Do Less
The Daily Stoic3 Juli 2019

Do Less

Unlike so many of the other philosophical schools, the Stoics were doers. The Epicureans might have been content to play in their gardens and the Cynics might have believed that most of the obligations of society were a scam, but the Stoics were responsible and public-minded. Marcus Aurelius lead the empire. Seneca was a writer and a political advisor and he ran the many estates his family owned.

These were busy people. But they also understood the importance of work-life balance, and were early practitioners of what the author Greg McKeown calls essentialism. They worked hard, but they knew it was impossible and self-defeating to try to do it all. As Seneca wrote:

“We will benefit from that helpful precept of Democritus, showing us that tranquility lies in not undertaking tasks, either in public or private, that are either numerous or greater than our resources.”

Each of us needs to take the time to set our priorities straight and to understand our limits. What’s the most important thing in our lives? What’s the next most important thing? What are we going to say no to so we can focus on those things? What are we going to say no to (or yes to) in order to protect our personal happiness and peace?

The key isn’t to always do more, more, more, but sometimes to do less so that we can do more of what we care most about.

P.S. “If you seek tranquillity, do less. Or (more accurately) do what’s essential,” Marcus said. We set up the Daily Stoic Freedom Challenge to help you do just that—21 actionable challenges to help you do less and do it better. Learn more and sign up here!

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

Avsnitt(2860)

Bert Kreischer's Reading List (From Ryan Holiday)

Bert Kreischer's Reading List (From Ryan Holiday)

After recording their episode, Ryan and Bert Kreischer stopped by The Painted Porch, where Ryan shared some must-read books with Bert.Watch this episode on Ryan Holiday's YouTube Channel: https://www....

8 Feb 13min

The Philosopher Who Didn’t Care What Anyone Thought

The Philosopher Who Didn’t Care What Anyone Thought

The most fearless philosopher in the ancient world didn’t rule an empire or write books. He lived on the street and begged for food. And yet, he was bold enough to challenge Alexander the Great to his...

7 Feb 23min

This Is A Good Surprise | The Stoic Edge Behind Peak Performance

This Is A Good Surprise | The Stoic Edge Behind Peak Performance

You’re tough. You’re firm. You don’t get bothered by things. You keep yourself under control. Good. But you’re missing something else just as important and perhaps more impressive.📚 Books Mentioned: ...

6 Feb 25min

This is The One Thing You Don’t Accept

This is The One Thing You Don’t Accept

From corruption to tyranny, the Stoics refused to sit on the sidelines. They tried to change things.👉 Support the podcast and go deeper into Stoicism by subscribing to The Daily Stoic Premium - unloc...

5 Feb 2min

BONUS | No One Is Coming to Give You Permission

BONUS | No One Is Coming to Give You Permission

If your New Year motivation didn’t make it to February, this episode is for you. Ryan and his business partner and longtime friend, Brent Underwood, talk about how waiting for permission, perfect cond...

5 Feb 39min

It’s Always Going To Be One-Sided

It’s Always Going To Be One-Sided

It’s always been a dilemma: Why should I be honest when no one else seems to be? Why should I play by the rules when others are so visibly breaking them? Why should I be respectful or kind or fair whe...

4 Feb 2min

Chuck Klosterman: The NFL Explains More About America Than You Think

Chuck Klosterman: The NFL Explains More About America Than You Think

Few writers understand American culture like Chuck Klosterman, which is why he joins Ryan ahead of the Super Bowl to talk about how football reshaped American culture.In this episode, Chuck and Ryan d...

4 Feb 1h 16min

Do You Have Double What It Takes? | The Source Of Your Anxiety

Do You Have Double What It Takes? | The Source Of Your Anxiety

Obstacles, adversaries, pitfalls, and bad luck. It’s going to be there. It’s going to happen. 📔 Pick up your own leather bound signed edition of The Daily Stoic! Check it out at the Daily Stoic Store...

3 Feb 7min

Populärt inom Business & ekonomi

badfluence
framgangspodden
rss-jossan-nina
varvet
rss-borsens-finest
uppgang-och-fall
avanzapodden
svd-tech-brief
fill-or-kill
bathina-en-podcast
lastbilspodden
borsmorgon
rss-inga-dumma-fragor-om-pengar
rss-kort-lang-analyspodden-fran-di
kapitalet-en-podd-om-ekonomi
rss-dagen-med-di
rss-den-nya-ekonomin
affarsvarlden
rss-borslunch
rikatillsammans-om-privatekonomi-rikedom-i-livet