It’s About The Paring Down

Really what the Stoics were trying to do is pare down what they had to worry about. That’s why Epictetus said our first job was just to determine what was in our control and what isn’t—because that eliminates an enormous chunk of concern from our concern. Suddenly, we don’t need to think as much about the past or the future. We don’t have to care what people think about us. We don’t need to compare ourselves to anything and anyone. When Rousseau said that man is born free but lives in chains, he knew that most of those chains are self-imposed. But if we can study this philosophy, if we can hold our impressions up to the light and look at them—Does this matter? Is this up to me? Will getting angry or scared make this any better?—we can break free from those shackles. The payoff of this paring down of concerns is freedom. As Epictetus says, the fruit of the philosopher’s work is peace, courage, and above all, liberty. That’s why we’re doing this. So that we can reap the rewards inherent in wisdom. Wisdom—even a tiny bit—is perspective and priorities. And with that is freedom. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. 📢 Share | ⚙️ Manage Subscription

Speaker names marked ? are inferred from speaking time and the show’s known hosts — they are not voice-verified.

• 0:06Ryan Holiday?

  Welcome to The Daily Stoic, where each day we read a short passage designed to help you cultivate the strength, insight, wisdom necessary for living the good life. Each one of these passages is based on the 2,000-year-old philosophy that has guided some of history's greatest men and women. For more, you can visit us at DailyStoic.com.

• 0:28Ryan Holiday?

  It's about the paring down. Really, what the Stoics were trying to do is pare down what they had to worry about. That's why Epictetus said our first job was to determine what is in our control and what isn't, because that eliminates an enormous chunk of concern from our concern. Suddenly, we don't need to think as much about the past or the future. We don't have to care what other people think about us. We don't need to compare ourselves to anything or anyone. When Rousseau said that man is born free but lives in chains, he knew that most of those chains were self-imposed. But if we can study this philosophy, if we can hold our impressions up to the light and look at them, does this matter? Is this

• 1:11Ryan Holiday?

  up to me? Will getting angry or scared make this any better? We can break free from those shackles. The payoff of this paring down of our concerns is freedom. As Epictetus says, "The fruit of the philosopher's work is peace, courage, and above all, liberty." That's why we're doing this, so we can reap the rewards inherent in wisdom. Wisdom, even a tiny bit, is perspective and priorities. With that is freedom.

• 1:41Ryan Holiday?

  Just a heads up, there's now an obstacle is the way pendant in the Daily Stoic store. It's awesome. We have it made here in the US. We designed it ourselves. It's got Marcus Aurelius's enduring words on it. "The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way." If you want something you can carry with you always, you can wear around your neck that reminds you that you can treat every obstacle as fuel, you can be better for everything that happens, that the way around is the way through, that the way through is the way, I suggest you check it out. I think you'll like it. Just go to DailyStoic.com/store.