5 LECCIONES sobre cómo pensar con claridad (estoicismo de Marco Aurelio)

WEBVTT

1
00:00:02.240 --> 00:00:07.639
Marco Aurelio is one of the most
famous and well- known Stoic philosophers of

2
00:00:07.759 --> 00:00:13.320
all time. He was Roman emperor
from one hundred and sixty- one to

3
00:00:13.439 --> 00:00:19.199
one hundred and eighty to Christ and
the last ruler of a line that later

4
00:00:19.239 --> 00:00:24.920
became known as the Five Good Emperors. He was in one of the highest

5
00:00:25.039 --> 00:00:31.320
positions of power in the world at
that time and would have access to the

6
00:00:31.440 --> 00:00:36.560
realization of all his temptations and desires
if he so wished. But instead he

7
00:00:36.640 --> 00:00:43.600
dedicated his life to equity and justice. During his government, Aurelio found the

8
00:00:43.719 --> 00:00:49.399
time to write a series of autobiographical
texts that are now known as Meditations,

9
00:00:50.280 --> 00:00:57.799
which have become one of the most
important texts within Stoic philosophy. In meditations,

10
00:00:58.479 --> 00:01:04.719
Aurelio des cribs guides on how to
improve oneself. These were primarily focused

11
00:01:06.319 --> 00:01:11.560
on taking a cosmic perspective and critically
analyzing your judgment on yourself and others.

12
00:01:14.159 --> 00:01:19.040
As the leader of a powerful empire
that experienced multiple wars during his rule,

13
00:01:19.359 --> 00:01:26.879
Aurelio used his own stoic philosophy to
free himself from stress and worries and be

14
00:01:26.959 --> 00:01:32.920
the best and most reliable leader he
could be. Stoicism is an ancient and

15
00:01:32.959 --> 00:01:38.879
incredibly famous philosophy that, in addition
to being a theory, is also a

16
00:01:38.959 --> 00:01:46.280
truly inspiring way of thinking and living. The Stoics firmly believed that doing the

17
00:01:46.319 --> 00:01:52.079
right thing was the key to individual
happiness and that doing the right thing required

18
00:01:52.159 --> 00:01:59.519
sound judgment and clear rational thinking.
So with that in mind, in this

19
00:01:59.640 --> 00:02:05.959
episode we will talk about how you
can develop a rational mind through five important

20
00:02:06.120 --> 00:02:12.680
lessons that can help you think more
clearly from the teachings of Marco Aurelio.

21
00:02:15.639 --> 00:02:20.360
Before continuing to review our podcast,
it is very important that you subscribe.

22
00:02:21.039 --> 00:02:27.759
Click on the bell to receive notifications
of new content. Consider signing up to

23
00:02:27.759 --> 00:02:34.400
support us and encourage us to do
more episodes. Lesson. You train your

24
00:02:34.479 --> 00:02:40.120
perception. Marco Aurelio says choose not
to be damaged and you won' t

25
00:02:40.639 --> 00:02:44.159
feel damaged, you don' t
feel damaged and you haven' t been.

26
00:02:45.840 --> 00:02:49.879
One of the greatest lessons of stoicism
is taking control of your perception.

27
00:02:51.400 --> 00:02:55.680
We' re used to judging everything
we find. Any event we experience,

28
00:02:57.120 --> 00:03:00.800
anyone we know or things we see, everyone gets a judgment of value,

29
00:03:01.599 --> 00:03:07.639
something was bad, good, boring, fun, beautiful, ugly, etcetera.

30
00:03:09.400 --> 00:03:14.840
This is, without our knowledge,
a very exhausting practice and also one

31
00:03:15.039 --> 00:03:22.159
that could negatively affect our lives.
For example, judging every interaction you have

32
00:03:22.280 --> 00:03:27.439
on a particularly difficult day as terrible
gives the day itself an even more negative

33
00:03:27.520 --> 00:03:32.080
view. If you call a party
you were boring at, that' s

34
00:03:32.199 --> 00:03:38.599
all that boring part of your week
will be. We often let our initial

35
00:03:38.680 --> 00:03:46.240
judgments of things be influenced by our
emotions, which means that they are probably

36
00:03:46.360 --> 00:03:53.360
not entirely rational. Besides, our
tendency to judge every moment of our lives.

