003: Reframe Your Life and Empower Your Soul With Stoicism

Episode Notes:
Originally founded by Zeno in Cyprus around 300 BC, Stoicism is rooted in the idea that a human’s ultimate life duty is to live in accordance with nature, noted as living only with pure necessities and taking a rational approach to life. In essence, this disciplined, minimalistic approach to life is the polar opposite to the hedonistic culture that is extremely prevalent in our modern society.

In this episode, you’ll learn about stoicism in historic and modern contexts, popular texts and their relevance today, and discover a how to use stoicism to change your perception of life. I’ll also share with you the Stoic text that completely changed my life.

Topics:
[1:58] What is stoicism?
[3:52] Lessons from Epictetus
[6:25] Lessons from Ryan Holiday
[8:51] The book that changed my life
[10:42] “Fame after death is no better than oblivion”
[12:17] How to incorporate stoicism into your life

Thank you all for joining me on this journey to lifelong health, happiness, and higher performance. And remember, always be grateful, love yourself, and serve others.

Teaser
In this episode… In reading Meditations, I learned that through ego-tinted glasses, you can never have 20/20 vision. But since then, I chose to take off the glasses and see myself, my life, and the world, for what it really is…

Episode Intro
Learn II Perform: Practical lessons so that you can immediately learn to optimize your health, happiness, and performance.

Gratitude
For this lesson, I would like to express gratitude to one of my role models. Brian Bradke, a Fighter Pilot, Inventor, Entrepreneur, Professor, and so much more, has had a huge influence on my growth and development as a student, athlete, and person. He recommended that I read Meditations by Marcus Aurelius, which turns out to have been the most influential book of my life. He has been an inspiration to many, and like many others that have been lucky enough to know him, I am eternally grateful that our paths crossed at Norwich University. So thank you for everything Brian.

Topic Introduction
Alright, this episode is all about Stoicism, the ancient Greek philosophy. I was attracted to Stoic philosophy as a tool to better control my mind, relieve anxiety, and practice mindfulness. Initially, my goal was to use it to improve my mental performance as an athlete by strengthening my focus, but as I learned and practiced it further, I realized it could have a much larger impact on my life. People from all walks of life are turning to stoicism, and by the end of this episode, you’ll understand why.

So What’s The Bottom Line
Amidst the chaos and uncertainty in modern society, adopting a Stoic philosophy can drastically improve your happiness, reduce your stress, and help you find clarity about your purpose. To incorporate Stoic ideas into your life, we’re going to cover three steps:

1. Learn and understand the history and principles of Stoics
2. Identify Stoic literature and resources as guidance
3. Apply Stoic principles to your own life

1. Learn and understand the history and principles of Stoicism
A great place to start is “What is stoicism?”

Originally founded by Zeno in Cyprus around 300 BC, Stoicism was founded in the idea that a human’s ultimate life duty is to live in accordance with nature, noted as living only with pure necessities and taking a rational approach to life [1, 2]. In essence, this disciplined, minimalistic approach to life is the polar opposite to the hedonistic culture that is extremely prevalent in our modern society.

An important emphasis on the fragility of life and brevity of our existence leads to an acceptance that death can happen at any time, and therefore, we must realize that every source of pleasure – food, drink, sex, material possessions, loved ones, and even our own life – can be taken away in any instant. Considering this, it is only by living virtuously that we are capable of achieving true contentment, peace, and happiness.

As far as stoics are concerned, your life can be divided into two categories: external and internal. External refers to everything beyond your control, including all circumstances and events. Logically, it is impossible to predict or control anything external, and therefore it should not be given a second thought. Any attention devoted to the external is not only irrelevant and wasteful, but it is a source of envy, frustration, and discontent. Rather than being consumed with the external, the objective of Stoics is to accept everything with complete equanimity, or an evenness of temper.

Following this logic, we must only concern us with those things internal – such as our actions and reaction to events, which is otherwise commonly referred to as our opinion.  By living virtuously and being completely content with everything in our lives – because everything that happens is in accordance with nature – we acquire complete control over our own happiness.

2. & 3. Identify Stoic literature and resources as guidance and Apply Stoic principles to your own life.
Now, I am going to address these two points together. I will present some of my favorite passages from Stoic literature and then discuss the relevance in a modern context.

First up, I’m going to share a few of my favorite quotes from Epictetus’ Enchiridion as translated by George Long, which is one of the most iconic stoic texts, although very brief [2]. For context, Epictetus was born into slavery and suffered a permanent disability before becoming one of the most critically acclaimed philosophers of all time.

One of the most common themes in Stoicism is opinion, and this first quote by Epictetus makes this clear. He says “Men are disturbed not by the things which happen, but by the opinions about the things” [2].

A second one, “it is not that which has happened that afflicts this man, for it does not afflict another, but it is the opinion about this thing which afflicts the man” [2].

