You Must Be a Good Example
The Daily Stoic13 Mars 2020

You Must Be a Good Example

Think of the pressure Marcus Aurelius must have been under. Not just of the temptations and the corruptions of power, but all the eyes that were on him. Forget the judgments of history, there was literally an “emperor cult” in Rome that worshipped the man on the throne as a god to be sacrificed to and prayed for.

What we know is that Marcus took this pressure seriously. He strove to live up to the expectations and the dignity of his position, even if many of his predecessors had not. “Let people see someone living naturally,” he reminded himself in Meditations 10:15, “and understand what that means.” And in Meditations 10:16, that’s where he writes his famous line to stop talking about what a good person is like and just be one.

But what’s interesting is that while Marcus more or less lived up to this pressure, he claimed to be doing it for himself, not for other people. Actually the second half of the line in 10:15 talks about how he’s fine being killed for what he believes in, if people don’t understand it. He’s doing right because it’s right, not because people are watching. It’s sort of like that Chris Rock line about being a role model: Don’t not beat your wife because you’re a role model for young people, don’t do it because it’s wrong!

Remember what Marcus said about not expecting the “third thing”—that is, gratitude or acknowledgment. Be a good role model because you’re a good person, because you’ve trained yourself to like and enjoy being good. Be a good role model because that’s what this philosophy demands of you, because that’s what life is demanding of you. That it might help other people, that you are teaching your children or your audience at the same time? That’s extra.

Don’t talk about being a good role model. Be one.

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

Avsnitt(2910)

BONUS | How to Reset Your Life (According to the Stoics)

BONUS | How to Reset Your Life (According to the Stoics)

Ready to write off 2026 already because it didn’t start perfectly? In this episode, Ryan talks about why the Stoics would say that impulse is not just unhelpful, it’s arrogant. Writing off today, this...

15 Mars 14min

A Stoic Test I Didn’t Expect

A Stoic Test I Didn’t Expect

In the span of three days, Ryan found himself in a series of situations that were exciting, surreal, and a little terrifying. The kind of moments where the Stoic ideas suddenly get put to the test.SPE...

14 Mars 35min

Here’s How You Take Back Your Time | Become Dangerously Persuasive With These Books

Here’s How You Take Back Your Time | Become Dangerously Persuasive With These Books

Think of how you spent the last week. Were those seven days as efficient or productive as they could be? 🎥 VIDEO EPISODE | Watch this episode on Ryan Holiday's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.co...

13 Mars 13min

It’s Scary…But In A Good Way

It’s Scary…But In A Good Way

Without change, we stagnate. Our minds grow complacent, ignorant to new ideas. Our bodies grow weak from disuse. We remain stuck.👉 SPECIAL OFFER FOR PODCAST LISTENERS ONLY | Go to dailystoic.com/spri...

12 Mars 9min

What Can You Notice?

What Can You Notice?

There is beauty and peace in noticing. The world is filled with things to see and hear.📚 Books Mentioned: Stillness Is The Key by Ryan Holiday Raising Hare by Chloe Dalton👉 SPECIAL OFFER | Go to dai...

11 Mars 3min

The Day Control Was Taken From Us

The Day Control Was Taken From Us

Most people remember exactly where they were the week of March 11, 2020. Life suddenly stopped. The world went quiet. And for a brief moment, everything about our routines, priorities, and pace of lif...

11 Mars 37min

Have You Lost The Beat, Tune, or Rhythm? | Think About It From The Other Person's Perspective

Have You Lost The Beat, Tune, or Rhythm? | Think About It From The Other Person's Perspective

You will get knocked off course. You will fall off the wagon. You will get out of sorts. That's unavoidable. What matters is how quickly you return.SPECIAL OFFER | Go to dailystoic.com/spring and ente...

10 Mars 10min

They Should Have What They Want

They Should Have What They Want

We should think about where we have made our happiness conditional on this or that achievement, on this or that identity which lies outside our control.SPECIAL OFFER exclusively for podcast listeners ...

9 Mars 7min

Populärt inom Business & ekonomi

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