Stoicism was built for hard times. When they come, use it.
No one wants to have to use their contingency plans, or do what they planned for in a worst-case scenario. No one wants to break the glass in case of emergency. And no one wants to have to use Stoicism, at least not the kind Marcus Aurelius used amid plagues, wars, coups and tragedy.
At the same time, what was that plan for, if not for this? What was the emergency equipment for? And isn't that why people were taught Stoicism, a philosophy designed for adversity and difficulty?
Epictetus once said the whole point of Stoicism was to put ourselves in a position where, whatever happened, we were able to say:
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This is what I trained for.
AFTER EPICTETUS
Now you must use it. Focus on what you can control. Keep your cool. Do the right thing. Be brave. Lead. Because if you're not going to do it now, when will you?
TRY THIS TODAY
Name the hardest thing you're facing right now. Say to yourself: this is what I trained for. Then take the first right action.
Much of what I've learned about Stoicism comes from Ryan Holiday. Find more of his writing at dailystoic.com and ryanholiday.net.
While I have edited much of this content, there are some cases where I have taken Ryan Holiday's words directly. I've included them because I think they are powerful and will be helpful for you. They are also helpful for me, and I've put them here so I can learn and understand more myself.
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