37
00:03:53.479 --> 00:03:59.000
It goes hand in hand with a
tendency to speak in metaphors and hyperboles

38
00:03:59.080 --> 00:04:03.800
that make things look worse. If
your partner leaves you, you could say

39
00:04:03.919 --> 00:04:09.639
that your ex broke your heart,
instead of the fundamental fact that he doesn

40
00:04:09.719 --> 00:04:13.879
' t feel the same way anymore. For you this way of speaking,

41
00:04:14.000 --> 00:04:19.839
or rather this way of thinking shapes
how you feel is not the real event

42
00:04:19.920 --> 00:04:25.680
that makes you feel bad, but
the way you unconsciously choose to think about

43
00:04:25.720 --> 00:04:31.879
it. Stoics, in contrast,
encourage people to be careful, to judge

44
00:04:31.879 --> 00:04:38.240
everything you find and the things you
do. One of the ways to be

45
00:04:38.279 --> 00:04:44.480
careful is to undo your judgments,
which essentially means to look beyond them,

46
00:04:44.879 --> 00:04:49.639
be able to forget your first instinct
and judge something through a more optimistic and

47
00:04:49.759 --> 00:04:58.279
reasonable lens. You can try to
reformulate that boring party in your mind as

48
00:04:58.720 --> 00:05:02.720
an event where you could see a
new place and meet new people. Then

49
00:05:02.920 --> 00:05:09.160
you might notice that you didn'
t really resonate with anyone, but you

50
00:05:09.240 --> 00:05:12.439
didn' t go with the expectation
of negativity. Therefore, practicing not judging

51
00:05:12.639 --> 00:05:16.759
everything based on your first instinct and
emotion is the best way to start training

52
00:05:16.759 --> 00:05:24.519
your perception of life. Every time
you think of something in an opinion form,

53
00:05:25.519 --> 00:05:30.759
try to ask yourself. It is
this rational that I have based my

54
00:05:30.759 --> 00:05:33.639
opinion on. There is a better
or more positive way to interpret this.

55
00:05:34.399 --> 00:05:40.600
Marco Aurelio emphasized that damages can only
be if you consider them as damages.

56
00:05:41.560 --> 00:05:47.000
This means that any difficult experience you
went through seems harder and worse. The

57
00:05:47.160 --> 00:05:53.920
harder and worse you consider it.
Therefore, you have complete control over how

58
00:05:54.399 --> 00:05:59.920
much certain situations affect you. Stoics
also encourage you to see everything, which

59
00:05:59.920 --> 00:06:05.839
is a bad thing that happens as
an opportunity or source of good as an

60
00:06:05.920 --> 00:06:13.000
exercise to train your perspective in a
stoic way. There' s a challenge

61
00:06:13.000 --> 00:06:17.399
called turning the obstacle around. When
a new co- worker is a slow

62
00:06:17.560 --> 00:06:24.399
learner and his mistakes affect the company' s profits, you might feel frustration.

