pitch black, clutching his club, smelling the ripe smell of the hibernating bear, knowing either death or a feast awaits him.

For many of us, thumos doesn’t feel relevant to our day-to-day lives. We grow up, we go to school, and we get slotted into one of the predetermined paths that society has carved for us. The first step to living in your thumos is to find your purpose. When everything is stripped away, what do you truly want for yourself and for the world?

Wake up your thumos

After surviving the Nazi concentration camps, the psychologist Victor Frankl wrote, “Life is never made unbearable by circumstances, but only by lack of meaning and purpose.” In modern terms, thumos is the driving force behind our sense of purpose.

Without thumos, our aspirations seem insurmountable. But with it, we tap into a wellspring of inner strength and grit that allows us to overcome any obstacle.

Thumos is tied to the idea of goodness and excellence: when you feel your heart soar, when you feel your soul burn for what you know is right, that is your thumos waking up. Notice it and cultivate that energy.

The first step of Life-Maxxing

The first step to life-maxxing is to find your purpose. The next step is to cultivate your thumos, feed the powerful emotion that drives you to act and build the life you truly want.

And guess what? Modern science has shown that people with a higher sense of purpose are healthier in many ways: they sleep better, they move more, they have less inflammation, they have better heart and brain health, and they are less likely to die from…everything.

Whether you seek glory or you just want to be your healthiest self, find your purpose and cultivate your thumos. Remember, the path to greatness is not for the faint of heart. It requires courage, ambition, and a burning desire to make your mark on the world.

Welcome to LifeMaxxing Magazine! See you next week.

Want to dig into the science?

• Sense of Purpose in Life and Subsequent Physical, Behavioral, and Psychosocial Health: An Outcome-Wide Approach

• Life Crafting as a Way to Find Purpose and Meaning in Life

• Purpose in Life Predicts Better Emotional Recovery from Negative Stimuli

When is LifeMaxxing Magazine coming out?

LifeMaxxing E-Magazine launches October 1st!

A fun read packed with life-changing info and science-based tips. Free teaser. Published quarterly.

LifeMaxxing Magazine launches October 15th!

The main event. A print magazine for your coffee table. Limited stock & paid. Published quarterly.

If you want to access LifeMaxxing Magazine, sign up to get notified when pre-orders open!

LifeMaxxing Magazine GIVEAWAY

Purchase of the print magazine is required to participate in the giveaway.

One lucky WINNER will receive a LifeMaxxing Box (worth $700-$1000) with our Editors’ Top Picks!

• The Ultimate Looksmaxxing Skincare Set - Packed full of luxury skincare items from brands that our Editors love. Includes tallow balm, tallow soap, Vitamin C serum, mud mask, & non-nano zinc sunscreen.

• Red Light Therapy - LifeMaxxing Magazine is trusted by the top red light brands on the market! We will give away a red light mask or a red light panel - maybe both!

• LifeMaxxing Prejuvenation Bundle - Slow down aging from the inside out with our Editors’ top choices for hydrolyzed liquid collagen, colostrum, and oral hyaluronic acid.

• Extra Goodies - This one’s a surprise you won’t want to miss…

We’ll post any updates about the giveaway here in our weekly newsletters!

Goodbye Meal Kits, Hello Hungryroot

Hungryroot is a grocery and recipe delivery service that supports any health needs you and your family might have. Whether you’re looking to incorporate a gut-friendly diet, just trying to eat healthy, or anything in between, Hungryroot makes achieving your goals on your terms easy.

Browse the thousands of groceries and recipes available each week, or have Hungryroot curate a delivery made just for you and your family based on your preferences. Save hours planning, shopping, and cooking each week. Plus pick one free item for life.

Take the quiz and get 30% off your 1st order!