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Don’t Go Expecting Perfection
Focusing on the Daily Stoic Meditation for August 1 — Don’t Go Expecting Perfection, as outlined by Ryan Holiday in the bestseller 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance and the Art Of Living.
“That cucumber is bitter, so toss it out! There are thorns on the path, then keep away! Enough said. Why ponder the existence of nuisance? Such thinking would make you a laughing-stock to the true student of Nature, just as a carpenter or cobbler would laugh if you pointed out the sawdust and chips on the floors of their shops. Yet while those shopkeepers have dustbins for disposal, Nature has no need of them.”
— MARCUS AURELIUS, MEDITATIONS, 8.50
Pragmatism; the stoic focus of the month
For the stoics, the focus of this month is pragmatism;
Pragmatism is all about rationally and objectively dealing with problems, obstacles and situations. Rather than subjectively dealing with events, with your judgement clouded by emotions, you take a pragmatic approach.
Pragmatism is massively important for every stoic — you cannot afford to be irrational when it comes to your decisions. You must carefully and correctly analyse each situation, ensuring that you are being objective and…