When most people think of "philosophy," their eyes glaze over. It's the last thing they want, let alone something they need. But this, as you already know, is silly and naive. Philosophy is not just about talking or lecturing, or even reading long, dense books. In fact, it is something men and women of action use-and have used throughout history- <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1591846358/ryanholnet-20">to solve their problems and achieve their greatest triumphs. </a>Not in the classroom, but on the battlefield, in the Forum, and at court.

But at the very root of the thinking, there is a very simple, though not easy, way of living. Take obstacles in your life and <a href="http://www.fastcompany.com/3029887/7-ways-to-turn-your-opponents-into-opportunities">turn them into your advantage </a>, control what you can and accept what you can't. In the words of <a href="http://dailystoic.com/Epictetus">Epictetus </a>: "In life our first job is this, to divide and distinguish things into two categories: externals I cannot control, but the choices I make with regard to them I do control. Where will I find good and bad? In me, in my choices." Amazingly we still have access to these ideas, despite the fact that many of the greatest Stoics never wrote anything down for publication. Cato definitely didn't. Marcus Aurelius never intended for <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0812968255/ryanholnet-20">Meditations </a>to be anything but personal. Seneca's letters were, well, letters and Epictetus' thoughts come to us by way of a note-taking student.

And this shouldn't really be that surprising... The modern day philosopher and writer Nassim Nicholas Taleb defines a Stoic as someone who, "transforms fear into prudence, pain into transformation, mistakes into initiation and desire into undertaking." Using this definition as a model we can see that throughout the centuries Stoicism has been a common thread though some of history's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1591846358/ryanholnet-20">great leaders. </a>It has been practiced by Kings, presidents, artists, writers and entrepreneurs. Both historical and modern men illustrate Stoicism as a way of life.

Indeed, Teddy seems to represent the temperance and self control of the philosophy beautifully when he said, "What such a man needs is not courage but nerve control, cool headedness. This he can get only by practice". Likewise he expressed the necessity of action advocated by the Stoics when he famously remarked,

When most people think of "philosophy," their eyes glaze over. It's the last thing they want, let alone something they need. But this, as you already know, is silly and naive. Philosophy is not just about talking or lecturing, or even reading long, dense books.

Stoicism: Practical Philosophy You Can Actually Use

Florine N'da