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by
Thinknetic
The greatest blessings of mankind are within us and within our reach. A wise man is content with his lot, whatever it may be, without wishing for what he has not.
Happiness is not to acquire and enjoy, but nothing to be desired, as it is to be free.
Firstly, we cannot achieve happiness through acquisition. This relates to buying what we don’t need, accumulating beyond what is sufficient, and hoarding what we no longer use. These behaviors are counter-productive to a lifestyle of moral conduct as it promotes vices such as selfishness and miserliness. Secondly, our transient enjoyment experience does not equate to the stately experience of happiness. Enjoyment arises from indulgence and sensory gratification, both of which are borne from vice. There is no leniency toward developing desire as the Stoic path to happiness is directed by
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Limit Your Desire Learn to understand the difference between what you desire and what you actually need to sustain yourself. Pay close consideration to the basis of your decision-making: is it driven by what you want or what is needed?
Take stock of your lifestyle to assess which areas are prone to excess and which areas align with moderation. Balance areas in excess by reducing behaviors that lead to accumulation. In relation to hoarding, opt to donate instead of throwing it away if it is still in good standing.
The fool operates within the context of his financial and material standing. Thus, his decisions are directed by fulfilling his desire for financial freedom, power, and/or social status. Desire is the driving force underlying actionable vice, thus challenging the fool’s ability to align with virtuous conduct.
It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, that is poor.
Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants. EPICTETUS
Like Seneca, Epictetus teaches us that wealth is not financial freedom, power, or social status. Instead, Epictetus deepens our understanding of wealth by referencing the value inherent within our human condition. The Stoa believe that true wealth lies in the attainment of happiness. And as happiness arises solely from virtuous conduct, wealth is considered an extension of excellence in character 7.
This is not the satisfaction of desire that freedom is obtained, but the destruction of desire. EPICTETUS
He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.
Conceptually, we learn that ‘pain’ relates to scarcity. In this instance, pain arises from our human suffering when what we desire remains unfulfilled. In contrast, ‘pleasure’ relates to abundance. Here, our experience of human gratification occurs when what we desire reaches fulfillment in excess.
Marcus Aurelius highlights the importance of preventing our character from uniting with our desire. When we subject our character to the fluctuations inherent in desire, we lose the ability to regulate our emotions. In turn, the turmoil we experience discourages a realistic interpretation of the world around us.
The world of today is marked by consumerism. Almost everything presents an opportunity for marketing a better life by acquiring a new product or lifestyle aid. Learn to take stock of your current lifestyle. Can you pinpoint which external influences are most likely to activate your desire? What forms the basis of your decision-making process when choosing whether or not to act upon your desires?
When our focus lies in controlling external causes, we lose sight of our inner constitution.
The cause of our human suffering lies in the realm of desire. It arises when our desire remains unfulfilled, and our expectations thereof are unmet. This form of impoverishment contradicts our ability to cultivate reason in our judgment. Our judgment is therefore governed by externalities and, in this compromised state, is susceptible to corruption 4. This distorts our perception of reality, giving rise to the imagination – the incorrect judgment of things. Our suffering, in this regard, lies wholly in our imagination.
If you really want to escape the things that harass you, what you’re needing is not to be in a different place but to be a different person.
It is human nature to seek out an escape when faced with adversity. Escape offers a form of reprieve that temporarily mitigates unpleasant experiences. However, Seneca recommends an alternative response to escape: character refinement.
What upsets people is not things themselves, but their judgements about these things.
When our desires are either unfulfilled or do not meet our expectations, we experience human suffering. Our experience of human suffering can take on various forms. Think about moments when you have experienced human suffering. What form did it take? And which of your desires were unfulfilled?
In the Stoic sense, suffering relates to the human experience of unregulated emotions. When we allow our conduct to be led by our emotional response, we create opportunities for suffering to manifest. Our suffering, in such instances, holds us back from conduct that engenders moral excellence. As such, we increase the scope of our suffering to extend into our decision-making process.
The use of the word ‘today’ teaches us that every day presents an opportunity for transformation 3. Our day consists of a series of decisions in which we choose between virtue and vice. Therefore, we move closer to either happiness or misfortune with each decision we make 4.
You become what you give your attention to… If you yourself don’t choose what thoughts and images you expose yourself to, someone else will.
