Active Stoicism: Cultivating Inner Character for a Fulfilling Life

Key Quotes

"We are going to be flooded with the latest breaking news with hot takes with trends with everyone's opinions it's way too much to manage and while some things you should have an opinion about some things you don't need to have an opinion about things are not asking to be judged by you marcus aurelius says leave them alone leave other people to their own opinions leave their arguing alone don't chase every trend don't chase every latest outrage focus your attention where it matters focus your attention on what's important leave the rest alone"

The author argues that individuals should avoid forming opinions on every piece of information encountered. Marcus Aurelius, as cited by the author, suggests leaving things and other people's opinions undisturbed if they do not require personal judgment. This principle encourages focusing attention on what is truly important and leaving less critical matters unattended.

"the stoics say that we are protective of our property and of our money and then we're frivolous with our time the one thing you can't recover the one thing they're not making any more of life isn't short seneca says a year is a long time the problem we just waste it we waste it on inessential things we waste it getting distracted and upset by things that have nothing to do with us that we can't control"

The author highlights a Stoic perspective on the value of time, contrasting our carefulness with possessions against our casual use of time. Seneca, quoted by the author, suggests that time is not inherently short but is often wasted on non-essential distractions and emotional reactions to uncontrollable events. This emphasizes the irretrievable nature of time and the importance of its mindful allocation.

"seneca would set aside a certain number of days throughout the year where he would survive on very little food or sleep on the ground he he would try to rough it basically and he said the point of this was to get up close and comfortable with conditions that you can then say to yourself this is what i was afraid of most of the time we're trying to make life easier and smoother and that's a good instinct i guess but the problem then is that this makes us afraid of losing that comfort"

The author explains Seneca's practice of intentionally seeking discomfort through limited food or sleeping on the ground. Seneca, according to the author, used this method to become familiar with feared conditions, thereby reducing the anxiety associated with losing comfort. This practice aims to build resilience by confronting potential hardships proactively.

"if you want to make sure you don't live in a dark screwed up awful world well one thing you can do is not be dark and awful you can do good things right stoicism is not just about self improvement it's a philosophy around helping others and improving the world marcus aurelius talks about the idea of the common good something like 80 times in meditations he says actually the fruit of a good life is good character the common good"

The author asserts that contributing to the common good is essential for avoiding a negative world and living a good life. Marcus Aurelius, as mentioned by the author, frequently discusses the common good in his writings, suggesting that good character and actions benefiting others are the ultimate outcomes of a well-lived life. This perspective frames Stoicism as a philosophy that extends beyond personal development to encompass societal contribution.

"he who suffers before it is necessary suffers more than is necessary and he says the reality is a lot of us suffer more in our minds than we do in reality the dread the torture the anxiety what if this what if that what if this what if that that's not stoicism you want to be prepared you want to be trained to handle the various contingencies that might come up but you want to make sure you're not torturing yourself in advance"

Seneca, as quoted by the author, posits that anticipating suffering unnecessarily leads to greater distress than the actual event. The author elaborates that much suffering originates from mental anxiety and hypothetical worries, rather than present reality. This Stoic principle encourages preparation for potential difficulties without succumbing to premature mental anguish.

"if you wish for things to be as they are you will have them and so if you can reduce your needs if you can reduce your baseline if you can reduce your expectations you'll have a rich and prosperous 2026 if this year or any year is dependent on you achieving or getting things at a certain level then your success is going to be dependent on things going a certain way and that's a vulnerable place to be"

The author explains Epictetus's idea that contentment is achieved by accepting circumstances as they are, which is facilitated by reducing desires and expectations. Epictetus, according to the author, suggests that tying success to external achievements or specific outcomes creates vulnerability. This principle advocates for finding richness and prosperity by being content with one's current state rather than constantly pursuing more.