Welcome to Wise & Wealthy: A weekly newsletter full of proven ideas to become smarter and wealthier. I send this every Monday.
#149 – November 4, 2024
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Stoicism for beginners
How is the ancient philosophy of Stoicism relevant today?
Stoicism isn’t just about enduring hardship. To me, Stoicism is a practical philosophy that you can start using right now, no matter what life throws your way. The key is to focus on what you can control.
For example, instead of getting angry and frustrated at being stuck in traffic, a Stoic recognizes that such events are out of their control. So they focus their energy on other things, like making plans or even listening to an audiobook.
Stoicism also emphasizes the importance of living in the present moment. Seneca talked about the dangers of living on autopilot:
“Often a very old man has no other proof of his long life than his age.”
There are plenty of things you can do in a month, a year, or ten years.
- You could start a daily running habit
- Begin writing your first book
- Build inevitable wealth using long-term investing strategies
But people who are constantly planning for the future or dwelling on past mistakes let the time pass and find themselves with “no other proof of [their] long life” other than their age.
This is the power of Stoic philosophy. Though it’s thousands of years old, it reminds us that time functions for humans today just as it has throughout history.
We only have one life and we can’t afford to waste it.
In this comprehensive guide to Stoicism, I explore key aspects of the philosophy that you may find valuable and practical. Things like what Stoicism actually is, its core principles and philosophers, how Stoic principles can be related and applied to modern life, and the best books on Stoicism.
You can read more about the philosophy below.
↳ Stoicism for Beginners: An Ancient Guide for Living Well
One interesting thing
If we’re too comfortable, it means we’re dying slowly.
As the Indian philosopher, Osho, said in Courage: The Joy of Living Dangerously:
“Life can only be lived dangerously—there is no other way to live it. It is only through danger that life attains to maturity, growth. One needs to be an adventurer, always ready to risk the known for the unknown.”
Doing new things always feels scary. And that’s exactly what keeps life interesting.
Thanks for reading! I hope you found this edition of Wise & Wealthy useful.
All the best,
Darius
Join the 7-day Stay Centered challenge
I’ve created a one-week email course that you can do together with a group. It’s called Stay Centered, and it will help you to reclaim focus and live a meaningful life.
When you’re centered, nothing can hurt you. You will have inner peace no matter what happens.
How to unlock Stay Centered
You can join the challenge for free. Every day, you’ll receive a short email with a small challenge that inspires you to live better.
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Join here: dariusforoux.com/stay-centered