Embracing Stoic Principles for Resilience and Effectiveness

Key Quotes

"Remember, we always have the power to have no opinion. 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.'"

Ryan Holiday argues that individuals should consciously choose not to form opinions on every matter. He explains that the constant influx of information and opinions can be overwhelming, and it is more effective to focus on what truly matters rather than engaging with every trend or outrage. This approach, according to Holiday, allows for better management of one's attention.

"He says we should ask ourselves at every moment, 'Is this thing essential?' And he says if it isn't, we should get rid of it. And by the way, much of what we do is not essential. It's not important, it's not helping us, it doesn't matter. It's an obligation we inherited, it's a glittering distraction that caught our attention, it's something that doesn't move the needle."

Ryan Holiday highlights Marcus Aurelius's advice to constantly evaluate the necessity of one's actions and possessions. Holiday explains that many activities and commitments are non-essential, serving only as distractions or inherited obligations that do not contribute to meaningful progress. By identifying and eliminating these non-essentials, individuals can free up resources to focus on what truly matters.

"Seneca says we should basically interrogate ourselves at the end of the day. He said he waited for his wife to go to sleep and he would sit down and sit with the pages of a journal and look at what he did well, look at what he didn't do so well. He said, 'Let nothing pass you by, put it up for review.'"

Ryan Holiday emphasizes the Stoic practice of daily self-reflection through journaling, as advocated by Seneca. Holiday explains that this process involves reviewing one's actions, identifying successes and failures, and holding oneself accountable. This nightly interrogation, according to Holiday, is crucial for personal growth and improvement, allowing individuals to learn from their experiences and prepare for the next day.

"The Stoics would say life is uncomfortable, so get used to being uncomfortable. 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 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.'"

Ryan Holiday discusses the Stoic principle of intentionally seeking discomfort to build resilience. Holiday explains that Seneca's practice of living with minimal resources or sleeping on the ground was designed to familiarize oneself with feared conditions. This deliberate exposure, according to Holiday, reduces the fear of hardship and increases one's capacity to handle adversity.

"Epictetus talks about how a philosopher should be able to take every impression, opinion, bit of information it gets and test it the way a money changer checks for counterfeit currency. He said they can bang it on the table and tell in an instant if the metal is diluted or not."

Ryan Holiday illustrates Epictetus's teaching on critical evaluation by comparing it to a money changer's assessment of currency. Holiday explains that individuals should rigorously test all incoming information, impressions, and opinions for truthfulness and alignment with their values. This constant vetting process, according to Holiday, prevents being misled by false or unhelpful ideas, much like a money changer identifies counterfeit coins.

"As they say in the Bhagavad Gita, 'You are entitled to the work, you are not entitled to the fruits of the work.' Most of the outcomes are not in our control. When I write a book, I can control what I put into it. I can control the writing, I can control that work. I don't control once I put it out what people say about it, how it sells."

Ryan Holiday applies the principle from the Bhagavad Gita to detach self-worth from external outcomes. Holiday explains that while one can control their effort and the quality of their work, the results are often outside of their influence. He emphasizes that true success, according to this philosophy, lies in the dedication to the process and the work itself, rather than the reception or success it achieves.