63
00:06:25.560 --> 00:06:30.319
This co- worker is an obstacle
to what you' re trying to

64
00:06:30.000 --> 00:06:36.920
achieve effectiveness, efficiency, and profit. However, this situation can also be

65
00:06:38.000 --> 00:06:43.720
an opportunity for good is, an
opportunity for you to exercise and practice patience,

66
00:06:43.959 --> 00:06:48.560
to become a better teacher, to
learn to integrate new people into the

67
00:06:48.600 --> 00:06:56.839
company and how to manage stressful times. All these are skills that will also

68
00:06:56.959 --> 00:07:03.680
be useful later and should also help
increase long- term profits. On this

69
00:07:03.800 --> 00:07:12.399
subject, Marco Aurelio famously said the
impediment to action advances action. What stands

70
00:07:12.439 --> 00:07:17.920
in the way becomes the way.
So, in short, instead of judging

71
00:07:18.040 --> 00:07:24.240
everything you find in an exaggerated way, take the time to look at things

72
00:07:24.279 --> 00:07:30.680
as they are objectively and you could
discover that life is simpler and clearer than

73
00:07:30.800 --> 00:07:36.439
you thought, each situation has a
more positive interpretation and a more negative one

74
00:07:36.560 --> 00:07:44.680
when you adjust your mentality. As
a result, you will find that nothing

75
00:07:44.800 --> 00:07:48.199
bothers you as much as I used
to and you will go through life much

76
00:07:48.199 --> 00:07:59.720
easier. Lesson two learn to control
your emotions. Marco Aurelio advises us.

77
00:08:00.319 --> 00:08:03.759
Stop letting your emotions overturn what your
mind tells you. Stop being hypocritical,

78
00:08:05.360 --> 00:08:11.040
self- centered and irritable. Acting
by emotion is often represented as a stark

79
00:08:11.079 --> 00:08:16.040
contrast with acting rationally. And this
is not without reason. There is nothing

80
00:08:16.120 --> 00:08:22.759
clouding our judgment more than our own
emotions. So, if you want to

81
00:08:22.839 --> 00:08:28.959
think clearly at all times one of
the most important skills to master is the

82
00:08:30.040 --> 00:08:35.399
ability to control your emotions. According
to Marco Aurelio, the emotion of the

83
00:08:35.799 --> 00:08:41.240
IRA in particular does us more harm
than good. Contrary to what many people

84
00:08:41.279 --> 00:08:48.919
seem to think or try to control
your emotions does not mean suppressing them.

85
00:08:50.080 --> 00:08:54.799
When you feel an intense IRA as
a result of a betrayal, you cannot

86
00:08:54.919 --> 00:09:01.759
control this anger by denying its existence
to you or others or by pretending that

87
00:09:01.759 --> 00:09:05.440
you are okay. It will remain
there no matter how deeply you push it.

88
00:09:07.360 --> 00:09:11.759
Instead, controlling emotions like the IRA, according to the Stoics, is

89
00:09:11.799 --> 00:09:18.200
done by redirecting emotions. Then,
when you experience going next time, ask

90
00:09:18.759 --> 00:09:24.759
yourself what you can do with that
anger. Screaming at those who hurt you

91
00:09:24.840 --> 00:09:30.080
may seem tempting, but it will
help reduce your pain or improve your situation.

92
00:09:30.879 --> 00:09:35.519
It' ll help make the person
who betrayed you better. In short,

93
00:09:35.080 --> 00:09:39.440
think about what you' re tempted
to do and then ask yourself if

94
00:09:39.440 --> 00:09:45.720
it' s helpful, if you
don' t find ways to express your

95
00:09:45.720 --> 00:09:52.000
useful emotions. Maybe you can achieve
better results by talking quietly to the person

96
00:09:52.120 --> 00:09:58.440
who hurt you, explaining your feelings
and trying to see their side. You

97
00:09:58.519 --> 00:10:05.360
could also write a diary, take
part in physical exercise, get lost in

98
00:10:05.399 --> 00:10:07.120
a video game, or anything else
that will help you get sidelined. You

99
00:10:07.240 --> 00:10:15.159
' ll go after another example.
Take anxiety or fear. You can'

100
00:10:15.200 --> 00:10:18.840
t just push it down, but
you can redirect it. Instead of allowing

101
00:10:18.879 --> 00:10:24.120
anxiety to paralyze you, you can
use it to challenge yourself to take those

102
00:10:24.200 --> 00:10:30.600
actions that make you feel it and
recognize its existence. Throughout, suppose you

