📖 Current Read; 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living — Ryan Holiday
Each The Master Of Their Own Domain
The Daily Stoic Meditation for July 18 outlines how you are the master of yourself — nobody else.
You control you; your thoughts, actions and desires.
Your reasoned choice is indifferent to the reasoned choice of absolutely anyone else.
In other words; do your thing.
“My reasoned choice is as indifferent to the reasoned choice of my neighbor, as to his breath and body. However much we’ve been made for cooperation, the ruling reason in each of us is master of its own affairs. If this weren’t the case, the evil in someone else could become my harm, and God didn’t mean for someone else to control my misfortune.”
— MARCUS AURELIUS, MEDITATIONS, 8.56
You Control Yourself
You control yourself.
You are in full control over your thoughts, actions and desires.
You control your reasoned choice; what it is, how you work towards it and how much progress you make.
Do Your Thing
With the notion of self control, that opens up a great deal of paths to follow!
This entire idea from Aurelius is provoking you to simply do your thing.
Regardless of what other people say, do your thing.
Regardless of the obstacles placed in front of you, do your thing.
Regardless of the struggles and mistakes, do your thing.
Do your thing no matter what.
This is your reasoned choice, do not let anybody get in the way of that.
Indifference
Something very important to this idea is indifference.
You need to cultivate a strong sense of indifference to what other people are doing and focus entirely on you!
Indifference is simply a lack of interest.
To have indifference for the work and progress of others means you lack interest and are not focused on it.
Indifference enables you to focus on yourself and forget everyone else!
This helps with great progress.
Cultivate indifference.
Idea of the Week. 💭
Forgive Them Because They Don’t Know
Certain virtues enable you to be gentle and kind to all.
Many who lack them virtues may make mistakes, but it is simply because they don’t know.
Gentle And Kind
You need to be gentle and kind.
You need to cultivate patience for everything.
You need to cultivate happiness for everyone.
You need to be honest, be loving, and be caring.
The Virtues
There are a certain few virtues (and more) outlined by Aurelius that enable you to be gentle to all.
- Justice
- Self Control
- Goodwill
Justice
Justice is being fair and reasonable.
You need to be objective, see things as they are and make a good judgement.
Justice enables you to see between the lines.
Self Control
Self control is the ability to exert some sort of control over your thoughts and actions.
Self control is a difficult thing to cultivate, however, it can save you from making many grave mistakes and blunders.
Goodwill
Goodwill is simply an attitude of friendliness or kindness.
Cultivate goodwill for everyone — it makes the world a better place.
Cultivate
You need to cultivate these virtues.
They make your life a million times better!
Your Responsibility
It is entirely your responsibility to improve and cultivate good virtues.
Nobody else will push you into it.
Will you make the time?
Quote of the Week. 🗣
James Clear on the importance of fixing things instantly.
Do not let problems become major. Fix them now.
“Many problems are minor when you solve them right away, but grow into an enormous conflict when you let them linger.
As a rule of thumb, fix it now.”
To end, here’s a question from me! ⚡️
How can you ensure that you are not putting in more effort than you receive?
In other words, how can you ensure that both parties put in mutual effort?
—
Whether this regards a relationship, a friendship, a business partnership etc is irrelevant.
You cannot get yourself caught up in giving without getting anything back.
You need to make sure that the effort is mutual.
Thanks for reading!
Until next week,
Sam. 😆
