Stoicism

In our last +1, we had fun reflecting on a new ritual Emerson and I are having fun with. It’s been super fun to reflect on ancient Stoic wisdom via Ryan Holiday’s modern medallions. (Thanks, Ryan!)

In our last +1, we talked about how to give advice Seneca-style. Recall that he didn’t do it from a soapbox. He did with the humility of a friend in the hospital bed next to you.

In our last couple +1s, we talked about a couple of ways to reframe life’s lemons into a little more Optimizade.

As we discussed not too long ago, I recently had an epic party with some Stoics.

Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve been having fun hanging out with some Stoics—some modern guys and some ancient ones.

In our last +1, we talked about going deep to serve profoundly.

In our last +1, we hung out with a couple of Zenos—Emerson’s leopard gecko and the founder of Stoicism.

The other day we chatted about my recent staycation with my Stoic friends.

If you haven’t noticed, I can’t quite get enough of Stoic wisdom.

Today we’re going to revisit Ward Farnsworth’s great book The Practicing Stoic.

Continuing our exploration of Stoic practices that help us step in between stimulus and response so we can choose our optimal response, let’s hear how Marcus Aurelius approached it.

In our last +1, we all get issued our magic wand.

Not too long ago, we had fun revisiting some Stoic wisdom as we mined some goodness with a range of books—including Musonius Rufus’s Lectures and Sayings, Donald Robertson’s How to Think Like a Roman Emperor and William B. Irvine’s The Stoic Challenge.

In our last +1, we talked about Abraham Maslow’s wisdom and the ancient etymology of the word clamor in the context of your capacities clamoring to be used (aka you doing what you’re here to do!).

Skipping the longer philosophical chat about the ethics of being a conqueror, Today we’re going to chat about Alexander the Great.

In our last +1, we had some fun making our Heroic virtue compass.

The other day as I was driving to the mountain for my sunrise Trail work, I passed an ambulance in front of a house and saw two paramedics draping a gurney. It was obvious they were getting the gurney ready and that, very shortly, someone would be on that gurney and then in the ambulance.

In our last +1, we talked about Musonius’s thoughts on theory vis-a-vis practice.

As we’ve discussed, Ryan Holiday is a modern Stoic.

In our last +1, we got some great marriage advice from the Roman Socrates, Musonius Rufus.

In our last couple +1s, we had some fun hanging out with Alexander the Great as we watched him bust out his sword and slice the Gordion Knot in half—fulfilling a legendary prophecy and giving us a metaphor that has endured for millennia.

I recently interviewed Donald Robertson. Donald is one of the world’s leading thinkers on Stoicism. He wrote The Philosophy of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.

In our last +1, we reflected on the idea that little (and big) oopses provide us with opportunities to appreciate that we’re still alive as we practice gratitude that something much worse didn’t happen.

As you probably know by this point, I’m a big fan of Stoicism in general and of my favorite living Stoic philosopher Ryan Holiday in particular.

In our last couple +1s, we’ve been having fun using our magic wands to alchemize adversity into exceptional opportunities for growth.

In our last couple +1s, we had some fun at the hospital with our Stoic friends Seneca and Epictetus.

Continuing our good times with our Stoic friends, how about couple more gems from Seneca and Aurelius?

In our last +1, we spent some more time with our beloved Roman Stoic Seneca.

Have you ever had an experience that annoyed you? (Hah.)

Marcus Aurelius once wrote to himself in the journal he never intended to publish that we now know as Meditations that “The impediment to action advances the action. What stands in the way becomes the way.”

In our last +1, we talked about the Cal Newport-inspired “Shut-down complete!”

This morning I was out on the Trail enjoying (yet!) another stunningly beautiful Ojai morning.

In our last couple +1s, we’ve been getting our riddles on with Ellen Langer.

In our last +1, we talked about being an Optimus-Champion in our Big 3. We had fun with one of my new mantras: Champ Champ Champ. (Laughing.) (You come up with a mantra that makes your soul smile?)

Let’s continue our exploration of the science of gratitude for another moment (or three).

In our last +1, we talked about the potential catalytic force multiplicative power of our Heroic Coach program.