Friday, 27th March 2026
The figureheads of Stoicism have been a major source of intrigue for me.
Marcus Aurelius popped up on my radar a few years ago, when I came across Meditations, and began listening to the audiobook. I never made it far through the journal entries of the former Roman Emperor, but the philosophy that he (perhaps unintentionally) preached stuck with me, and many others.
Stoicism, it is believed, was founded by Zeno of Citium over 2000 years ago. This school of thought was born in Athens, and progressed to the Roman empire, where Stoicism was given its most enduring form.
Seneca meshed the Stoic philosophy with politics, bringing political ethics a more personal and practical approach. Epictetus, having been a slave, showed that personal freedom through this philosophy is not chained to circumstance. And as mentioned earlier, Aurelius showed us the challenge and value of unconditional self-accountability.
It was these figures who transformed Stoicism from a school of thought in Athens into a philosophy adopted by many as a method for approaching discipline, character development, and adversity.
So, it became time to start adopting this principle in a few areas of my life. I started with my sleep and my finances. Discipline and complete self accountability. I did (and continue to) make mistakes, and fail to meet the standards that I set for myself. Spending too much on dinner, poor planning of my bedtime, and sleeping in, all areas where I had set a standard for myself, but failed to meet it.
I believe that the discipline isn't in being 100% perfect in every area. Rather, it is understanding that we're human, and that we will fail to meet certain criteria. Taking accountability for these shortcomings, and knowing that we need to do better, is where the discipline lies. It is the continuous, relentless pursuit for a better self.
My discipline is reading one book per fortnight. This has worked well for me. 15 to 25 pages per day, every day, can get me through a book.
Next, I will look to focus more on my physical health. A more disciplined approach to the gym and general exercise, while making a more conscious effort to eating healthier and cleaner, is the next step I need.
I know my direction, my potential, and my trajectory. But none of that happens without positive change. These are the disciplinary changes that need to be made to facilitate the ambition.
Epictetus taught us to control what we can control, and to accept what we cannot for what it is. This is me taking control of what's mine, and accepting what isn't.
Talk soon.