Stoicism and How to build Self Discipline
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Stoicism is a school of philosophy focused on self-control and virtue. Stoics believe the universe is governed by a rational logic and people should accept what is outside their control while focusing on self-improvement. The four cardinal virtues of Stoicism are wisdom, temperance, justice, and courage. Marcus Aurelius outlines ten practices for developing self-discipline, including finding one's purpose, relying on self, showing up daily, embracing voluntary hardship, accepting what you can't control, taking responsibility, delaying gratification, ignoring naysayers, and emulating wise role models.
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Stoicism and How to build Self Discipline
- 1. STOICISM
- 2. Stoic - who reamins calm under pressure and avoid emotional extremes. The Stoics believed that everything around us operates according to a web of cause and effect,resulting in a rational structure of the universe,which they called logos. We may not always have control over the events affecting us,we can have control over how we approach things. Rather than imagining an ideal society, the Stoic tries to deal with the world as it is while pursuing self-improvement through four cardinal virtues: 1. Practical Wisdom 2. Temperance 3. Justice 4. Courage
- 3. WISDOM TEMPERANCE JUSTICE COURAGE The ability to navigate complex situations in a logical, informed, and calm manner The exercise of self- restraint and moderation in all aspects of life Treating others with fairness evenwhen they have done wrong Courage,not just in extraordinary circumstances, but facing daily challenges with clarity and integrity
- 4. Sometimes, even to live is an act of courage -Seneca People who have cultivated virtue and self-control in themselves can bring positive change in others -Seneca Suffering stems not from the events in our lives,but from our judgements about them -Epictetus
- 5. • Marcus Aurelius How to build Self Discipline 1. Self Discipline starts with finding your purpose. 2. Count on yourself 3. Show up everyday 4. Practice voluntary hardship 5. Practice dichotomy of control 6. Never play the victim 7. Practice Delayed Gratification 8. Ignore Naysayers 9. Find wise people to emulate 10. Honestly review your day
- 6. Self Discipline starts with finding your purpose. “I have to go to work-as a human being. What do I have to complain of, if I’m going to do what I was born for-the things I was brought into the world to do? Or is this what I was created for? To huddle under the blankets and stay warm?” -Marcus Aurelius 1 ❑ We each have a purpose; something that we were created for. ❑ It is our duty to carry out that purpose because it is purpose that gets you out of bed each morning. ❑ If you have a clear understanding of your goals and how your task fits within them, you are much more likely to complete it. ❑ The biggest source of self-discipline is to have a reason to do the task. If you don’t know what to do, just start. ❑ Self-discipline is about finding compelling reasons to do something then committing yourself to see that task or activity through to the very end. If you want to do something, start practicing something you’re interested in and tackle every day as it comes because it is your purpose that will give you an internal desire, drive, and motivation to propels you forward toward your goal.
- 7. Count on yourself. Turn your desire to stone. Quench your appetites.Keep your mind centered on itself - Marcus Aurelius 2 ❑ Have a solid purpose and build a practical plan of action to help you accomplish your goal. ❑ Commit to all the little actions you will take along the way in the pursuit of those goals. ❑ Be fully committed to doing whatever it takes to get the job done no matter what challenges get in the way. ❑ Self Discipline is the ability to get yourself to take action-to do what you need to do—regardless of your physical, mental, or emotional state. ❑ Everything you want in your life - everything you want to have, be, and do, depends on your ability to get yourself to take the necessary actions to achieve your goals, whether you feel like it or not. Start with forming an effective plan of action that is comprised of a deadline for accomplishing your goal. Form mini-milestones that break your goal down into manageable chunks. What you’re ultimately trying to avoid is succumbing to being overwhelmed. Overwhelming can lead to procrastination, and procrastination can, subsequently, lead to stagnation. And, of course, where there is stagnation, self-discipline cannot exist.
- 8. Show up every day You must build up your life action by action and be content if each one achieves its goal as far as possible–and no one can keep you from this. - Marcus Aurelius 3 ❑ Even after having a solid purpose and a practical plan, 95% of us fail to achieve our goals. We fail because we fail to be consistent. ❑ WE NEED TO SHOW UP, EVERY DAY, AND PUT IN THE WORK. The simple act of showing up and immersing yourself in your craft does wonders for mental endurance. Build focus and come to terms with the arduous process that it takes to achieve anything great. Put in countless hours of work before youreap any of the benefits. ❑ Self – Discipline is nothing more but the habit of consistency– finding the motivation to do something again and again, until you do it on autopilot and start seeing results. Your ability to keep going is what moulds you into a disciplined and strong person. A bad day doesn’t haveto become a bad week, a bad week doesn’t have to become a bad year. The moment you wake up, remember that the new day is a new life and move forward by opening your eyes and focusing on what’s in front of you,
- 9. Practice Voluntary Hardship We should discipline ourselves in small things, and from there progress to things of greater value - Marcus Aurelius 4 ❑ If you have a headache, practise not cursing. Don’t curse every time you have an earache. Accept the issue and make peace with it. ❑ VOLUNTARY HARDSHIP IS ONE OF THE WAYS WE CAN BUILD OUR SELF DISCIPLINE. ❑ Voluntary hardship means constantly testing ourselves and by making life routinely uncomfortable in someway, we are hardening ourselves for the day we may need to live it for real. ❑ A voluntary hardship might be skipping a meal and going hungry for a night, having a cold shower, sleeping on the floor, going without Social Media for a few days or not using smartphone for few days. ❑ Do it often enough and will you begin to understand what scarcity and hardship feels like and that you can live with both if needed.
