Simple Stoic Advice
Attainment, Pain, Control
Attainment, Pain, Control
The beautiful thing about Stoic philosophy is that the advice contained within it is just as applicable today as it was when it was first written all those many years ago. We can learn a great deal from interpreting the advice provided and using it to our advantage as we go throughout our own lives.
Today’s quote comes to us courtesy of Epictetus, from the Enchiridion, II:
Quote
“Remember that desire demands the attainment of that of which you are desirous; and aversion demands the avoidance of that to which you are averse…”
Advice
We possess very little in this life for which we can control. What we can control is our actions, desires, and reactions to external events. We must learn to go after the things we want but understand the extent to which they are within our control. Conversely, we must learn to see what we avoid due to unhappiness or pain, and we must analyze whether this pain is due to something which is within our control or if it is not. If it is within our control, change the situation. If it is not within our control, eliminate the pain by understanding you do not have control over it.
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