Marcus Aurelius: 7 Stoic Quotes On Control

Chartdata

You need 4 min read

·

Post on Oct 29, 2024

43 visitor like this post

Share

Marcus Aurelius: 7 Stoic Quotes on Control

You know that feeling, right? Like you're constantly at the mercy of things outside your control? It's like you're on a rollercoaster, but you have no idea what direction it's going next. This feeling is something we all face, and for many, it can feel like a constant struggle. But what if I told you that there's a philosophy that can help you regain control of your life?

Enter Stoicism, an ancient philosophy that emphasizes the power of reason and virtue. And who better to learn from than Marcus Aurelius, the Roman emperor who practiced Stoicism with a passion?

Here are seven of his best quotes on control, with some extra insights to help you apply them to your own life:

1. “The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts: therefore, guard accordingly, and take care that you entertain no notions unsuitable to virtue and reason.”

This is the ultimate truth bomb. It's not about what happens to you, but how you react to it. It's about choosing your thoughts and choosing them wisely.

Think about it. You can't control traffic, but you can choose how you react to it. You can choose to be calm and patient, or you can choose to let your frustration boil over.

2. "The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts: therefore, guard accordingly, and take care that you entertain no notions unsuitable to virtue and reason.”

This quote sounds a bit like the first one, but it's actually a bit different. This one emphasizes the importance of taking charge of our thoughts. We can't control what happens to us, but we can control how we react to it. We can choose to be calm and patient, or we can choose to let our frustration boil over.

3. "You have power over your mind—not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength."

This is where the rubber meets the road. We have to learn to distinguish between what we can control and what we can't. We can't control the weather, but we can control our reaction to it.

And once we realize that we have power over our minds, we can start to use that power to create the life we want.

4. "Waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be. Be one."

This one is a bit of a call to action. Instead of spending time thinking about what we should be doing, we should just start doing it.

It's easy to get caught up in the "shoulds" and "oughts" of life. But at the end of the day, it's our actions that matter. So, let's stop talking and start doing.

5. "Very little is needed to make a happy life; it is all within yourself, in your way of thinking.”

This is a reminder that happiness is an inside job. It's not about having a lot of money or a perfect body. It's about having a peaceful mind.

So, let's focus on cultivating our inner peace.

6. "The best revenge is to be unlike him who performed the injury."

This one is a bit more nuanced. It's not about being bitter or resentful. It's about rising above the negativity. Let's not give the people who hurt us the power to define us. Let's choose to be better than that.

7. "The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way."

This quote is a great reminder that obstacles are not necessarily bad things. Sometimes, the things that seem like setbacks are actually opportunities to grow.

Let's look at our challenges as opportunities to learn and grow. And let's not be afraid to push through them.

Putting Stoicism Into Practice

Marcus Aurelius was a man who understood the importance of control. He knew that life can be unpredictable, but he also knew that we have the power to choose how we respond to it.

So, let's take a page from his book. Let's learn to control our minds, let's focus on what we can control, and let's use our challenges to grow stronger.

We might not be able to control the world around us, but we can control how we respond to it. And that, my friends, is the ultimate form of control.

Remember, Stoicism isn't about ignoring your emotions. It's about acknowledging them, understanding them, and using reason to guide your actions. It's about finding inner peace in a world that often feels out of control.