Focusing on the Daily Stoic Meditation for June 26, as outlined by Ryan Holiday in the bestseller 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance and the Art Of Living.
“What assistance can we find in the fight against habit? Try the opposite!”
— EPICTETUS, DISCOURSES, 1.27.4
Today’s daily stoic meditation outlines the importance of breaking the pattern (to an extent) and trying something new.
The Importance of Habits & Rituals
Habits, rituals and routines are massively important in the life of any successful individual.
Small, daily habits allow you to achieve great things — those small, consistently performed actions compound into large results! They allow you to become 1% better each day, and over years, you’ll see massive changes.
Daily routines and rituals — such as a strong morning routine, for example — can allow you to control your life and ensure happiness.
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Despite this, however, what if you broke the pattern from time to time?
There is no harm in trying something new, even if it may not work.
There is no harm in experimenting!
- Perhaps you want to try a new breakfast recipe, rather than sticking with the same meal each morning.
- Perhaps you want to work out in the morning, rather than the evening.
- Maybe you want to try and wake up earlier, so that you can do more in the morning when you’re most active and energetic.
There is no harm in simply trying something different.
Even though you have your habits and routines, ones that work for you, don’t be afraid in trying to switch things up from time to time! The benefits are immense.
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It’s important not to throw away your routines entirely, however.
If you have strong habits and routines that work for you, stick with them and experiment in careful moderation.
Try The Opposite
What?
Trying the opposite is the act of exploring something different, something totally opposite and adverse, to what you usually do.
Trying the opposite is the process of allowing yourself the opportunity to do something different; this can apply to your career, your education, your family life, etc.
It doesn’t have to be the complete, polar opposite action; you don’t need to quit your 9–5 and live in Bali, for example.
What it does mean, however, is that you give yourself the space to simply try out new things and see how they work for you.
The Benefits
The benefits of trying something new, or trying the opposite, are immense!
- You may find new routines that work better than your current ones.
- You’ll be more in control of your daily life.
- You’ll cultivate a mindset of flexibility, which is crucial if something challenges you, etc.
Make sure you challenge yourself and do the opposite from time to time, for it may help you greatly. You’ll never know if you don’t try.
The Only Way Through
Sometimes, the only way through is through.
The only way you’ll be able to push past an obstacle and reach the other side is if you simply work through it — this is where trying the opposite comes in use.
If your current strategy doesn’t work, try the opposite. If the thing you’re doing isn’t allowing you to progress, advance and move forward, try something else!
If you experiment with different strategies, routines and habits, you may start to find the ones that work for you and allow you to progress!
When you start to find those good things that allow you to progress, the good routines and practices that work best in your life, stick with them, build on them and make them into something great!
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I’ve found that experimenting and trying the opposite has been immensely useful for me in regards to my study routines.
When I first started taking studying seriously, a couple of years ago, I had no idea what worked best for me; this meant that I had to experiment with different locations, apps, revision techniques, timings etc.
Through experimenting, through trying new and different things, I’ve found the good routines that work for me;
- I work best in a morning, so I tend to study for around 3–4 hours each morning (when I need to)
- I know that I can barely focus on an evening, so I never do any important work after 6pm.
- I know that I work better alone, so the work I do in study groups with my friends is always less important.
The only way I’ve figured these things out (and this can apply to a range of different things, not just studying!) is through trial and error.
When something works for you, stick with it and try build it into something better. When something doesn’t work for you, let go of it and try something else!
In Conclusion
Try the opposite.
Allow yourself the freedom and the opportunity to try something new.
There’s no guarantee that it’ll work, and if it doesn’t, you can always try something else.
It’s always better trying than doing nothing at all.
