Epictetus, the historical philosopher once advised beware of a thing or a man Watch the price for which you are willing to sell your will this simple statement contains Deep lessons in high mastery and insight fundamental principles of Stoicism in the contemporary world this philosophy rings like a beacon of Wisdom guiding us through the storms of Chaos and Uncertainty In contemporary times Stoicism is defined as the ability to resist pain and difficulty Without showing feelings or complaining however the original philosophy goes beyond a mere attitude for the Stoics everything around us operates through a network of
cause and effect resulting in the logical structure of the universe called Logos although we have no control over external events we have control over Our approach instead of idealizing a perfect society the historians see the world as it is seeking high development through the four cardinal virtues practical wisdom coping with complex situations with logic information and tranquility courage to act correctly and face challenges with clarity and integrity justice by treating each human being with fairness and benevolence regardless of their position temperance i.e. exercising their influence meanwhile continued to inspire business leaders politicians and athletes which
leads us to discuss 12 practices from the book How to be historical by maximo bigliotti it embodies the thinking of epiteto and shirl providing tools applicable in modern society to master the historical virtues number 1 examine your impressions epiteto advises us to do a practice to examine our impressions each time we are hit with a strong impression we must remind ourselves an impression is all you are not the source of the impression it reminds us that our impressions do not define our essence but are just momentary reactions to external stimuli from then we must test
and evaluate these impressions based on our own criteria however the fundamental question we must ask is is this in my control or not with this practice invites us to constantly examine our initial reactions to personal events and information this involves taking a step back and allow room for rational deliberation avoiding impulsive emotional reactions we must question ourselves what hits us is in our control or not if it is in our control we must act otherwise we must ignore for example if we get stuck in traffic and are late for work is of course we could
have taken measures under our control like leaving earlier to avoid traffic however now that we are stuck in traffic this situation is not under our control instead of getting irritated or angry we can choose to listen to music keep calm and move on ahead number 2 remember the impermanence of things he advises us that when kissing your loved one remember their mortality this practice reminds us of the transitory nature of life change is a constant and inevitable in nature things are always in flux life is ephemeral and those we love can be taken from us
in an instant without warning so this exercise urges us to value our loved ones recognizing that their presence can disappear at any moment we must appreciate what we have now because tomorrow is uncertain a life is permanent and we must remember that we are lucky to enjoy the things and people we have the pleasure we feel can be stopped abruptly and we must not get too attached to things number 3 The reverse clause according to epictetus when planning a action we must practice what he calls the reverse clause this involves mentally rehearsing the plan and
considering all possible situations and outcomes life is full of unpredictable situations and both good and bad can happen to any of us the exercise is to face these situations with the best version of ourselves while leaving the end result to fate for example when being considered for a promotion at work although our natural desire is to be promoted the end result is beyond our direct control we can influence it but not determine it therefore instead of fixing our identity on winning promotion we should focus our energy on something that is under our control like preparation
and effort to create the best the result can be favorable or not but the virtue is in how we face these results accepting that the things don't always go as planned regardless of whether we deserve it or not is a fundamental aspect of this practice number 4 how can i use virtue here and now epithet reminds us that we have the inner resources to face challenges every situation no matter how difficult can be an opportunity to exercise Our virtue is to become better human beings going back to the previous example if we feel disappointed that
we didn't get a promotion we can turn this situation into a chance to exercise Our patience and self-control instead of being carried away by envy or resentment we can remember our purpose key is to act in accordance with our ethical principles by cultivating this perspective we can turn adversity into opportunities for personal growth number 5 pause and take a deep breath highlights the importance of pausing before reacting to external impressions it teaches us that it is not enough to be hit or insulted to be harmed the truth When someone provokes us our mind collaborates with
the provocation so it is essential to resist the impulse to react immediately by practicing this pause and deep breathing we gain the ability to examine our impressions in a rational way whether negative impressions such as insults or positive impressions such as wishes the pause allows us to resist impulses and approach situations with calm and logic implementing this practice takes effort but the results are significant as we become more adept at dealing with situations in a reflective way we see an improvement in the way we face challenges and relationships with others number 6 other eyes epithet
reminds us of the importance of adopting an outside perspective when facing losses and difficulties when facing tragedies that affect others we often adopt a compassionate AND resigned posture however when faced with similar situations that affect us personally we can become highly forgiving and self-pitying the exercise is to apply the same understanding we have to others when dealing with our own challenges in doing so we cultivate empathy and avoid indulging in self-pity we understand that everyone faces diversity and we are not alone in the struggle it helps us keep a balanced perspective and face difficulties with
a more peaceful mind number 7 epithet advises to value silence and speak concisely and relevant although we may not talk about gladiators as much these days the advice remains current We live in an age of constant communication where we often speak without thinking and engage in shallow conversation epithet's advice encourages us to avoid gossip judgments and small talk instead we should strive to engage our interlocutors in discussions that can be mutually beneficial this requires discipline and self-control to turn away from gossip and empty discussions and instead embrace meaningful topics number 8 choose your companions wisely
the importance of choosing our companions is a recurring theme in life philosophies epiptet reminds us to be selective about our people we spend time with the quality of our relationships can have a significant impact on our emotional well-being and our pursuit of virtue associating with people who share similar values and inspire us to improve is essential to our personal growth when choosing our companions wisely We can avoid being dragged down by the negative behavior and attitudes of others instead we are encouraged to seek out friendships that challenge us to be better and contribute to a
positive environment number 9 respond to insults with humor epictet advises us to adopt a humorous approach to facing insults and criticism rather than taking offense and reacting defensively we can respond with humorous self-deprecation this not only neutralizes power of Insult but also demonstrates that we do not take harmful comments seriously the use of humor allows us to respond intelligently and Cortez without falling into the trap of resentment or anger by adopting this practice we develop emotional armor that allows us to face interpersonal challenges with grace and dignity number 10 don't talk too much about yourself
from engaging in incessant monologues about ourselves although the need to express yourself is natural it's important to recognize that we all share this desire talking too much about ourselves doesn't just detract from the quality of our interactions but also takes us away from humility and empathy we must strive to balance the conversation by showing Genuine interest in others and avoiding self-centeredness in doing so we cultivate more meaningful connections and show that we value the perspectives and stories of others as much as our own number 11 Speak Without Judgment reminds us of the importance of avoiding
hasty judgments about others our assessments of the actions and behavior of others should be based on facts and understanding rather than assumptions and prejudices rather than labeling the actions of others as Virtuous or vicious we should seek to understand the motivations and circumstances behind your choices it helps us to take a more understanding and compassionate approach to our interactions fostering an environment of respect and tolerance number 12 epictet encourages us to reflect on Our actions at the end of each day as we revisit our daily experiences we have the opportunity to assess how we act
against our ethical principles we must ask ourselves how we deal with challenges how we respond to others and how we maintain our virtue recognizing our successes and failures helps us to identify areas where we can grow and improve however it is equally important being kind to yourself and Celebrating our triumphs the practice of reflecting on the day allows us to adjust our behavior in ways that cultivate a life of greater authenticity by following these 12 principles taught by epithet we can cultivate a mindset and lifestyle more aligned with historical virtue these practices are not just
theoretical but require ongoing effort and self-reflection we can become more compassionate resilient and ethical people by transforming our relationship with the world and with ourselves if you enjoyed this video Be sure to check out Our full playlist on stoicism and for more videos that will help you find success and happiness using ancient philosophical wisdom don't forget to subscribe to our channel thanks for watching see you later
