Get Yourself Under Control
The Daily Stoic9 Nov 2018

Get Yourself Under Control

It was Heraclitus--a favorite of Marcus Aurelius--who said that “to be self-controlled is the greatest of excellence.” Isn’t that the truth? It’s why we admire athletes and Navy SEALS and the Civil Rights Activists of the 1950s and 1960s.


To see someone being provoked with horrific language and threatened with bodily violence--only to ignore it. To see someone under incredible pressure and perform despite it. To see someone override their fears and physical limitations in service of their country. This, we know, is self-control par excellence.


The reason we study this philosophy, follow its precepts and practice its exercises, is to develop our own ability to control ourselves. To control our desires, our emotions, our bodies, and our minds. So that under pressure, under threat, under siege, we can be our best selves. We are working to get ourselves under control so that we can be excellent--we can be virtuous--and because we know that self-control is its own form of excellence.


It’s a hard thing to do, and that’s why we admire it.


See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Denne episoden er hentet fra en åpen RSS-feed og er ikke publisert av Podme. Den kan derfor inneholde annonser.

Episoder(2989)

Thoughts and Prayers are not Enough

Thoughts and Prayers are not Enough

The cycle would be almost humorous by now if it were not so sad. Politicians who have sat idly by, not doing their jobs to address the vexing, pressing problems of our time, rush in when tragedy strik...

20 Nov 20193min

If You Want Tranquility, Here's How to Find It

If You Want Tranquility, Here's How to Find It

We all want more peace, right? More stillness. The quiet confidence that comes from being on the right path, as Seneca described it, and not being distracted by all those which crisscross ours. Well, ...

19 Nov 20192min

You'll Have to Beat Me First

You'll Have to Beat Me First

There is a famous moment in the history of Sparta, when they were threatened with invasion by Phillip, King of Macedon. Phillip, whose son was Alexander the Great, demanded the submission of the Spart...

18 Nov 20193min

Don’t Run From Pain, Embrace It

Don’t Run From Pain, Embrace It

It makes sense that we avoid pain. We don’t want to cause it and we don’t want to feel it. We’d rather life be easy. This makes sense—at least in the short term.But the Stoics knew that in the long te...

15 Nov 20192min

Remember that People Avoid the Truth

Remember that People Avoid the Truth

Time and time again, we hear the Stoics tell us to say what is right, to do what is right, to be comfortable swimming upstream or rejecting the choices of the mob. Marcus Aurelius said this. Seneca sa...

14 Nov 20192min

There’s Nothing Special About Philosophers

There’s Nothing Special About Philosophers

If you ask most people to describe a philosopher, they end up painting a picture of somebody who works at Harvard and wears a lot of wool and tweed and corduroy. Maybe they’ll describe somebody from a...

13 Nov 20193min

This Is How You Get Tranquility

This Is How You Get Tranquility

Marcus Aurelius said that pain either affects the body or the soul. What’s the difference? “The soul can choose not to be affected, preserving its own serenity, its own tranquillity. All our decisions...

12 Nov 20193min

You Have To Find The Good In People

You Have To Find The Good In People

Marcus Aurelius was clearly torn about his fellow man. He was loving and kind and spoke repeatedly of serving the common good. He was also clearly frustrated and disappointed with the flaws of the peo...

11 Nov 20192min

Populært innen Business og økonomi

stopp-verden
dine-penger-pengeradet
lydartikler-fra-aftenposten
rss-penger-polser-og-politikk
e24-podden
rss-borsmorgen-okonominyhetene
finansredaksjonen
rss-skravla-gar
livet-pa-veien-med-jan-erik-larssen
rss-pa-konto
pengepodden-2
pengesnakk
tid-er-penger-en-podcast-med-peter-warren
morgenkaffen-med-finansavisen
rss-sunn-okonomi
rss-markedspuls-2
liberal-halvtime
lederpodden
okonomiamatorene
utbytte