9 Stoic Rules For A Better Life

Marcus Aurelius is the most fascinating person to have ever lived.

By reading about his life, one cannot help but notice 9 essential rules for a better life.

Not only that, but one can also learn how to live an extraordinary one.

Hear me out for a second.

Marcus didn’t want to become emperor, but wanted to be a philosopher.

The guy disdained sadistic games at the Colosseum, mistresses, money, and fame…

And all he could think of was how we’d better serve the citizens of Rome and reach the Stoic ideal.

He was the man philosophers had been waiting for centuries: a philosopher-king that would show the whole world how a Stoic can lead.

His advice is simple, yet profound…

Enjoy!

• 1. Amor Fati: "It didn't happen to you, it happened for you; fate chose this for you. Accept it, embrace it, bear it, make something of it." - Marcus Aurelius

  This moment is not your life, but it’s a moment in your life. What are you going to do about it? Fight the inevitable, or follow along?

• 2. Acts for the Common Good: "The fruit of this life is good character and acts for the common good." - Marcus Aurelius

  The Stoics trained themselves to be useful. They knew that a man’s quality of life is measured by the impact it has on others. There’s a saying: “Money is useless unless it’s for two.”

• 3.Memento Mori: "You could leave life right now... Let that determine what you do, and say, and think. Life is short; do everything as if it were the thought or action of a dying person." - Marcus Aurelius

  You might think that it makes sense for him to think that way. He fought for 18 years, was sick, and the life expectancy of his age was terrible. But today, car accidents, Putin, and cancer have a different opinion. “No one is lucky enough to assume God has promised him another day,” wrote Seneca.

• 4.Essentialism: "Ask yourself with everything you do and say, 'Is this essential?' Because most of what we do and say is not essential." - Marcus Aurelius

  Why do you speak? Is it because there’s something that needs to be said, or because you want to have something to say? Think about that for a second.

• 5.Self-Discipline: "It's called self-discipline... It's your discipline over yourself." - Marcus Aurelius

  No one else signed up for Stoicism, but you. You have your own standards, and other people have theirs. The sooner you realize that, the better your interpersonal relationships will be.

• 6.Discard Anxiety: "Today I escaped my anxiety. Oh, no, no, no, wait. I discarded it—because it was within me, in my perceptions." - Marcus Aurelius

  Your wife can’t make you anxious. This project can’t make you anxious. The economy can’t make you anxious. It’s yourself that causes your anxiety about viewing things this way. Seneca said that we should worry about one thing only: what we’re worried about.

• 7.Morning Routine: "What a precious privilege it is today to be alive, to breathe, to enjoy, to love.” - Marcus Aurelius

  Establishing a morning routine involves intentionally structuring the first hours of the day to set a positive tone and maximize productivity. Journal and focus your mind on the essentials. This life could be the last; make sure you spend it wisely.

• 8.Maximize Productivity: "Focus on the task in front of you like a Roman.” - Marcus Aurelius

  Porn is not going to find you a girlfriend. Lottery tickets won’t give you the money mindset you need to succeed. Picking up the phone every time it rings is a recipe for disaster. Stop adding more distractions to your life. Instead, do as best as you can what you have in front of you. Do this over and over again, and you’ll be amazed by what you can accomplish.

• 9.Use Death To Your Advantage: "Death smiles at us all; all we can do is smile back.” - Marcus Aurelius

  Socrates used to say that death was a scary mask to scare young kids. Wise men use death to motivate them, to speed things up. We’re not going to be around forever, and to assume the opposite, will be one of the worst decisions you’ll ever make.

Till Next Time,

Said The Stoic