The Daily Stoic31 Dec 2018

What We Do In Life Does Not Echo In Eternity

In the movie Gladiator, Maximus, the protege of Marcus Aurelius, says famously, “What we do in life, echoes in eternity.” It’s a powerful, inspiring line, (also tattooed on Lebron James’s arm) one the average viewer might assume that Marcus Aurelius agreed with.

Funnily enough, in his actual writings, Marcus Aurelius could not have come out more strongly against this idea. He says at one point, in Meditations, that “People out for posthumous fame forget that the Generations to Come will be the same annoying people they know now. And just as mortal." But even if they weren’t, he asks:

“What good would it do you?...You're out of step—neglecting the gifts of nature to hang on someone's words in the future."

Indeed, not only do people deprive themselves of the wonder of the present in order to hopefully be remembered in the future, far too many people—especially leaders—do themselves and those they serve a disservice by “performing for history.” Instead of focusing on what they can do right now, what little progress or improvements they can make, they get caught up in the idea of a grand, sweeping legacy. Or they play things safe, not wanting to take risks that could turn out badly...at the expense of possible opportunities they’ll never even know they missed.

We should want to do the right thing, today, because it’s the right thing. We should pursue excellence because excellence is intrinsically valuable, not because we want to be admired after we’re dead and gone. Forget echoing in eternity—just speak loudly enough to be heard right now.

Or better yet, let your actions do the talking.

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

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

Avsnitt(3107)

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

Can You Do This Even Here? | It's In Your Self-Interest

With enough practice, Seneca said, he found he could think anywhere. He could find stillness and peace anywhere.📚 Stillness Is The Key by Ryan Holiday 🎟️ DAILY STOIC LIVE | Ryan Holiday is coming to...

24 Aug 7min

7 Stoic Strategies for Managing Your Time

Most people think about time as something they have plenty of until they suddenly don’t. But Seneca’s warning raises a more unsettling question: how much of your life are you giving away without even ...

23 Aug 15min

The Marcus Aurelius Quote Steven Pressfield Couldn’t Ignore

In today's episode, Ryan and Steven Pressfield discuss one of Marcus Aurelius’ most striking lines: “Life is warfare and a journey far from home.” What begins with the epigraph to Steven’s new novel T...

22 Aug 26min

BONUS | 5 Rapid-Fire Stoic Rules for Thinking More Clearly

Before you trust your first reaction, assumption, or opinion, the Stoics would tell you to do a few things first. In this bonus episode, Ryan breaks down five rules for thinking more clearly.🎟️ DAILY...

21 Aug 2min

It’s Your Job To See This Coming | Corralling The Unnecessary

These things happen to people…therefore they could happen to you. 📔 Pick up your own leather bound signed edition of The Daily Stoic! Check it out at the Daily Stoic Store: https://store.dailystoic....

21 Aug 5min

This Is Your Ticket to Freedom | What Ryan Holiday Told Shawn Ryan to Read Next

We may not control what happens to us, what other people decide, or what circumstances take away. But we can still choose what we believe, how we respond, and who we become.💡 We designed our How To R...

20 Aug 13min