To the unfamiliar, the term Stoic Philosophy provides little excitement. It sounds ancient and stale; probably something you don’t read unless you’re an elderly professor wearing a tweed jacket with elbow patches. Ryan Holiday was introduced to Stoicism at the age of 19. Tim Ferriss came across Seneca at around 27. James Stockdale first read…
Most of us are guilty of regularly buying things we don’t need. Maybe it’s an unmissable sale that tempts us to add to our growing number of possessions, maybe we think that new purchase will make us feel good, or maybe we’re just trying to impress people. Later we realise that the price of the…
I've seen a few versions of the fisherman and the businessman story; this one is from blog of writer Paulo Coelho. It's superb in its simplicity and the Stoic feel is obvious so it requires no further commentary. Enjoy! There was once a businessman who was sitting by the beach in a small Brazilian village.…
Ah there it is, my alarm clock alerting me to the beginning of another day. The same shrill tone and urgent rhythm usually precedes imminent fire damage which I find symbolic some days. But not today. Not this day that has just begun at 06:00 AM. I’m ready to explode out of bed, strap my…
The writer William Zinsser once wrote an article called “The News From Timbuktu” about his trip to the Malian city to witness camel caravans carrying salt across the Sahara. He was thrilled by the sight of forty camels proceeding in unison over the vast desert, but it was another incident from the trip that impacted…
When was the last time you helped someone without them knowing it was you? Maybe you made an anonymous donation to a JustGiving campaign or returned some lost property and didn’t leave your name. If something similar does come to mind, you should now be feeling that same little buzz you got when you did…
The Stoic Psychological Techniques I first became aware of Stoicism after hearing people like Tim Ferriss and Ryan Holiday describe the practical benefits of the philosophy. However it wasn’t until I came across Derek Sivers notes on A Guide To The Good Life that I was really urged to explore it in more detail. On reading William…
Being human, we all know how easy it is to make mistakes. We make them every day. Most of the time they’re small and inconsequential and no one else sees them, like dropping a glass on the floor. Or maybe they’re slightly more embarrassing and we try to fix what we’ve done without anyone finding…
Getting from A to B can be so tedious. Having to be at B in the first place, especially if it’s some social occasion, can be tedious. Sometimes I’d rather stay at A and bask in the comfort of not making engaging conversation. It’s not that I don’t like people, it’s just that I’m an…
Daily life can be busy. And it can be worrying. And exciting, anxious and a whole host of other things that distract us from focusing on ourselves and the present moment. Sometimes we need Stoic reminders, because moments of greater perspective aren't always a priority. In the morning, you might need that Marcus Aurelius quote…