Let’s just stop and think about these for a second. If someone insults you, is it really their action – the insult – that is hurting you, or is it your opinion of what they said? For example, let’s say someone tells me that I am stupid. From a stoic perspective, what they said is completely irrelevant, nothing more than vibrations in the air. The meaning to those vibrations is developed internally, through the transmission and processing of electrical signals in the nervous system. If I choose to be insulted, to feel contempt for that person and insecure about my intelligence, these feelings are manufactured internally. The pain I feel isn’t the action, it is my opinion of the action.

On the contrary, I could choose to conclude that those words are irrelevant and don’t hold any meaning. I could affirm that I am perfectly content with my intelligence, because I genuinely try to work hard, act virtuously, and am grateful for everything that is in accordance with nature, in which my natural abilities are. If I can shift my mindset to the Stoic perspective, then I can be completely unphased by insults. It is by achieving this mindset, accepting all external events with equanimity, that true happiness through Stoicism can be realized.

We must realize that while this is an idealistic pursuit, all our experiences and perceptions are produced in our brain. Everything we experience in life – taste, smell, sight, emotions, thoughts, pain, pleasure – they are nothing more than electrical signals, much like a computer. As we will explore in future episodes, the brain’s capacity to adapt and generate new experiences is remarkable, and we have more control over our brain than we may realize.

Back to Epictetus for one final quote, and this one is my favorite. He says, “Remember that thou are but an actor in a play of such a kind as the teacher may choose… For this is your duty, to act well the part that is given to you; but to select the part, belongs to another” [2].

Wow, let that one marinate for a minute. It still gives me chills…

But Epictetus is not the only prominent Stoic. Other famous contributors include Seneca and Marcus Aurelius, as well as modern thought leaders. Ryan Holiday, a brilliant (and young) writer who trained under the famed author Robert Greene, has written multiple New York Times best-sellers, my two favorites being Stillness is the Key and Ego is the Enemy [3, 4]. For anyone looking for a more contemporary and digestible exploration of stoicism, I highly recommend these. As always, more links and info will be available on the website.

In Stillness is the Key, Holiday does a terrific job outlining the importance of taking a break from our hectic lives, sitting in deep reflection, putting everything into perspective, and perhaps most importantly, truly being present in the current moment. A major theme arises: The past is gone forever, and the future is never going to come. All we have is the present. Two great quotes highlight this:

First, he says, “The less energy we waste regretting the past or worrying about the future, the more energy we will have for what’s in front of us” [3].

And secondly, “Remember, there’s no greatness in the future. Or clarity. Or insight. Or happiness. There is only this moment” [3].

So before we move on, take a second and reflect on these. How often are you consciously present in the moment? Right here and right now?

Personally, I can tell you that I have spent most of my life in the future, imagining scenarios both good and bad that could happen. Realistically, what I thought was going to happen almost never actually happened, and that’s neither good nor bad. It just is. It is life, and it is accordance with nature. But I wasted so much time and energy trying to imagine the perfect future that I compromised my ability to find satisfaction and happiness in the moment. By doing this, I also ended up allocating less energy to the present, decreasing my focus and performance, and ultimately reducing the likelihood of actually manifesting my desires.

Many people are like me, but many also are stuck reliving events from the past, good and bad. But ultimately, the past is gone and all we have is now. To live in the past is no better than living in the future. So with that in mind, take a moment to think about how often you are truly present.

Are you tasting each bite of food? Do you notice the wind against your skin? Can you smell the leaves and grass? Do you hear the birds and rustling of leaves? Are you aware of your heartbeat, your stress, your thoughts? Stillness is a wonderful practice that we can all afford to dedicate more time to.

My Experience
So that is an introduction to Stoic philosophy, and now I’d like to share my personal experience.

After having my life flipped upside down with COVID-19 – which I share in detail in episode two – I began reading and learning extensively. One book will forever stand out as it is the most important piece of literature that I have read, and that is the book recommended by Brian Bradke – Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations.

Meditations is a collection of journal entries by the famous stoic philosopher and Roman Emperor. At the height of his power, Marcus Aurelius was the most powerful human on the planet, and yet he was one of the most rational, grateful, and inspiring individuals to have ever been documented.

After having been aware of this book for a few years, I finally dove in for what was the most transformative two weeks of my life. I internalized every word from the edition that was published by CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform [11]. As a side note, there are many different translations available, so depending on your edition, they may all read slightly differently.

While reading, I completely shifted my approach and perspective to life, and began a journey to approach life with equanimity, learn to realize that I have complete control over my opinions and happiness, and vow to live each day virtuously. While making other drastic lifestyle changes which I will address in future episodes, my approach to stoicism has been the single greatest contributor to my current happiness. I can honestly say, that despite all the uncertainty and lost opportunities, I have never been happier, more content, and my stress and anxiety has virtually disappeared. Anxiety episodes and regularly occurring OCD feedback loops are a thing of the past. In addition, my commitment to serving others and sharing knowledge, the foundation of Learn II Perform, originated with this book.

