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You don’t get to choose the hands you’re dealt, only how you want to play them. Your hands in poker as in life are indifferent, learn to accept them equally, without judging.
Play the cards you are delt and don't complain about it.
Undertake Actions with a Reserve Clause
“I will sail across the ocean, if nothing prevents me.” – Seneca
The reserve clause is a classic Stoic trick to maintain equanimity and tranquility. It will help you accep...
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When you plan to do something, you add the caveat “if not...
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As Stoics, we bake the reserve clause into everything we do and foresee that something may intervene and prevent our wished outcome.
We don’t promise success to us beforehand.
If we are not entirely focuesed on the out come, we will not be as disappointed if an obstacle prevents us from reaching that goal.
With that detachment from the outcome, we’ll be able to maintain our tranquility instead of getting frustrated
Even if we don't get the outcome we hoped for.
The reserve clause implies two points: Do your very best to succeed . . . . . . and simultaneously know and accept that the outcome is beyond your direct control.
Two points of reserve stoicsim
“The impediment to action advances actions. What stands in the way becomes the way.” – Marcus Aurelius
The main idea is that difficulties and challenges in life are only obstacles if we make them so.
Marcus Aurelius says that your judgment makes an event into an obstacle or an opportunity. It’s up to you.
Change is a universal law of nature. Things are changing constantly.
Learn to enjoy stuff and people without feeling entitled to them, without clinging.
But we can adopt a noble spirit to bear up bravely with all the changes nature sends our way, and bring our will into harmony with reality.
When faced with change that cannot be changed
“I am not eternal, but a human being; a part of the whole, as an hour is of the day. Like an hour I must come and, like an hour, pass away.” – Epictetus
The old Romans had a name for this: Memento mori (remember you are mortal).
Keep this in mind to appreciate the things you have.
Negative visualization is an imagination exercise in which you foresee bad stuff. It prepares you to stay calm and deal effectively with whatever life will throw at you.
Before you go out and do something, ask yourself: What could go wrong? What obstacle could pop up? Where could I face difficulties?
Keep Your “Weapons” Ready at Hand
Keep yoid weapons and yoir philosophy at hand and ready touse
As they wanted to be the best they could be, they tried to counteract irrational thoughts and judgments with opposing, rational beliefs.
Always have rational and logical thoights ready to counter negative or irational thoughts
“Most of what we say and do is not essential. If you can eliminate it, you’ll have more time, and more tranquility.
Ask yourself at every moment, ‘Is this necessary?’ But we need to eliminate unnecessary assumptions as well.
Marcus Aurelius
Find out for yourself how much more you can accomplish if you cut through the jungle of unimportance and focus on the spring of importance.
Ask if what you are doing is nessesary and if you can eliminate it.
Epictetus observes, “Freedom is not achieved by satisfying desire, but by eliminating it.”
“Stoic philosophy calls for plain living, but not for penance,”
You don't have to giveup wealth
Use reason rather than convention to choose what to spend your time on.
Convention wohld be letting social structures decide what to spend time on
The first thing to cut out is the news. “There is only one way to happiness,” says Epictetus, “and that is to cease worrying about things which are beyond the power of our will.”
News is all about worrying about stuff outsi...
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“If you wish to improve, be content to appear clueless or stupid in extraneous matters—don’t wish to seem knowledgeable.”
“Putting things off is the biggest waste of life,” Seneca says, “it snatches away each day as it comes, and denies us the present by promising the future.
The greatest obstacle to living is expectancy, which hangs upon tomorrow and loses today.
You are disturbed not by what happens, but by your opinion about it.
Marcus Aurelius
Your troubled mind comes from judging an outside event as undesirable or bad.
Getting angry at a situation doesn’t have an impact on the situation. It doesn’t change it, it doesn’t improve it.
“We are more often frightened than hurt; and we suffer more from imagination than from reality.” – Seneca
Anticipating calamities is not about ruining the present moment, but optimizing it.
Our values and mindfulness of the present moment prevent us from being puppets.
Be aware of the situation and not just follow on autopilot
Avoid rashness, stay calm, and you won’t get jerked around like a puppet.
Stop and think without emotion for a clear head
An important part of Stoicism is developing moment-to-moment awareness that allows you to take a step back, look at the situation objectively, analyze your impressions, and proceed with what’s constructive.
Let’s not forget that the past and the future are not under our control. They are indifferent to the Stoics.
The present moment is all anyone possesses,
Marcus Aurelius says that all you’ll ever need is:
The following highlights
Certainty of judgment in the present moment: What does the situation look like objectively?
Acceptance of external events in the present moment: Accept and be content with what’s out of control.
Action for the common good in the present moment: What’s the best action...
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But watch yourself, that you don’t value these things to the point of being troubled if you should lose them.” – Marcus Aurelius
Value the things you have and think about how much you would want this if you didnt have them. But be able to let go if you lose them.
You don’t need more and more stuff. You need less. And you’ll be freer.
The most difficult and frequent challenges we face in everyday life are other people.
let’s ask who insulted us?
If you do not respect the person their insults and opinions do not matter