When we follow those who do not exercise reason, we neglect taking responsibility for our decisions. Our decisions form the basis of our daily living, bringing us closer to either virtue or vice 1. This influences our behavior toward our conduct and what we choose to prioritize.
Now is the time to get serious about living your ideals. How long can you afford to put off who you really want to be? Your nobler self cannot wait any longer. Put your principles into practice – now.
Anger is a destructive emotion that causes harm to ourselves and others alike. It reflects our undeveloped human condition as evidenced by our unregulated emotions.
We know that our unregulated emotions are often associated with strongly negative experiences. When our emotions are in flux, it causes us to behave erratically. This makes it difficult for us to uphold our commitment to moral excellence. Our practice of character refinement is challenged by unnecessary obstacles that hinder our human development.
Marcus Aurelius emphasizes, “stop being aimless.” This echoes the Stoa’s belief that we should have direction in life. In Stoic philosophy, this means to live according to a set of principles that espouse virtue and moral ethics. To do so successfully, we need to make conscious decisions about our life and the lifestyle we choose to lead. We should not become aimless by simply going with the flow or being swayed by external influences.
Who can I be of assistance to today? How can I make a positive contribution to my community today? What can I give of myself to alleviate another’s burden today? Am I willing to look beyond my circumstances to contribute to the greater good?
Difficulties strengthen the mind, as labor does the body.
How we view adversity will determine whether or not we invest in character development. The Stoics understood that difficulties represent opportunities for transformation. More specifically, to put into practice rational thinking to achieve virtuous conduct 1.
1. Acknowledge what has happened, 2. Recognize that it is in the past, 3. Choose to cultivate new experiences that embody goodness and virtue.
Waste no more time arguing what a good man should be, be one.
Our second piece of guidance addresses “arguing.” The Stoic philosophers viewed arguing as an unproductive activity. It arises from our personal need to prove that we are right. What makes arguing particularly divisive is that our logic and justifications are closely tied to our perceptions. This makes it challenging to engage in a healthy discussion, especially when we have not developed sound reasoning.
Use Your Time Wisely How you choose to use your time directly reflects your human development. Instead of spending your time entertaining your desires – use your time wisely. When you find yourself with time to spare, invest it in nurturing your character. To get you started, ask yourself: How can I use my time to create opportunities for actionable virtue? Which habits can I practice to cultivate a Stoic lifestyle?
Rather, kindness is intrinsic to the human condition and finds its expression when choosing virtue over vice.
Be tolerant with others and strict with yourself.
Make a point of being attentive, expressing interest, and caring about what is happening in the lives of those around you.
This means that for us to achieve success, we first need to be ready to do so.
As each day arises, welcome it as the very best day of all, and make it your own possession.
From this statement, we learn that “each day” will not be the same. However, regardless of what happens during our day, our approach should remain the same. This means that whether our day is filled with challenges or with ease, it is our duty to prioritize actionable virtue 3.
Seneca addresses our duty to use our day to its fullest potential. Our present day becomes the “best” day when we make the most of that unit of time. We do so by using our time in service of moral excellence.
Our time increases in value when we spend it in service of moral excellence. Not only do we use our day to its fullest potential, but we also bring action to virtue.
Remember, Stoic philosophy teaches that our imagination represents a distorted interpretation of reality. This means that our judgment is susceptible to corruption because the presence of desire within our inner constitution opposes virtue. In contrast, reason allows us to make the correct judgments on things 4. This is only possible when our conduct aligns solely with actionable virtue, and we have taken the time to eliminate vice.
Our attachments are a direct reflection of our desires. We become attached to things when we hold onto them with sentiment - or assign some perceived value to them.
Constantly pursuing what you want stimulates greed.
Our human suffering arises from our unregulated emotions which are associated with misunderstanding, misinterpretation, or our inability to accept something. This creates animosity between ourselves, others, and our perception of the world around us. When we allow our unregulated emotions to remain unchecked, they develop the capacity to overwhelm our conduct and decision-making process.
What injures the hive, injures the bee,” he said. “The best revenge,” he said, “is not to be like that.” Meaning: When you hurt others, you hurt the group and you hurt yourself.
Very little is needed to make a happy life. It is all within yourself, in your way of thinking.
It is not that we have so little time but that we lose so much… The life we receive is not short but we make it so; we are not ill provided but use what we have wastefully.