Among the countless passages that I highlighted, I want to share a few that really emphasize the stoic perspective on life. Again, depending on your edition of the book, they may read considerably different. Also, as a side note, Meditations is comprised of 12 different books written separately, although there is no clear theme for each.

Alright, let’s begin. From the second book: “Fame after life is no better than oblivion” [11].

Why should I chase after fame? Once I die, which could be today, fame becomes irrelevant. Stop chasing fame. Life is short. Enjoy the present. No one is invincible. I think Kobe’s passing is a reminder that life is delicate and no amount of success matters. What matters now is Kobe’s legacy, the impact he had on people’s lives; not his championship rings or his fame.

Next, from the fourth book: “The world is mere change, and this life, opinion” [11].

Marcus Aurelius was inspired by Epictetus, and this quote is evidence. Nature is always changing, but our experience – our life – is strictly our opinion. Learn to control your opinions and you can manifest any life you please.

And my personal favorite, from the eleventh book: “They contemn one another, and yet they seek to please one another: and whilst they seek to surpass one another in worldly pomp and greatness, they most debase and prostitute themselves in their better part one to another” [11].

We constantly sell our bodies, our minds, and our souls to please others. We are prostituting ourselves simply because we are slaves to our egos. I have been there and can readily admit that this has been the driving influence of my life. I don’t know about you, but that passage always strikes a chord.

In reading Meditations, I learned that through ego-tinted glasses, you can never have 20/20 vision. But since then, I chose to take off the glasses and see myself, my life, and the world, for what it really is… everything perfectly in accordance with nature.

So What Can You Do
As we learned, the Stoics believe that we must only concern us with those things internal and remember that our opinion is our life. By living virtuously and being completely content with everything in our lives, we achieve complete control over our own happiness.

This should not be a quick fix, but rather, a lifelong journey. But I encourage everyone to open their minds and eyes to the world around them. To start off, if you are interested in any of the materials I referenced in this episode, you can find links to all of them on the website. Ryan Holiday’s books are a great starting point, and I highly recommend Meditations, Enchiridion by Epictetus and Letters From a Stoic by Seneca. For an alternative perspective, essays written by James Stockdale, who was a US Navy Vice Admiral who used stoic teachings to overcome seven years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam, are incredibly inspiring, insightful, and short [12, 13]. Links to the essays are in the show notes and on the website.

With that, I wish you all peace and love, and remember, the past is gone forever, tomorrow will never come, all we have is this moment.

Let’s close this episode off with a classic. A truly Stoic approach to life can be observed in the last stanza from William Earnest Henley’s classic poem, Invictus, which reads:

“It matters not how strait the gate,  
How charged with punishments the scroll,  
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.” [15]
Episode Outro
To discover more, the full transcript of this episode with all citations is available on the website and you can also contact me on social media with any questions or comments. If you found this episode useful or think that it may help someone else, I encourage you to pass it along.

Thank you all for joining me on this journey to lifelong health, happiness, and higher performance. And remember, always be grateful, love yourself, and serve others.

References
[1] Seneca, L. & Campbell, R. (1969). Letters from a Stoic: Epistulae morales ad Lucilium. Harmondsworth: Penguin Books.

[2] Epictetus. (2004). Enchiridion. Mineola, NY: Dover Publications.

[3] Holiday, R. (2019). Stillness is the key. New York: Portfolio/Penguin, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC.

[4] Holiday, R. (2016). Ego is the enemy. New York, New York: Portfolio, Penguin.

[5] Peterson, J., Doidge, N. & Sciver, E. (2018). 12 rules for life : an antidote to chaos. Toronto: Random House Canada.

[6] King James Bible. (2017). King James Bible Online. https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org (original work published 1769).

[7] Greene, R. (2018). The laws of human nature. New York: Viking.

[8] Tom Bilyeu. (2018, February 20). How to Find Your Purpose | Jay Shetty on Impact Theory [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXoErccq0vw

[9] Quotable Quote. (2020). Goodreads, Inc. Retrieved October 14, 2020, from https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/112837-i-am-not-who-you-think-i-am-i-am

[10] Grover, T. S. (2014). Relentless: From good to great to unstoppable. New York, NY: Relentless Publishing, LLC.

[11] Aurelius, M. (2014). Meditations. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform.

[12] Stockdale, J. B. (n.d.). Stockdale on Stoicism I: The Stoic Warrior’s Triad. U.S. Naval Academy. https://www.usna.edu/Ethics/_files/documents/stoicism1.pdf

[13] Stockdale, J. B. (n.d.). Stockdale on Stoicism II: Master of My Fate. U.S. Naval Academy. https://www.usna.edu/Ethics/_files/documents/Stoicism2.pdf

[14] Aristotle., Thomson, J., Tredennick, H. & Barnes, J. (2004). The Nicomachean ethics. London New York: Penguin Books.

[15] Invictus. (n.d). poets.org. Retrieved October 14, 2020, from https://poets.org/poem/invictus