“Waste no more time arguing what a good man should be. Be One.

” “External things are not the problem. It’s your assessment

of them. Which you can erase right now.”

“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. Where then do I look for good and evil? Not to
uncontrollable externals, but within myself to the choices that are my own…”

Stoics acknowledge that people don’t have control over all, or even much, of what happens in life. And they emphasize that
worrying about things outside of their control is unproductive, or even irrational to a person who wants to attain tranquility.

 The Stoics would have us remind ourselves daily - to actively differentiate between what is and is not under control -
to not waste energy over uncontrollable adverse events.
 Where many people worry endlessly about things out of their control, the Stoics think their energy is better spent
thinking of creative solutions to problems, rather than the issues themselves.

“No person has the power to have everything they want, but it is in their power not to want what they don’t have, and to
cheerfully put to good use what they do have.”

 practice days of poverty, where he would fast and wear unfashionable clothing, to remind himself that people do not require
luxuries to live a good life. All in all, individuals have enough to get by and be happy, yet they are upset about their lives
because they maintain an insatiable desire for more.

 Stoics consciously try not to suffer over what they lack. Instead, they guide their awareness towards gratitude for what they
have.

 expect mishaps and use them as opportunities to hone their virtues. That is not to say that they are glad when troubles beset
them, but they try not to lament them needlessly, and they actively seek benefit wherever possible.
 Imagine breaking a leg and needing to sit in bed for four months while it heals. A Stoic would attempt to guide their thoughts
away from useless “woe is me” rumination and focus instead on how they might do something productive while bedridden
(e.g., write their first book). They would try to reframe the event as a way to cultivate their patience and become more
creative.
  Where there is an adverse event, Stoics try not to let it ruin their tranquility, and instead, they try to derive character-
building benefits wherever possible.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, or CBT, is based on the idea that how we think (cognition), how we feel (emotion) and how we
act (behavior) all interact together. Specifically, our thoughts determine our feelings and our behavior. So Stoicism is an ancient
thought that has been proven by modern psychological science!

For two people who undergo the same hardship, their differing assessment of that same misfortune can result in entirely
different emotions and behaviors. Where one may feel utter despair at the loss of a job, another may feel liberated and hopeful
about the opportunity. Monitoring one’s inner critic towards greater optimism can be a boon to psychological well-being.
Remember, it is not the event itself that makes one upset, but one’s thoughts about it.

“Let us prepare our minds as if we’d come to the very end of life. Let us postpone nothing. Let us balance life’s books each day.
… The one who puts the finishing touches on their life each day is never short of time.”

“Keep death and exile before your eyes each day, along with everything that seems terrible— by doing so, you’ll never have a
base thought nor will you have excessive desire.” “You could get hit but a bus tomorrow.” Again it seems morbid, but the point
is to get out and live today. Don’t stress so much about the little things, and ensure that you carpe that diem, as you won’t
always have another chance.

Practicing poverty or practicing rehearsing your worst case scenario in real life, not just journaling, not just in your head, I find
very, very important. The more you schedule and practice discomfort deliberately, the less unplanned discomfort will throw off
your life and control your life.
Stoic held that humanity regarded as a whole, is foolish and depraved, caring more for
the satisfaction of immediate impulses than that of the deepest.

…a life controlled by strong emotions was useless, and that man should be logical in
thought. Emotions only blind man from true judgment, the less emotions one has, the
more likely he is to make a just decision. Only way a man can be harmed by another man
is to let his reaction overpower him.

Source of happiness is wisdom. Emotion and passion destroy reason. How ridiculous and
how strange to be surprised at anything which happens in life!
within our power—the personal things like our own beliefs, our judgments, and our desires.