Ancient Stoicism in Plain English

March 14, 2018 - Ancient Stoicism in Plain English
Tag(s): Book Excerpts

Don’t Imitate Others Blindly

1. To be an expert you should first digest what you have learned. 2. Don’t imitate the actions of others without understanding the foundations. 3. Until you have digested what you have learned and understood fully what is involved, act with modesty and don’t imitate people who know much...

March 10, 2018 - Ancient Stoicism in Plain English
Tag(s): Book Excerpts

Train to Spot an Advantage in Every Circumstance

1. Good and bad come from us, not from external events. 2. You can derive benefit from any external event – even sickness and death. 3. If someone is “bad”, he is bad for himself, not to you. Your good and bad come from the choices you make.

March 7, 2018 - Ancient Stoicism in Plain English
Tag(s): Book Excerpts

Your Judgement is the Sole Cause of Your Distress

1. Only your choices can cause you distress. 2. We tend be distressed because we have been following the wrong course of action since our childhood. 3. We have been brought up from the beginning to believe that external things cause us distress. So, we behave like children.

March 3, 2018 - Ancient Stoicism in Plain English
Tag(s): Book Excerpts

Nothing External Can Harm You

1. News is concerned with external things. So, it cannot harm you. 2. You should be concerned only about things over which you have real choice. 3. The way others behave is up to them. It is no concern of yours.

February 28, 2018 - Ancient Stoicism in Plain English
Tag(s): Book Excerpts

Train Yourself to See Things as they are

1. Everything that happens, happens in accordance with reason. People who are wealthier pay a price for being wealthy. So, it is reasonable that they have what they have. 2. Don’t add judgments to events and make them worse.

February 24, 2018 - Ancient Stoicism in Plain English
Tag(s): Book Excerpts

Train on Your Principles Before Venturing Out

1. Either you influence your friends, or they influence you. 2. The stronger will influence the weaker. If those who talk nonsense have stronger convictions, they will influence you. 3. Therefore, until you train yourself strongly in your principles, be careful who you associate yourself with.

February 21, 2018 - Ancient Stoicism in Plain English
Tag(s): Book Excerpts

Approach Everything Carefully

In everything you do, consider what comes before and what comes after and only then act.

February 17, 2018 - Ancient Stoicism in Plain English
Tag(s): Book Excerpts

Get Rid of conceit and Diffidence

Ascetic practices should bring you some benefit. Otherwise, they are ridiculous.

February 10, 2018 - Ancient Stoicism in Plain English
Tag(s): Book Excerpts

Train Yourself in Three Areas of Study

1. Not everything that is difficult is suitable for training. We should train hard on things that are important to us. 2. Training should be tailored for each person, depending on where they are weak now.

February 7, 2018 - Ancient Stoicism in Plain English
Tag(s): Book Excerpts

Remind Yourself of the Basic Principles

Whoever regards things that are not under their choice as good will be subject to envy and desire. They will flatter others and will be troubled. Whoever regards things that are not under their choice as evil shall be full of sorrow, will grieve, will lament, and will be unhappy.