103
00:10:31.440 --> 00:10:37.360
' re too afraid to ask your
boss for a raise. Many people see

104
00:10:37.440 --> 00:10:43.200
such fear as a reason not to
do something and allow themselves to be stopped

105
00:10:43.279 --> 00:10:48.840
for their anxieties. Others might be
able to go ahead and consider their anxiety

106
00:10:50.600 --> 00:10:56.360
as something that is on the way
and you need to be pushed down and

107
00:10:56.360 --> 00:11:01.639
ignored, but neither has to be
the case. Instead, your fear is

108
00:11:01.840 --> 00:11:09.279
something that can be expressed in a
healthy way and perhaps even end up useful.

109
00:11:09.080 --> 00:11:13.919
For example, this fear makes you
think of everything that can go wrong,

110
00:11:15.200 --> 00:11:20.320
which can lead you to consider all
the possible questions that your boss could

111
00:11:20.399 --> 00:11:28.879
ask you, all the counterarguments that
you could receive in this way you can

112
00:11:28.039 --> 00:11:33.519
prepare for them and form a plan
for every possible scenario. But most importantly,

113
00:11:33.120 --> 00:11:39.399
fear provides a positive motivation to move
forward, to challenge yourself and grow

114
00:11:39.480 --> 00:11:46.879
as a person, to show you
that you can take the step, not

115
00:11:46.879 --> 00:11:52.440
despite your fear, but partly because
of it. And in that scenario,

116
00:11:52.600 --> 00:11:58.960
you can be aware of the anxiety
along and think that great that I'

117
00:11:58.039 --> 00:12:05.159
m trying this anyway, when you
manage to redirect strong emotions easily, you

118
00:12:07.039 --> 00:12:13.360
' ll be a quiet person no
matter what, and your emotions will never

119
00:12:13.559 --> 00:12:20.879
diminish your ability to think rationally and
make smart decisions. Controlling your emotions is

120
00:12:20.960 --> 00:12:31.360
the key to a calmer mind lesson
three exercises the dichotomy of control. In

121
00:12:31.399 --> 00:12:37.000
the words of Marco Aurelio, you
have power over your mind not over external

122
00:12:37.000 --> 00:12:41.320
events. Realize this and you'
ll find the strength. The dichotomy of

123
00:12:41.399 --> 00:12:46.799
control is the distinction between what we
can control and what we cannot. For

124
00:12:46.840 --> 00:12:50.559
example, weather, traffic problems or
what people think of you are out of

125
00:12:50.600 --> 00:12:58.159
your control. But how you dress
at what time you go out and the

126
00:12:58.200 --> 00:13:03.240
kind of people you surround yourself with. You can control that. So,

127
00:13:03.399 --> 00:13:07.639
every time you face a situation that
makes you feel a certain way, ask

128
00:13:09.440 --> 00:13:13.879
yourself what I can control. Whatever
you can control is a reason to act.

129
00:13:16.519 --> 00:13:22.039
What you cannot control must learn to
accept and embrace it without allowing it

130
00:13:22.120 --> 00:13:26.200
to affect you. Learning to distinguish
these two things and act Consequently, you

131
00:13:26.879 --> 00:13:33.360
can instantly clarify your mind. A
very important part of the dichotomy of control

132
00:13:35.039 --> 00:13:41.799
is love fanti or translated, love
for destiny. When you embrace life and

133
00:13:41.960 --> 00:13:48.960
all the circumstances it brings you you
will always love life. You can'

134
00:13:48.000 --> 00:13:54.039
t escape fate or decide circumstances that
are beyond your control, but you can

135
00:13:54.159 --> 00:13:58.799
choose to love your life no matter
what. If you find out you'

136
00:13:58.759 --> 00:14:05.080
re rejected for a job you'
ve wanted for years, you might think

137
00:14:05.080 --> 00:14:09.080
there' s no redemption. In
a situation like this, you wanted the

