Having an end in mind is no guarantee that you'll reach it no Stoic would tolerate that assumption but not having an end in mind is a guarantee you won't.

Control your perceptions. Direct your actions properly. Willingly accept what's outside your control.

"Don't just say that you have read books. Show that through them you have learned to think better." –Epictetus

You've been granted a strong fortress. Don't betray it.

Remember: Humans can be happy with very little.

"There is no fruit which is not bitter before it is ripe." - Publilius Syrus

There is more humor than hate to be found in just about every situation.

If you give things more time and energy than they deserve, they're no longer lesser things.

"No matter what anyone says or does, my task is to be good." Marcus Aurelius

The 7 Key Teachings of Stoicism 1. Summum Bonum (highest good) 2. Amor Fati (love of fate) 3. Premeditatio Malorum (anticipate the future) 4. The Obstacle is the Way 5. Ego is the Enemy 6. Sympatheia (the common good that connects us) 7. Memento Mori (meditate on your death)

3 Reminders from Marcus Aurelius -Concentrate on the present moment -Work for the common good, always -Don't give in to anger

"For no man is free who is a slave to his body." Seneca

Zeno was a prosperous merchant...who lost it all. Seneca was exiled...then brought back as the emperor's advisor. Marcus Aurelius was selected for the throne...but had to wait 23 years. A Stoic accepts good things without arrogance, shrugs off misfortune with indifference.

Elite athletes increasingly follow a philosophy called “The Process”—ignore results; focus on doing the small things well. As Marcus Aurelius reminded himself: a life is built action by action. So just focus on completing the task at hand.

"Salvation: to see each thing for what it is‚its nature and its purpose." Marcus Aurelius

Why Do the Stoics Journal? The art of journaling is more than some simple diary – daily practice is the philosophy. Preparing for the day ahead. Reflecting on the day that has passed. Reminding oneself of the wisdom we have learned from our reading and from our own experiences.

Have you ever wondered who the Stoics were? Here is a list of 4 of the greatest Stoic thinkers: – Marcus Aurelius: t.co/xDtiEFVvcW – Seneca: t.co/5Fu0HtGh6A – Epictetus: t.co/1tm1Ea6LpZ – Zeno: t.co/ruLmx0NlHK

"If you hold anything dear outside of your own reasoned choice, you will have destroyed your capacity for choice." Epictetus

Think about the qualities which make up the ideal person. Now, focus on what that ideal person does in any given situation. Then you can try and determine their inner qualities and, hopefully, begin to emulate them. Just remember that the ideal person does not exist…

How Do the Stoics Define Temperance? Temperance is the knowledge that abundance comes from having what is essential. The Stoics often used temperance interchangeably with “self-control.”

"Unbroken prosperity cannot bear a single blow." Seneca

7 Stoic Principles Every Creative Needs to Thrive: 1. Find The Right Scene 2. Rise And Shine 3. Clarify Your Intentions 4. Accurate Self-Assessment 5. Fueling The Habit Bonfire 6. A Work In Progress 7. Seeking Out Shipwrecks

Embrace difficulty The Stoics believed that adversity was inevitable. And that this is a good thing, something we should embrace. Seneca said the only people to pity are those who never experience difficulty because: “No one can ever know what you are capable of, not even you.”

"If you learn that someone is speaking ill of you, don’t try to defend yourself against the rumors; respond instead with, ‘Yes, and he doesn’t know the half of it, because he could have said more.’" Epictetus

Musonius Rufus was exiled at least 3 times. His response? - “Exile strengthens those unhealthy because of soft living and luxury.” - “If I have been deprived of my country, I have not been deprived of my ability to endure exile." - “Do not be irked by difficult circumstances…”

Only focus on what’s in your control “The chief task in life is simply this: to identify and separate matters so that I can say clearly to myself which are externals not under my control, and which have to do with the choices I actually control...”

“Behave not as though thou hadst ten thousand years to live. Thy doom hangs over thee. While thou livest, while thou mayest, become good.” —Marcus Aurelius

Simply existing for many years is not all that impressive. What matters is what you do with that time. What matters is how you live.

Things Stoicism can teach parents and kids: - It’s not what happens, it’s how you respond - Count the letters of the alphabet before saying things in anger (Athenodorus) - Lead by example, not by words (Don’t talk about philosophy, embody it - Epictetus)

"And if you choose to hold fast to what is right, do not be irked by difficult circumstances, but reflect on how many things have already happened to you in life in ways that you did not wish, and yet they have turned out for the best." – Musonius Rufus

Epictetus’ instructions: - Separate things into what you control and what you don’t - Choose not to be complicit in getting offended - Prep for adversity in advance - Realize every situation has 2 handles—grab the right one - Memento Mori—let death put everything in perspective

You can go around in this life looking out for every insult and snide comment. You can hang onto every time you’ve been wronged and investigate every case of possible bad faith. Or you can tune it out, be a little deaf to it and let things go.

"I will be agreeable with my friends, gentle and mild to my foes." Seneca

That's who you want to be, whatever your line of work: the casual, relaxed person in every situation who tells everyone else to take a breath and not to worry.

Marcus Aurelius faced obstacles: Insomnia Father died at age 3 8 of his 13 children died Wars with Parthia and the Germanic Tribes The Antonine Plague A palace coup A troublesome heir But Marcus used it all as fuel, did his best and never let himself be heard complaining.

"It is essential for you to remember that the attention you give to any action should be in due proportion to its worth..." - Marcus Aurelius

The Stoics on how to be a great reader: - It’s not how much you read but WHAT you read (Epictetus) - Books are a way to have a conversation with the dead (Zeno) - Turn the words into works (Seneca) - Reading obscure authors that don’t make you better is pointless (Epictetus)