David Dillinger - Practical Stoicism: Your Action Guide On How To Implement The Stoic Philosophy Into Your Own Life

Practical Stoicism

Your Action Guide On How To Implement The Stoic Philosophy Into Your Own Life

By

David Dillinger

Introduction

W e live in a world where no one respects their time. We have so little of it, and yet we waste it, playing games on our phones, watching reruns of shows that we've already seen, and countless hours of gossip about celebrities or things that a neighbor has that we think would make us happier.

All through this, we are stuck with the feeling that something is wrong. Sure, we might have goals, but the trend is to collect them, not to achieve them, and in the end, there is the genuine fear that we'll pass without so much as rippling the pond.

Stoicism is the cure for this. It is a philosophy that teaches many things, including:

• Stifling those emotional, knee-jerk responses that lead to bad decision making
• Learning to hoard your time so that you can allocate it properly
• The ability to appreciate the things that you have
• The wisdom in embracing your past and having no fear of death
• How to define yourself with your actions, rather than your words or your possessions

These are just a few examples, but there are many, many more. For instance, you simply cannot insult a Stoic. Through exercises and the application of ancient wisdom, the Stoic knows the proper way to perceive these things. This is not a gimmick or some sort of trick. For instance, if I criticize your work, as a Stoic, your first thought would not be my work was inferior but rather, is the criticism correct? because if it IS, then the person giving you the criticism has done you a favor.

It's all about perception, and in this book, we will teach you how to shape yours so that it serves you instead of harming you.

You are probably wondering at this point, why should I believe you?, and as an aspiring Stoic, that is a good approach. Always analyze. Well, the reason that Stoicism is as powerful an approach in the modern-day as it was in ancient Greece is simply this.

It works.

As you read this, people around the world are reading the wisdom of philosophers such as Seneca, Marcus Aurelius, Epictetus, Socrates, and more. If you haven't had the pleasure of the original texts, know that you will get a taste of this inside so that you can see what all of this is about. The simple truth is that these words have been translated numerous times and published around the world because they were viable in the past.

And they are still viable NOW. As the quaint old saying goes, If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

While these words have been around since before Biblical times, your time to start discovering them and using them is brief.

So, get started on reading this right now !

Remember, you cannot own possessions, even your body is only loaned to you, but you can own your own reason and your happiness.

Read further and we'll show you how!

Chapter 1 Being A Stoic Is Not Easy

S o, you want to be a Stoic? The rewards are substantial when you adopt this powerful philosophy that predates Christ. We need to establish now that this is NOT an easy path. If you are willing to make an effort and put in the time that it takes to reshape your personal views to include Stoicism, then the rewards are countless. Epictetus said it best in his famous Discourses:

"With rewards this substantial, be aware that a casual effort is not sufficient. Other ambitions will have to be sacrificed, altogether or at least for now. If you want these rewards at the same time that you are striving for power and riches, chances are you will not get to be rich and powerful while you aim for the other goal; and the rewards of freedom and happiness will elude you altogether. [1]

What's it going to be? Can you put in the time that it takes to reshape your behavior? In becoming a Stoic, you will need to learn, above all things, to analyze the things which you come into contact with. A Stoic can recognize the difference between an influence of nature, which cannot be changed, and the things that may be influenced by your will.

Simply put, the key to your own happiness is within you and to get it you must learn to:

• Recognize external influences that are beyond your control
• Exercise your will and judgment on those things which you CAN control

This seemingly simple core of Stoicism is easy to understand but to practice? That is quite another thing. The Stoics believed that this discipline must be manifest in your actions rather than your words. We recommend that you try to master one principle at a time, rather than to try and absorb them all at once. This is a difficult philosophy to master, so be sure that you are always focusing on learning a Stoic principle.

Some examples of behavior which you will wish to cultivate are as follows:

• Do Without To Grow Strong - One of the envied attributes of the Stoics is their ability to persevere. Rich or poor, it is the same. This is because the Stoic will make it their practice to deny themselves things that many take for granted in life. This prepares them for those times in life when such things have been taken away. There are many ways you can do this. Eat simply for a week and avoid junk food, for instance. Turn off the air conditioner and use a fan or simply open the windows. Denying yourself of things you have come to expect from life will make you stronger. This is also known as voluntary discomfort. It is a good principle to start mastering as it will teach you to be happy with what you have.

• Recognize The Good In The Bad - For the Stoic, there is no bad. For example, dangerous weather such as a hurricane or tornado may devastate an island. While this is lamentable, this is the work of nature, and as such, it is not good or bad only nature. With a practical life application, this view is compelling as well. Did you lose your job? You have the opportunity to learn patience as you look for a new one. You have a chance to get a better job. This is heavily based on the Stoic belief that perception of a thing decides how much we are influenced by a thing. Nothing can hurt you without you giving it that powerby the way you perceive something.

• Accept Death Rather Than Fear It - Death is natural and it is the great equalizer. Marcus Aurelius once commented on this, stating that Alexander the Great and his horses Groom were the same in death. Dispersed to their atoms [2]. Think of it as a perception hack. Instead of viewing yourself as the center of the universe, by realizing that our existence is temporary (at best), you are empowered in knowing this: There is no need to stress yourself trying to build a legacy or enslave yourself to fads or unrealistic expectations and achievements. The only important thing is to live true to our natures.