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For those of us who live our lives in the real world, there is one branch of philosophy created just for us: Stoicism. A brief synopsis and definition on this particular school of Hellenistic philosophy: Stoicism was founded in Athens by Zeno of Citium in the early 3rd century BC, but was famously practiced by … Continued
Watching the news, we see stories of bankruptcy, this or that industry disrupted by new technologies, stories of people in the wrong place at the wrong time. Most of the time, what is our reaction? Our mind searches for ways to make it that person’s fault. They spent too much. They were too complacent. Serves them right … Continued
Today, you have a simple prompt from Marcus Aurelius: Try to improve at something you’re not naturally good at. “Practice even what seems impossible. The left hand is useless at almost everything, for lack of practice. But it guides the reins better than the right. From practice.” Think about all the things you’re good at. … Continued
“Ego is the enemy of what you want and of what you have: Of mastering a craft. Of real creative insight. Of working well with others. Of building loyalty and support. Of longevity. Of repeating and retaining your success. It repulses advantages and opportunities. It’s a magnet for enemies and errors. It is Scylla and … Continued
A cardinal theme for the Stoics, one which we have covered extensively here, is that of always acting with virtue, dignity, principle and honor. And not only when it’s convenient, but perhaps most importantly, when the costs to yourself might be too high to bear. It is why we were excited when we saw Professor … Continued
Seneca was a prominent Roman philosopher and playwright who published several essential works about Stoicism. He is considered one of the three key Stoic philosophers (alongside Marcus Aurelius and Epictetus), counseled Emperor Nero, and is often credited with rendering Stoicism more accessible to a larger audience than his counterparts. You can read a longer profile … Continued
When you go to Professor James Miller’s page on The New School’s website, you’d notice at the bottom of the page a section of his interests. The first one? “Philosophy as a way of life.” That’s exactly why we reached out to Professor Miller for an interview to learn more. You probably recognize his name … Continued
We first interviewed author and scholar James Romm back in 2016 after his review of The Daily Stoic in the Wall Street Journal, but in that interview we focused primarily on James’s great biography of Seneca, Dying Every Day. This year, James is back with another book, this time translating and collecting Seneca’s various thoughts … Continued
Distilled into one empowering message – take control and responsibility for your own thoughts and actions – Stoicism will set you on a course for personal fulfilment, regardless of the wealth, health or skillset you have at your disposal. No wonder it has all the hallmarks of a highly successful entrepreneurial programme or bestselling personal … Continued
“The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.” Marcus Aurelius It’s this line from Marcus Aurelius, written nearly 2,000 years ago in his private diary, that served as the inspiration for the international bestseller The Obstacle Is The Way by Ryan Holiday. It is a book that has become … Continued