“When giving your child or wife a kiss, repeat to yourself, ‘I am kissing a mortal.’” – EpictetusChange is a universal law of nature. Things are changing constantly. Life is ephemeral—people we care about may be snatched from us in a snap, without warning. This is why Marcus Aurelius often reminds himself of the time as […]
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“If a person gave away your body to some passersby, you’d be furious. Yet you hand over your mind to anyone who comes along, so they may abuse you, leaving it disturbed and troubled—have you no shame in that?” – EpictetusWe get jerked around by external things and unquestioned impulses all the time. Like puppets, […]
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“When force of circumstance upsets your equanimity, lose no time in recovering your self-control, and do not remain out of tune longer than you can help. Habitual recurrence to the harmony will increase your mastery of it.” – Marcus AureliusWe all get caught off guard from time to time. Not just by major events, but […]
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“When your sparring partner scratches or head-butts you, you don’t then make a show of it, or protest, or view him with suspicion or as plotting against you. And yet you keep an eye on him, not as an enemy or with suspicion, but with a healthy avoidance. You should act this way with all […]
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“It is essential for you to remember that the attention you give to any action should be in due proportion to its worth, for then you won’t tire and give up, if you aren’t busying yourself with lesser things beyond what should be allowed.” – MARCUS AURELIUSTime cannot be brought back. Once the grain of […]
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Is it possible that what the Stoics taught and practiced in times of gladiators is still relevant today?Hell yeah, as it turns out. Studying Stoicism and practicing its ideas can be immensely useful in today’s demanding world.The wisdom of this ancient philosophy is timeless, and its value in the quest for a happy and meaningful […]
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Have you ever bought something you really wanted? How do you feel about it now? In many cases, joy has faded away quickly… I remember the remote controlled monster truck I once wanted at all costs. I used it maybe four times. It got boring. I didn’t appreciate it anymore after a while. Finally, I was happy to […]
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Procrastination is a puzzling phenomenon. We delay the very things we want to do. We postpone what we know is best for us. It’s irrational. It’s harmful. It’s against our best intentions. So why do we do it? Why do we procrastinate? Here’s my take on it…The One Mechanism Underlying All ProcrastinationThere’s only one ultimate reason for why […]
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Recently I was reflecting on my personal procrastination journey. I was proud about how far I’d come when I realized something interesting: It’s not that I don’t procrastinate anymore. It’s just that I procrastinate on a much higher level nowadays. Today, I’d call myself a positive or productive procrastinator. Let me explain…My Procrastination Struggles… Then & NowIn the past, […]
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In a recent article, I told you about the four most important steps I took to overcome severe procrastination. Step one was all about becoming a learning machine. I describe in the article how the life-long learner mindset has played a crucial role in helping me improve many aspects related to procrastination, such as self-discipline, self-compassion, […]
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