138
00:14:09.159 --> 00:14:13.960
job you tried and failed. You
couldn' t pretend to love fate in

139
00:14:13.080 --> 00:14:18.759
a circumstance like this. However,
this is a misunderstanding. Instead of seeing

140
00:14:18.799 --> 00:14:24.480
the fact that you have not fulfilled
your ambition purely as a negative research that

141
00:14:24.600 --> 00:14:31.600
led to the negative result and use
it to make a positive move. Or

142
00:14:31.759 --> 00:14:35.360
the reason you didn' t get
the job was a failure on your part,

143
00:14:35.679 --> 00:14:41.639
in which case this is something you
can control. You can work on

144
00:14:41.679 --> 00:14:48.000
those bugs and try again when a
similar opportunity appears in the future. Or

145
00:14:48.120 --> 00:14:54.720
the reason was an external factor,
such as nepotism or a clash of personalities

146
00:14:54.759 --> 00:15:00.679
with a recruitment staff member. This
was never in your control, which means

147
00:15:00.720 --> 00:15:07.519
the opportunity never really existed and there' s no reason to bother about something

148
00:15:07.600 --> 00:15:13.879
that never existed. Part of accepting. The destination is to distance oneself from

149
00:15:13.000 --> 00:15:20.120
a fixed result and external success markers. If you want to be a writer,

150
00:15:20.799 --> 00:15:24.240
for example, and measure your success
by the amount of sales your book

151
00:15:24.960 --> 00:15:30.320
makes, then you will let your
success be controlled by the arbitrary book market

152
00:15:30.440 --> 00:15:35.679
of the time. But if you
choose to measure your success by how satisfied

153
00:15:35.720 --> 00:15:39.000
you are with your finished product or
by the amount of work you put in

154
00:15:39.600 --> 00:15:45.679
it, then you are in control
of your success. Then by all means.

155
00:15:46.720 --> 00:15:50.200
Make sure you do everything you can
to try to achieve your goals,

156
00:15:50.519 --> 00:15:56.519
but never forget that you might not
achieve them and accept this possibility in advance.

157
00:15:56.200 --> 00:16:00.960
If we deal only with what is
in our possession and commit ourselves to

158
00:16:02.039 --> 00:16:06.840
accept everything that is not as it
comes, then one will find himself being

159
00:16:06.879 --> 00:16:18.720
calm. Whatever happens. Lesson four
embraces virtues by quoting Marcus Aurelius deepens within

160
00:16:18.840 --> 00:16:25.519
yourself, because a spring of goodness
is ready to sprout. If you persist

161
00:16:25.639 --> 00:16:32.159
in your search, a virtue can
be seen as an excellence of character or

162
00:16:32.960 --> 00:16:38.200
more simply a morally correct behavior.
Such behavior not only benefits you and those

163
00:16:38.799 --> 00:16:45.360
around you, but also contributes to
the greater good. Stoicism embraces the idea

164
00:16:45.440 --> 00:16:52.600
of an interconnected universe where everything and
everyone share a bond. Consequently, what

165
00:16:53.480 --> 00:17:00.679
serves the greater good eventually benefits you
too. Therefore, the Stoics firmly believed

166
00:17:00.759 --> 00:17:07.200
that those more in harmony, with
reason, were those who dedicated themselves to

167
00:17:07.279 --> 00:17:15.240
the general welfare. In other words, they practiced virtues. On the contrary,

168
00:17:15.839 --> 00:17:19.880
the absence of virtuous conduct is attributed
to ignorance. According to the Stoics,

169
00:17:21.279 --> 00:17:26.720
when life pushes you into unforeseen circumstances. Virtue can be your guiding stars,

170
00:17:26.039 --> 00:17:32.039
leading you on the right path and
keeping you with your feet on the

171
00:17:32.039 --> 00:17:37.359
ground. That is why the most
enriched individuals with virtuous qualities often emanate tranquility

