The Daily Stoic25 Jan 2019

How To Make Better Decisions in Life

Believe it or not, there’s a pretty magical way to start making better decisions. It’s a secret that will also make you feel better, look better, and live better. You’ll live longer, think more clearly, and do less that you regret.

What is it?

Stop drinking. Or, at least, drink less.

Heraclitus’s line was that “a dry soul is wisest and best.” He’s right. Have you ever done anything you’re really proud of while drinking? Is anyone their best selves while drunk? Of course not. The best you can hope to say after a hard night of partying is that you didn’t make a fool of yourself.

Now, the Stoics are mixed when it comes to drinking. Cato was said to like to relax with drinking. Seneca clearly liked a good dinner party, but at the same time he wrote critically of people who obsessed over wine or bragged about how well they could hold their liquor. Marcus and Epictetus probably drank the least of the Stoics, though they did not say too much about the subject.

So while we can’t say that the Stoics were hardline teetotalers, their insistence on clear thinking, on self-control, and overall sobriety, makes it clear that they would have looked suspiciously at alcohol. As should we.

There’s nothing wrong with enjoying life or a nice glass of wine, but we should look honestly at our own habits. We never want to be dependent or a slave to any substance, no matter how good it makes us feel in the moment. And we should be wary of anything that impairs our judgment and decision making.

So if you want to be the better version of yourself, there’s a real straightforward change to make: Drink less. Or better, don’t drink at all.

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(3113)

Jet Li on Inner Peace, Ego, and What True Strength Looks Like

Behind Jet Li’s martial arts mastery and international fame is a deeply personal journey to understand purpose, ego, and freedom. In today’s episode, he sits down with Ryan to discuss the three levels...

29 Aug 1h

BONUS | 7 Stoic Rules for Staying Disciplined

Discipline is a daily practice, and these seven Stoic rules will help you stick with it.📚 Pick up a copy of Discipline is Destiny by Ryan Holiday🎟️ DAILY STOIC LIVE | Ryan Holiday is coming to a cit...

28 Aug 3min

When It’s Not How You Imagined | Seeking Out Shipwrecks

Fortune behaves however she pleases, as Seneca put it.🎶 Song lyrics: Lost Weekend - Phoebe Bridgers📚 Books: The Daily Stoic Lives of the Stoics 🎟️ DAILY STOIC LIVE | Ryan Holiday is coming to a cit...

28 Aug 7min

Stoic Lessons From 3 Cities in 3 Days

A chaotic few days on the road gave Ryan plenty of opportunities to practice what the Stoics taught. Between disrupted travel plans and visits to museums honoring Thomas Edison, Abraham Lincoln, and R...

27 Aug 25min

This Is Where True Power Comes From

If you are a slave to your desires, if you are a slave to your fears, if you are a slave to things that were outside of your control, then you are not powerful at all. LIVE Q&A TODAY | If you get our ...

27 Aug 3min

It Takes a Guide To ‘Get’ It | 9 Core Stoic Beliefs

Wisdom doesn’t come from first impressions and it does not come easy. It’s hard work…and the only way to speed up the process is with the help of a great teacher.💡 We designed our How To Read Epictet...

26 Aug 33min

How to Be Freer Than a King

We often imagine that freedom means having more power, more money, or fewer people telling us what to do. But none of that makes us free if we cannot control ourselves.💡 We designed our How To Read E...

25 Aug 3min

Can Journalism Survive the Collapse of Trust?

When everyone else seems to be abandoning their standards, what keeps you from abandoning yours? Ryan talks with USA TODAY national correspondent Rick Jervis, author of The Devil Behind The Badge, abo...

25 Aug 19min