5 Stoic Ideas Worth Knowing
Stoicism is in my circle of interest and it should be in yours too.
5 stoic ideas put into modern words. As always, short and valuable.
1. Obstacle is the way
Have low expectations. But aim high. To clarify the idea more - aim for the best, but be prepared for the worst. The worst is an option, and life likes to choose this option more often than we would like to.
Today’s world constantly pushes positivity and hope. But hope often misleads. Be realistic instead, even if reality is not what you want it to be. If that’s the case - change it. If you can’t - adjust to it. Be positive about things, just don’t lie to yourself.
Anticipate challenges, anticipate setbacks. Don’t treat it like obstacles, it’s a natural and unavoidable part of life. It's not about pessimism; it's about realism.
Don't make it a self-fulfilling prophecy. Be aware of how things are going and don't run away from potential threats, but rather prepare for them. Things won’t always go your way, and that’s ok because the world is not always aligned with “your way”.
"Restrict the range of hope" ― Seneca
2. The only thing you can control is how you react
Bad things will happen. How will you react to them is up to you. If you miss a train, you either react with:
Anger and despair, panic and stress. You might feel frustrated, anxious, and upset, letting the situation ruin your day. Think about it before sleeping and get mad again.
No emotions whatsoever. You missed a train, and that’s a reality now. Accept and Adapt. Look for the next available train or find an alternative route. Regain control and move forward. Not the best outcome overall, but the best now.
It’s as serious as a missed train or as unserious as just a missed train. Both answers are correct here.
AND, I know it all goes into oblivion when something like this (or worse) happens, but the goal of the stoic is to make it stay in your head and actually use and practice it. Otherwise, you might as well stop reading it.
"It's not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters." ― Epictetus
3. You can't change the rules of the game so you have to play by the rules
Life is unfair. That’s one of the rules and not acknowledging it will only work against you. Being born, you get a certain deck of cards and you have to play them whether you like it or not.
It's easy to get caught up in frustration or anger when things don't go our way. Everyone wishes for a different set of circumstances, but that energy is better spent adapting to the current situation. Accept the rules of the game, and focus on what you can control: actions, reactions, attitude. Nothing is granted or promised to you. Good things don't come by default, "default" is whatever happens and that doesn't favor any side.
"You always own the option of having no opinion. There is never any need to get worked up or to trouble your soul about things you can't control." ― Epictetus
4. If something…
Doesn’t affect you or you can’t change it, don’t care about it. It’s that simple. Ask yourself those 2 questions and if you answered “no” to one or both of them, why bother? We waste precious mental energy and time on things beyond our control.
You see a post about a controversial topic that sparks heated debates among people. You start typing, but does it even affect you? No. Then, don’t bother.
The weather - does it affect me? Yes. Can I change it? No. Then, adjust.
If something doesn’t affect you and you can’t change it, it’s perfectly okay to let it go. Simple mindset shift, but can lead to a more peaceful and productive life, and save you a lot of frustration. Conserve your energy for the things that genuinely matter. Feel free to modify those examples. Let it be a little exercise for you.
Remember - you don’t need to have an opinion on everything. Maybe not a stoic quote, but this one fits here well:
“There are many things of which a wise man might wish to be ignorant” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson
5. Strive for progress, not perfection
Look at life as a process of continuous improvement. Be ready to fail and to take lessons from it. True growth lies in consistent progress, not flawless outcomes. Perfectionism can be a disguised form of procrastination, preventing us from taking the first, most crucial, step.
Progress is like climbing absurdly long stairs, you don't see the difference at every step, but looking back.
It’s progress, not perfection that pushes you closer to your goals. Sometimes something “good enough” is just perfect.
"We are more often frightened than hurt; and we suffer more in imagination than in reality." — Seneca
lol if I saw you posted this I would have linked it to mine.
Will update it for substack viewers.
https://bensaltiel.substack.com/p/stoicism-explained-by-star-wars?r=dnvri
Great tidbits of timeless truth. One caveat however, I bend any rule for the best results possible. Kind of like, "Hang the code. They're more like guidelines any way." 🤣