172
00:17:37.519 --> 00:17:48.039
and composure. To embody virtuous qualities, one must internalize the four cardinal virtues

173
00:17:48.160 --> 00:17:56.599
of stoicism, wisdom, justice,
temperance and courage. In the stoic perspective,

174
00:17:56.319 --> 00:18:00.200
wisdom is the ability to distinguish between
good, bad, or neutral and

175
00:18:00.279 --> 00:18:07.480
everything else. It implies transcending the
influence of emotions, allowing reason to govern

176
00:18:07.599 --> 00:18:14.599
what is morally just in the face
of a dilemma. Wisdom allows you to

177
00:18:14.640 --> 00:18:22.759
analyze both options with a clear mind. Then comes justice. Wisdom is the

178
00:18:22.799 --> 00:18:26.319
basis of justice, which implies a
commitment to what is right and equitable both

179
00:18:26.400 --> 00:18:34.720
for oneself and for others. The
Stoics considered it a duty towards oneself,

180
00:18:36.000 --> 00:18:42.240
human beings and society as a whole. Courage, the third virtue, allows

181
00:18:42.839 --> 00:18:48.880
action, even in the face of
personal fear. It drives you to act

182
00:18:48.960 --> 00:18:53.359
for the greater good or to undertake
tasks, despite uncertainty about the outcome.

183
00:18:55.880 --> 00:19:00.119
Courage does not imply the eradication of
fear, desire or anxiety, but the

184
00:19:00.680 --> 00:19:08.519
conscious decision to proceed by overcoming emotional
barriers. Finally, temperance, also known

185
00:19:08.640 --> 00:19:17.599
as moderation, means maintaining a balanced
path between extremes. It is about exercising

186
00:19:17.680 --> 00:19:25.599
self- control, moderation and discipline. Marco Aurelio highlighted the human trait of

187
00:19:25.640 --> 00:19:32.880
self- regulation that distinguishes us from
animals. Temperance prioritizes long- term well

188
00:19:33.359 --> 00:19:40.680
- being over momentary gratification. Consider
a worldly example. A bag of fries.

189
00:19:41.960 --> 00:19:47.559
Indulgin throughout the bag could bring momentary
pleasure, but endangers health and even

190
00:19:47.640 --> 00:19:57.759
mood here. Exercise temperance means stopping
after a few bites. Wisdom is instrumental

191
00:19:57.880 --> 00:20:07.240
for mendios the right amount to consume
before stopping. Stochism categorizes things and actions

192
00:20:07.279 --> 00:20:14.599
into evil and indifferent goods. Seeking
good, avoiding evil, and embracing indifference

193
00:20:14.640 --> 00:20:22.119
according to personal preference were guiding principles. To turn away from these virtues was

194
00:20:22.160 --> 00:20:29.079
to encourage evil to steal, disrespect
recklessness, or refrain from doing good.

195
00:20:30.359 --> 00:20:36.319
The indifferent actions like taking a walk, did neither good nor bad. These

196
00:20:36.440 --> 00:20:44.039
principles offer more than just personal improvement. They promote a state of serene composure.

197
00:20:44.720 --> 00:20:49.359
Aligning your actions with these virtues ensures
that you always follow the path of

198
00:20:49.440 --> 00:21:02.359
uprightness guided by reason, thus cultivating
a calm mind lesson. Five, embraces

199
00:21:02.640 --> 00:21:10.079
a broader perspective in our conclusion quote
from Marco Aurelio. He eloquently echoes the

200
00:21:10.160 --> 00:21:15.200
wisdom of platon. Whenever you want
to talk about people, it' s

201
00:21:15.319 --> 00:21:18.039
better to take a bird' s
eye view and see everything at once.

