Focus on the moment, not the monsters that may or may not be up ahead.
Ryan HolidayRead
The essential idea of Stoicism in my interpretation is, you don't control the world around you, you control how you respond. At 19, that's very empowering.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Stoicism teaches that while we cannot control external events, we can control our reactions to them.
In this quote, Ryan Holiday emphasizes a core teaching of Stoicism, which is the distinction between what is within our control and what is not. By focusing on our responses rather than the uncontrollable external world, we empower ourselves to maintain inner peace and resilience, which is particularly significant at a young age as it fosters personal growth and responsibility.
Themes
StoicismControlResponseReactionEmpowerment
In practice
Example use cases
In a motivational speech about resilience in the face of adversity.
More from Ryan Holiday
All quotes βBeing criticized in the media is a good problem to have - most of the time. It means you're doing something that is at least interesting or cool or crazy enough to be noticed. It might not always feel good, but it's usually better than the alternative of obscurity.
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The idea that only the swaggering, all-knowing, and ruthlessly ambitious succeed is a lie. One that has discouraged so many people with so much potential - and worse, encouraged many more to crash and burn.
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Virality, at its core, is asking someone to spend their social capital recommending or linking or posting about you for free.
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Ordinary people shy away form negative situations, just as they do with failure. They do their best to avoid trouble. What great people do is the opposite. They are their best in these situations. They turn personal tragedy or misfortune - really anything, everything - to their advantage.
Ryan HolidayRead
There is no good or bad without us, there is only perception. There is the event itself and the story we tell ourselves about what it means.
Ryan HolidayRead
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One of the most unattractive human traits, and so easy to fall into, is resentment at the sudden shared popularity of a previously private pleasure. Which of us hasn't been annoyed when a band, writer, artist or television series that had been a minority interest of ours has suddenly achieved mainstream popularity? When it was at a cult level we moaned at the philistinism of a world that didn't appreciate it, and now that they do appreciate it we're all resentful and dog-in-the-manger about it.
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The wish to pray is a prayer in itself. God can ask no more than that of us.
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Patience and boredom are closely related. Boredom, a certain kind of boredom, is really impatience. You don't like the way things are, they aren't interesting enough for you, so you deccide- and boredom is a decision-that you are bored.
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Searching outside of you is Samsara (the world). Searching within you leads to Nirvana.
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