The Daily Stoic2 Nov 2018

Don’t Borrow Suffering

Here’s a line from Seneca: “We suffer more in imagination than in reality.” Meaning, we spend so much time worried about how bad things are going to be, that we actually torture ourselves more than the thing we’re worried about ever could (that is, if it happens at all).This is an interesting tension in Stoicism. After all, isn’t Seneca the guy who also said:We should project our thoughts ahead of us at every turn and have in mind every possible eventuality instead of only the usual course of events... Rehearse them in your mind: exile, torture, war, shipwreck. All the terms of our human lot should be before our eyes.Isn’t that a contradiction? No, not exactly. Notice that Seneca does not say that we should suffer unnecessarily in advance. He says we should rehearse and prepare--he does not say that we should torture ourselves with worry or fear.That’s what most people miss about premeditatio malorum (which you can get in medallion form from DailyStoic.com). It’s about being realistic. It’s not about borrowing worry or pain in advance. It’s not supposed to make you paranoid or pessimistic. It’s supposed to make you prepared. Bad stuff can happen. Bad stuff can happen to us. We need to be aware of that. We shouldn’t be surprised by it. But we also shouldn’t work ourselves into a state and confuse that worry with prevention or preparation. A Stoic is aware of the possibilities of life and, at the same time, has their head down and focuses on what’s in front of them and what’s inside the circle of their control.Is that complicated and a bit of a balance? Sure. But welcome to life. You can handle it.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Det här avsnittet är hämtat från ett öppet RSS-flöde och publiceras inte av Podme. Det kan innehålla reklam.

Avsnitt(3154)

50 Stoic Rules to Live By

The Stoics wrote about almost every part of life, but which of their ideas are worth carrying with you every day? In this episode, Ryan shares 50 short rules from Marcus Aurelius, Seneca, Epictetus, a...

30 Sep 25min

It’s Happening To Them…and To You Too

Time has passed. The ideas haven’t changed, as the Stoics say, but you have. The new 10th Anniversary Edition of The Daily Stoic will be released October 6, 2026—but signed and numbered first-edition ...

30 Sep 2min

You Should Be In The Thick of It | How Oprah Discovered Stoicism

How are you making your impact felt? How are you bringing your beliefs—and virtues—into the world?👉 Watch Ryan's episode with Oprah here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fiua-LIB7MY📚 Books:Build the...

29 Sep 18min

It Shows Us This | Your Actual Needs Are Small

On the one hand, history is a catalog of human misdeeds. On the other hand, is history not also a catalog of human greatness?📚 History Matters by David McCullough🎟️ DAILY STOIC LIVE | Ryan Holiday i...

28 Sep 6min

11 Stoic Lessons Ryan Learned in Rome

The streets of Rome still carry the lessons the Stoics left behind nearly 2,000 years ago. In today’s episode, Ryan walks through the places where Stoicism was lived and tested and shares 11 lessons t...

27 Sep 20min

Inside the Final Years of Marcus Aurelius

By the final years of his life, Marcus Aurelius had lost nearly everyone he loved, endured years of war, and watched the Antonine Plague devastate the empire. In today’s episode, Professor William O. ...

26 Sep 17min

BONUS | 3 Stoic One-Liners You Need Today

Today's bonus episode: three Stoic one-liners to help you start the day with the right mindset.🎟️ DAILY STOIC LIVE | Ryan Holiday is coming to a city near you! Grab tickets here | https://www.dailys...

25 Sep 1min

No Time Like The Present To Drink These Draining Seconds | The Most Secure Fortress

There is no time like the present because, really, there is no time but the present. 📔 Pick up your own leather bound signed edition of The Daily Stoic! Check it out at the Daily Stoic Store: https:/...

25 Sep 6min