202
00:21:19.119 --> 00:21:26.200
Adopting a wide- angle view is
a remarkably vital aspect for achieving mental clarity

203
00:21:26.960 --> 00:21:30.680
in the bustle of life. We
often find ourselves immersed in the midst of

204
00:21:30.759 --> 00:21:37.480
every problem, every challenge, feeling
as if carrying the weight of the world,

205
00:21:37.880 --> 00:21:41.640
imagine being part of a small crowd. It might look like the whole

206
00:21:42.039 --> 00:21:48.279
city is suffocated in congestion. But
changing your point of view can only reveal

207
00:21:48.799 --> 00:21:56.319
a completely different reality. In essence, when we become detached and contemplate the

208
00:21:56.440 --> 00:22:02.680
great tapestry of our world and existence, we realize how small our personal experiences

209
00:22:02.759 --> 00:22:07.519
are and how infinite and evil we
are in the vast scheme of things.

210
00:22:10.720 --> 00:22:17.680
This change of perspective reveals the vast
realm beyond our immediate encounter. People often

211
00:22:18.319 --> 00:22:22.920
overlook the truth that their own encounters
and views are not the only ones that

212
00:22:22.039 --> 00:22:32.000
deserve consideration, even within their own
lives. Consider someone who has had an

213
00:22:32.200 --> 00:22:38.440
unfavorable experience with dogs, they may
find it difficult to imagine that dogs could

214
00:22:38.440 --> 00:22:45.640
be loved companions for others, unless
they deliberately recognize the possibility of diverse experiences.

215
00:22:48.079 --> 00:22:52.519
From time to time, it is
imperative to step back and ask what

216
00:22:52.559 --> 00:22:59.079
I am neglecting or not understanding.
This introspective practice has multiple benefits. For

217
00:22:59.119 --> 00:23:04.079
example, imagine having to choose between
staying in your current job or following a

218
00:23:04.240 --> 00:23:14.279
newly available position elsewhere. Such a
decision might seem daunting, especially if you

219
00:23:14.319 --> 00:23:19.119
' re not sure whether any of
the options will meet your aspirations. While

220
00:23:19.240 --> 00:23:26.680
your current work offers stability and you
are cautious. With additional responsibilities linked to

221
00:23:26.759 --> 00:23:33.720
a promotion the appeal of a better
salary calls you, you might feel caught

222
00:23:33.880 --> 00:23:40.839
up in this dilemma. However,
a large number of unexplored perspectives lie beneath

223
00:23:41.000 --> 00:23:48.039
the surface. You have contemplated venturing
into a completely different field or exploring a

224
00:23:48.160 --> 00:23:55.039
parallel activity that complements your current work. Perhaps immerse yourself in a passion to

225
00:23:55.119 --> 00:24:02.039
divert your attention from tasks you find
less attractive. It is entirely plausible that

226
00:24:02.079 --> 00:24:08.480
numerous avenues unexplored in life are evading
your consciousness. Adopting an overview, rather

227
00:24:08.599 --> 00:24:15.680
than focusing solely on immediate concerns,
significantly assists in informed decision- making.

228
00:24:18.440 --> 00:24:26.000
Expanding your reach is not only valuable
in determining priorities, but also in shaping

229
00:24:26.079 --> 00:24:33.079
your opinions. To form a comprehensive
judgment. It is imperative to consider all

230
00:24:33.119 --> 00:24:38.680
aspects and possibilities within a given situation. Also, taking a step back means

231
00:24:38.839 --> 00:24:48.079
distance yourself from personal biases and viewpoints. Temporary renunciation of your desires can offer

232
00:24:48.119 --> 00:24:52.079
a fresh view, leading you to
reflect on those around you and your responsibilities

233
00:24:52.160 --> 00:25:00.799
towards them. In the intensity of
the moment, you might perceive an action

234
00:25:00.920 --> 00:25:06.359
like dumping garbage as insignificant. However, when you stop and expand your perspective

235
00:25:06.440 --> 00:25:12.079
to encompass the whole world and the
possible consequences if everyone did the same,

