Learn more about scienceandnature with this collection
How to challenge assumptions
How to generate new ideas
How to break out of traditional thinking patterns
We all have our ideas about happiness and how to achieve happiness.
The main question is: Is it short term happiness? Or is it long term fulfillment?
Of course, we can enjoy the finer things in life, however, we should not forget long term happiness and fulfillment.
We will discuss what real happiness meant to the Stoics and how they were able to lead fulfilling lives and achieve long term happiness.
32
378 reads
According to the Stoics, the highest in life you can aim for is a virtue and all the rest will follow.
The Stoics believed in these four main virtues:
42
451 reads
“The chief task in life is simply this: to identify and separate matters so that I can say clearly to myself which are externals not under my control, and which have to do with the choices I actually control. Where then do I look for good and evil?”
— Epictetus
This is not about reading books and gain a lot of wisdom. This is about the ability to look within yourself and focus on the influences you control.
This way the improvement you seek is always within your control and what the Stoics referred to as wisdom.
36
282 reads
“‘If you seek tranquility, do less.’ Or (more accurately) do what’s essential—what the logos of a social being requires, and in the requisite way. Which brings a double satisfaction: to do less, better. Because 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?’”
— Marcus Aurelius, Meditations.
This is about controlling your desires (emotional and material desires), about not attaching emotional value to those.
It’s okay to want nice things, but don’t let them consume you.
41
247 reads
“Don’t you know life is like a military campaign? One must serve on watch, another in reconnaissance, another on the front line… So it is for us—each person’s life is a kind of battle, and a long and varied one too. You must keep watch like a soldier and do everything commanded… You have been stationed in a key post, not some lowly place, and not for a short time but for life.”
— Epictetus, Discourses, 3.24.31–36
This is about standing your ground. To dare to take that path of most resistance, to take that fear head-on. Because you know it will make you stronger.
37
217 reads
“And a commitment to justice in your own acts. Which means: thought and action resulting in the common good. What you were born to do.”
— Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, 9.31
This is about following your path and doing what is right.
To follow your path, you need to fight resistance and resistance comes in all shapes and forms. If you fight it the path is laid out for you.
38
218 reads
IDEAS CURATED BY
Other curated ideas on this topic:
5 ideas
The Highest Good: An Introduction To The 4 Stoic Virtues
dailystoic.com
10 ideas
What is Stoicism? A Definition & 10 Stoic Key Principles
njlifehacks.com
4 ideas
Stoicism: Practical Philosophy You Can Actually Use
ryanholiday.net
Read & Learn
20x Faster
without
deepstash
with
deepstash
with
deepstash
Personalized microlearning
—
100+ Learning Journeys
—
Access to 200,000+ ideas
—
Access to the mobile app
—
Unlimited idea saving
—
—
Unlimited history
—
—
Unlimited listening to ideas
—
—
Downloading & offline access
—
—
Supercharge your mind with one idea per day
Enter your email and spend 1 minute every day to learn something new.
I agree to receive email updates