5 Stoic Ideas Worth Knowing

Stoicism is in my circle of interest and it should be in yours too. • Premium Mind Bullet #5 (old format)

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