236
00:25:12.279 --> 00:25:19.599
the insignificance of your inclination to dump
garbage becomes clearly evident in contrast to the

237
00:25:19.680 --> 00:25:27.319
well- being of the planet.
As mentioned above, the Stoics firmly believed

238
00:25:27.400 --> 00:25:33.079
in the interconnectedness of everything in the
world, postulating that the overall improvement of

239
00:25:33.119 --> 00:25:41.200
the world contributes inherently to personal well- being. Therefore, taking a step

240
00:25:41.200 --> 00:25:45.839
back to embrace a global perspective,
rather than focusing solely on your own life,

241
00:25:47.039 --> 00:25:52.880
has immense importance facing a life-
altering decision, adversity, challenge,

242
00:25:53.240 --> 00:26:03.160
or change. You have the ability
to ask questions without your consideration, either

243
00:26:03.200 --> 00:26:07.119
in the heat of the moment or
later, perhaps while walking outdoors or during

244
00:26:07.599 --> 00:26:15.359
a reflection session in a journal.
An activity that framed Aurelio particularly advocated.

245
00:26:15.119 --> 00:26:22.960
These questions allow you to deepen your
thoughts and actions. You might think that,

246
00:26:22.160 --> 00:26:27.039
in the heat of the moment,
throwing away trash is no big deal,

247
00:26:27.480 --> 00:26:33.839
but when you step back and think
about the whole world, about the

248
00:26:33.960 --> 00:26:38.000
possibility of everyone doing it, you
will see the smallness of your desire to

249
00:26:38.200 --> 00:26:42.240
throw away trash compared to the well- being of the world. As was

250
00:26:42.319 --> 00:26:48.240
said before, the Stoics thought that
everything in the world is interconnected and that

251
00:26:48.319 --> 00:26:52.200
the general well- being of the
world is better for your personal well-

252
00:26:52.200 --> 00:26:56.240
being. So do I. Therefore, taking a step back and looking at

253
00:26:56.319 --> 00:27:02.200
the whole world instead of your life, is tremendously important when you face a

254
00:27:02.319 --> 00:27:11.480
choice, difficulty, problem or change
in life. You can ask yourself some

255
00:27:11.480 --> 00:27:15.599
questions internally. This may be at
the time or later, maybe when you

256
00:27:15.640 --> 00:27:21.480
think about your day, either as
you walk or when you write in a

257
00:27:21.519 --> 00:27:27.079
diary, something Aurelio was a fanatic. In particular. The most common questions

258
00:27:27.119 --> 00:27:33.799
to ask yourself are what could be
the long- term effects of my choice

259
00:27:33.960 --> 00:27:37.960
section how could someone else' s
perspective on this be different from mine.

260
00:27:40.160 --> 00:27:45.119
I know someone in a similar situation
or with goals similar to mine who can

261
00:27:45.240 --> 00:27:52.680
help me my choice action affects my
well- being, affects the well-

262
00:27:52.920 --> 00:27:57.160
being of those around me. There' s some choice I haven' t

263
00:27:57.160 --> 00:28:03.440
considered. It still takes time to
consider all aspects of the world. It

264
00:28:03.480 --> 00:28:11.799
helps you understand your actions, thoughts, life, and choices more clearly and

265
00:28:11.839 --> 00:28:15.000
helps you in the sense that it
allows you to help the world. When

266
00:28:15.119 --> 00:28:22.799
you consider the full picture, you
will always have an overview that will leave

267
00:28:22.839 --> 00:28:29.799
you free from unnecessary restrictions, biases
or doubts. If you enjoyed this episode,

268
00:28:30.440 --> 00:28:34.839
be sure to review our podcast and
for more episodes that will help you

269
00:28:34.960 --> 00:28:41.319
find success and happiness using ancient philosophical
wisdom. Don' t forget to subscribe.

270
00:28:42.119 --> 00:28:59.839
Thanks for listening. Stay with the
creator.