I’m 22.
I used to be a broke, depressed uni student with no idea what I wanted to do in my life.
Then, I discovered stoicism, and the philosophy changed my life forever.
My 15 favorite takeaways:
We Control How We React
Epictetus, a former slave, said, “The chief task of the philosopher is to determine what’s up to us and what’s not up to us.”
That’s the definition of stoicism: We don’t control what happens to us. We control how we respond to what happens to us.
For the stoics, everything is an opportunity to respond with 4 virtues:
• Courage
• Temperance
• Justice
• Wisdom
Every obstacle standing in your way is itself the way.
Form Foundational Habits
Stoics are busy people, both now and in the olden days.
The key is to develop essential practices, like an internal compass.
The alternative is to constantly guess your next step.
Prepare For The Hours Ahead
Philosophy is an active practice. A dialog with oneself.
Work out what you’re thinking as you’re thinking.
(Journaling is helpful)
Get your juices flowing when the stakes are low, so that can perform when the stakes are high.
Go For A Walk
Nietzsche: “Only ideas had when walking have any worth.”
Seneca: “The mind must be given over to wandering walks. Fields that are not allowed to rest will not bear plants. The mind will break like an anvil if not rested.”
Lace up those sneakers.
Commit To Consistency
Zeno: “Well-being is realized by small steps but it’s no small thing.”
Marcus Aurelius: “Assemble your life, action by action.”
Make a bit of progress every day. Keep showing up.
Wisdom is accumulated experience by experience.
Engage With Your Community
Marcus Aurelius: “The fruit of this life is a good character and acts of the common good.”
Stoics are not divorced from the world. On the contrary, they try to do what is right for themselves and the world.
We serve something larger than ourselves.
Push Your Limits
Epictetus: “Put every impression up to the test.”
You know what weakness feels like, but you don’t have to listen to it.
Growth is on the other side of that resistance — your superpower is knowing when to push through or not.
Cherish Your Loved Ones
You don’t possess people, so don’t take them for granted.
Don’t assume that you’ll always have them.
They are here on earth on loan only.
Read, Read, Read
• Do it all the time
• Speed reading is a trap
• Classics are classics for a reason
• Quit bad books
• Find one book in every book to read next
• Ask how you’re going to apply the information
• If the book is good, recommend it to someone else
Memento Mori (Remember You Will Die)
It’s a reminder to accept the good things without arrogance and to let the bad things go with indifference.
Even if you strike the lottery, get recognized, get into trouble, or get betrayed, remember:
You can’t take any of this seriously.
Value Time More Than Money & Possessions
Seneca: “The time that passes belongs to death.”
You can earn more money, land, and opportunities, but you can’t get this moment back.
Everything you do, you purchase with your life.
Interrogate Yourself
Seneca has a rule to put the day up for review
• What could I have done better?
• Who do I want to be?
• Was I being that person?
That’s how you get better.
Seek Out Challenges
Cliche as it is, do one thing every day that scares you.
To quote Herman Melville, “To produce a mighty book, you must choose a mighty theme.”
Like we lift weights to get stronger, we must tackle hard things.
We become better for what we struggle with.
Don’t Follow the Mob
Chrysippus: “I think for myself.”
Stoics are not contrarians, but they think independently.
Thinking for yourself is the hardest thing in the world — but if you were to forge your own path, it’s necessary.
Thanks for reading 🤝
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