- 10. Practice Dichotomy of Control You have power over your mind - not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength - Marcus Aurelius 5 ❑ Being distressed, being bothered by small things instantly is terrible for discipline. ❑ You have a goal, you’re working on and then thoughts and distress about something external, meaning it’s out of your control, it de-rails you. The best thing you can do in these circumstancesis to apply Epictetus’ dichotomy of control. ❑ Reinforce to yourself what is within your control and what is out of your control. ❑If you embrace what’s out of your control and accept it, you will experience tranquillity.
- 11. Never Play the victim Do your job, without whining - Marcus Aurelius 6 ❑ Have you said any of these? “I was justborn this way.” “I never learned anything different.” “My parents set a terrible example.” “Everyone else does it.” What are these? ❑ Excuses that people use to justify staying as they are instead of striving to become better. YOU NEED TO ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY. ❑ The “WHY Me?” mentality is an enemy to mental toughness. Say “TRY Me” ❑ If something bad happens, it may be your fault or not. Take control of situation instead of letting emotions play rampant. ❑ People with a degree of mental fortitude can step up–even when it’s not their fault–and right the ship. ❑ Be that person who acts, not the one who looks the other way and casts blame. When you victimize yourself or your current position, you relinquish control and absolve yourself of personal responsibility. And withouta sense of ownership, meaningful progress becomes an impossible task.
- 12. Practice delayed gratifiaction So you were born to feel ‘nice’? Instead of doings things and experiencing them? Don’t you see the plants, the birds, the ants and spiders and bees going about their individual tasks,putting the world in order, as best they can? And you’re not willing to do your job as a human being? Why aren’t you running to do what your nature demands? - Marcus Aurelius 7 ❑ Delayed gratification involves the ability to wait to get what you want. ❑ Losing weight is your goal, when you encounter an event where there is a greater temptation of doing something which does not help you achieve your goal, ❑ Then you should RESIST THE INSTANT GRATIFIACTION and discipline your mind to see the situation in long term. We put off what we want now so that we can perhaps get something else, something better,later on. This ability to resist temptation and stick to our goals is often referred to as self discipline, and delaying gratification is often seen as a central part of this behavior.
- 13. Ignore Naysayers When another blames you or hates you, or people voice similar criticisms, go to their souls, penetrate inside and see what sort of people they are. You will realize that there is no need to be racked with anxiety that they should hold any opinion about you. - Marcus Aurelius 8 Whenever you step out from the norm and declare that you believe that you have a special purpose in life, and that you are going to do whatever it takes to achieve it, you will attract naysayers. Naysayers are the people who criticize, objects to, or oppose something. Naysayers just love to say nay. They might love you, but they are afraid of progress, so they are against everything and their opinions are just terrible for your self discipline. Allowing yourself to be upset by the opinion of someone you don’t know or don’t respect is as foolish as getting upset about the weather. It’s a WASTE OF ENERGY. Their voice does not deserve to be heard. Don’t hand over your peace of mind to outsiders to disrupt as they please. If someone just has a history of being a naysayer, IGNORE THEM.
- 14. Find Wise People to emulate It will even do to socialize with men of good character, in order to model your life on theirs, whether you choose someone living or someone from the past. - Marcus Aurelius 9 ❑ It’s time now to look outward for answers to help strengthen your self-discipline. ❑ Identify role models. Your role models could be your friends, family, colleagueswho have already achieved the goal you are working towards. Ask yourself : ➢ Who is doing this right now? ➢ Who has successfully achieved this goal? ➢ Who has successfully mastered this habit? ➢ Who has successfully made this change? ➢ Who has the necessary self-discipline in this area? Understand how people achieved success through their self discipline, what specific actions they have taken to get the desired outcome. Use their experience to your benefit.
- 15. Honestly review your day These are the characteristics of the rational soul: self-awareness, self-examination, and self- determination. It reaps its own harvest. . . . It succeeds in its own purpose - Marcus Aurelius 10 ❑ One of the best ways to become more disciplined is to SCRUTINIZE YOURSELF, FIND YOUR WEAKSPOTS. ❑ Be brutally honest and use this time to CONNECT WITH YOUR SUBCONSCIOUS. ❑ Practicing evening retrospections on a consistent basis will allow you to BECOME MORE SELF- AWARE and articulate constructive answers to issues underlying and become better. Ask yourself, ✓What did I do well today? ✓Where were my discipline and self-control tested, ✓Where did I do good? What did I do bad, why did this occur? ➢ Furthermore, how can I improve? ❑ Research shows that it’s forgiving yourself— not beating yourself up — that prevents you from continuing to put things off. ❑ Don’t just be critical of yourself. Thinkabout what you did well so you can repeatit tomorrow. Be grateful for the good thathappened today.