![]() ![]() Whether you’re asking the universe or praying to some god, the lesson still stands. I actually got a lot of positive responses from religious folks that appreciated some open-minded philosophy that could allow there to be a higher power. Instead of hoping for a situation to go a certain way, you should ask for the ability to handle that situation well no matter what happens. It’s a lesson from Marcus Aurelius about shifting our perspective on the things we want in life. I was surprised by the response to the post Don’t Pray for Outcomes, Ask for Strength. ![]() You Cannot Learn What You Think You Already Know The More You Want, the Poorer You’ll Feel Which have been the most popular posts in the series that our readers should check out? And did the reception of a particular post surprise you? However that may be, keep your judgement of them calm and they too will stay still – then you will not be seen either to pursue or to avoid.” – Meditations, 11.11 “The external things whose pursuit or avoidance troubles you do not force themselves on you, but in a way you yourself go out to them. If you can’t do that, blame yourself – or perhaps not even yourself.” – Meditations, 10.4 “If he is going wrong, teach him kindly and show him what he has failed to see. In terms of some favorite lessons, I like: The fact that he even took the time to question himself and ponder what it meant to be a good man is endearing. It’s hard to say if he always practiced what he preached, but there’s something so hopeful about a leader who puts others before himself, thinks before he acts, and attempts to be as virtuous as possible. More importantly, Aurelius wasn’t just a philosopher, he was a leader too. Meditationsspoke to me, as if Marcus Aurelius had written his journal just for me to read. Why is that? What are your favorite exercises and quotes from Marcus? You wrote in the series’ inaugural post that Marcus Aurelius is your favorite Stoic. Since then, I’ve been reading more and more of it from all the greats. After that, I dug out my old copy of Meditationsand really started to study. At the time, I was dealing with some difficult things in my personal life, and the basic principles of Stoicism and other philosophies highlighted in that book helped me get through it all mostly unscathed, and mentally stronger too. I had read some Marcus Aurelius and Seneca in college, but honestly, it wasn’t until I read and reviewed The Obstacle Is the Way for Lifehacker that I actually realized how applicable Stoicism could be to modern life. ![]() Mid-Week Meditations has been well received so far, and I’m very thankful for that.ĭo you remember how you were first introduced to Stoicism? Walk us through that first experience. I knew I wanted to share these morsels of enlightenment with others, and my editors at Lifehacker were happy to let me give it a try. I realized I didn’t need to be in control of the world around me to be in control of myself. When I finally wrapped my head around the basic Stoic principle of “it’s not about what happens to you, but how you choose to react to it” I was hooked. It doesn’t sugarcoat the harsh reality of our world, and shows you how and why you need to accept it-all while still giving legitimate reasons to be good to your fellow man. Stoicism puts both virtue and reason together in a way that makes sense to me. Honestly, I’d like to go back to school someday and devote myself to philosophy further. I’ve been a reader of philosophy, Stoic and otherwise, since college, where I was introduced to many of the classics, and I’ve always wanted to write about it in some form or another. Last summer you started “ Mid-Week Meditations,” and now it’s ongoing series on Lifehacker of short posts which, as you write, “dip into the pool of Stoic wisdom.” How and why did you decide to start it? Even much before starting the column, you have described Stoicism as your “favorite source for advice and life lessons” so we’d be curious to learn more about that journey. You can follow Patrick on Twitter, Instagram and don’t forget to check out his prolific work over the last several years on Lifehacker, including his posts on the Stoics. Aside from writing about the Stoics, Patrick is also a screenwriter, the producer behind the YouTube series Threshold, and he is currently finishing up a feature-length horror screenplay based on American Indian folklore, and exploring the darker aspects of modern life with short fiction. We reached out to Patrick learn more about his Stoic journey, why he started the column, the “life hacks” aspect of Stoicism, and much more. Patrick’s popular series “ Mid-Week Meditations” offers short insights and wisdom from the Stoics as well as tips for being better, thinking more clearly and managing the stresses of life. It’s an enormous platform which he uses, once per week, to teach his readers about Stoicism. Patrick Allan is a writer for one of the biggest productivity sites in the world. ![]()
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