You Can Admit You Were Wrong

A Stoic is determined, but not obstinate. A Stoic controls what they can, recognizes they cannot change that which is out of their control, but that they can change their mind. Not because it’s convenient, but because they are open to learning they were wrong or misinformed.“If anyone can refute me," Marcus Aurelius wrote, "I'll gladly change." He wanted to be told when he had made a mistake or seen things from the wrong perspective. Because it was truth that mattered to him. Truth, he said, “never hurt anyone.” Persisting on a course or holding steadfast to a belief only because you’re afraid of losing face? That’s where the real damage comes from. Yet we actually fear the former more than the latter! Politicians pretend to still agree with positions in public that they disparage in private...because they don’t want to be branded a flip flopper. It’s madness. Changing your mind is a good thing. Holding different beliefs today than you did ten years ago? That’s called growth, maturity, evolution. Being won over by someone else’s argument is not a sign of a weak mind...it’s proof of an open mind. The best kind to have! The only kind to have if you are at all concerned with fortifying your inner citadel against the vagaries of Fate and Fortune. The Supreme Court Justice Felix Frankfurter once said that “Wisdom too often never comes, and so one ought not to reject it merely because it comes late.” Well put. Don’t reject refutation today. Don’t be afraid to admit you were wrong. Gladly change. It looks good on you—on everyone. 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. You can admit you were wrong. A Stoic is determined, but not obstinate. A Stoic controls what they can, recognizes they cannot change that which is out of their control, but they know that they can change their mind, not because it's convenient, but because they are open to learning they were wrong or misinformed. "If anyone can

• 0:51Ryan Holiday?

  refute me," Marcus Aurelius wrote, "I'll gladly change." He wanted to be told when he had made a mistake or seen things from the wrong perspective, because it was truth that mattered to him. "Truth," he said, "never hurt anyone." Persisting on a course or holding steadfast to a belief only because you're afraid of losing face, that's where the real damage comes from. Yet, we actually fear the former far more than the latter. Politicians pretend to still agree with positions in public they disparage in private because they don't want to be branded a flip-flopper. It's madness. Change in your mind is a good thing. Holding different beliefs today than you did 10 years ago, that's called growth,

• 1:34Ryan Holiday?

  maturity, evolution. Being won over by someone else's argument is not a sign of a weak mind, it's proof of an open mind, the best kind to have, the only kind to have if you are at all concerned with fortifying your inner citadel against the vagaries of fortune and fate. The Supreme Court Justice Felix Frankfurter once said that wisdom too often never comes, and so one ought not to reject it merely because it comes too late. Well put. Don't reject refutation today. Don't be afraid to admit you were wrong. Gladly change. It looks good on you, on everyone.

• 2:16Ryan Holiday?

  Don't forget to subscribe to this podcast on iTunes or your favorite podcast app. And if you don't get the Daily Stoic email, go to dailystoic.com/email.