You Decide The End of The Story
The Daily Stoic9 Mai 2019

You Decide The End of The Story

When James Stockdale was shot down in Vietnam, he was taken prisoner by the North Vietnamese. He spent seven years being tortured and subjected to unimaginable loneliness and terror. He had little choice over the fact that he was shot down, or that he was taken prisoner.

But what he told himself—and what helped him endure this terrible ordeal—was the sense of agency that Stoicism gave him, the sense that he could ultimately use this experience as fuel.

As he said later:

“I never lost faith in the end of the story, I never doubted not only that I would get out, but also that I would prevail in the end and turn the experience into the defining event of my life, which, in retrospect, I would not trade.”

The sheer bravery and strength Stockdale exhibited by truly embodying this notion of amor fati gives one goosebumps, even some 50 years later. It’s just unreal.

It’s a reminder that for everything outside of our control, we retain—at the core of our being—an incredible power: The power to choose what we do with what happens to us. The power to decide what role an event will play in our lives. The power to write the end of our own story.

No one can take that away from us. People can hurt us. Money can be lost. Jobs can disappear. Cars can crash into each other. Stoicism can’t change what happened. No philosophy is a time machine.

But what we can do, what the Stoic practice is meant to help us do, is to prevail over what happened, and decide what comes next.



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

Episoder(2952)

What To Do When Life Doesn’t Go as Planned | Jim Collins

What To Do When Life Doesn’t Go as Planned | Jim Collins

What if the hardest moments in your life aren’t detours but the very things that put you on the right path? In Part 2, bestselling author Jim Collins explains why the moments that derail you are often...

11 Apr 38min

Nothing Can Get In The Way of the Mission | Test Your Impressions

Nothing Can Get In The Way of the Mission | Test Your Impressions

Roles shift. Titles change. But the mission never does.Reading Marcus Aurelius can change your life, but only if you know how to read his work 👉 Head here now to grab your Meditations book and guide ...

10 Apr 7min

This Can Change the Course of Your Life

This Can Change the Course of Your Life

The right book at the right time is a powerful thing. In fact, it can change the whole course of your life.Reading Marcus Aurelius can change your life, but only if you know how to read his work 👉 He...

9 Apr 4min

Make the Most of Your Life | Jim Collins

Make the Most of Your Life | Jim Collins

What if the reason you feel lost has nothing to do with direction and everything to do with the question you’re asking? Ryan sits down with bestselling author Jim Collins to explore the mindset that d...

9 Apr 48min

You Must Learn to See | The Stoic Lesson of Marcus Aurelius' Crumbling Statue

You Must Learn to See | The Stoic Lesson of Marcus Aurelius' Crumbling Statue

We must change our aperture and perspective so that amidst the muddle and puddles of life, we can see what the artist and the philosopher sees.Reading Marcus Aurelius can change your life, but only if...

8 Apr 8min

You Can Skip This Part of the Nightmare | Stoicism, Across the World

You Can Skip This Part of the Nightmare | Stoicism, Across the World

You may well be in the middle of—or in for—a nightmare. But you can skip part of it, the last part…if you choose. Ryan Holiday is coming to a city near you! Grab tickets here | https://www.dailystoic...

7 Apr 10min

It’s Not Only Always Been Like This, It’s Always Been Worse | Trust But Verify

It’s Not Only Always Been Like This, It’s Always Been Worse | Trust But Verify

You live in a time of abundance, medicine, knowledge, and opportunity—things the Stoics could not have imagined in their wildest dreams.🎙️ AD-FREE | Support the podcast and go deeper into Stoicism by...

6 Apr 8min

Real People. Real Tests. Real Stoicism.

Real People. Real Tests. Real Stoicism.

What does Stoicism look like in the moments that matter most? In this episode, Ryan shares listener stories about how this philosophy showed up in their hardest situations and what it changed.👉 Do yo...

5 Apr 19min

Populært innen Business og økonomi

stopp-verden
dine-penger-pengeradet
lydartikler-fra-aftenposten
e24-podden
rss-penger-polser-og-politikk
rss-borsmorgen-okonominyhetene
pengepodden-2
pengesnakk
utbytte
rss-politisk-preik
finansredaksjonen
morgenkaffen-med-finansavisen
tid-er-penger-en-podcast-med-peter-warren
livet-pa-veien-med-jan-erik-larssen
stormkast-med-valebrokk-stordalen
rss-markedspuls-2
rss-pa-konto
rss-sunn-okonomi
lederpodden
rss-investering-gjort-enkelt