12 (Stoic) Questions That Will Change Your Life

My pastor shared he quit his Y membership when he realized there were so many mil.vets & retirees living in Fairborn. And Red Cross helps some but often lacked enough volunteers & $$. We had mil.spouses whose spouse was deployed & could use a hand. My son went 2 the Florence house 4 military families visiting those hospitalized at Wright Pat. Dont ask teachers 2 do everything. See what u can do

Free Time! Most valuable physical asset, man posseses.

Question 13: Why do you keep running away from us?

Thank you!

the bible is primarily just stoicisms repackaged with an agenda. I like you though and your passages even though I see your globalist bank cartel side so easy. still the bright liight of the forefathers shines through. YOur kinky farm boots made me laugh. Youre so pretty man.

youre fucking farm boots....lol!!!

but oh ps...I love your knowledge and your guidance has effected me in profound ways that i must thank you for.

I have read Gavin's book a few times, and recommend it to everyone. Neat to see it referenced here while I'm just really learning about philosophical stoicism now that I'm almost 40. Learning that there's a whole philosophy that's been around for thousands of years that truly encompasses the way I think, believe and feel about things particularly when it comes to personal responsibility and our role in society in the world is amazing to me. Especially because it's not just an echo chamber for things I already have preconceived notions about it expands my views and my thoughts helps clarify ideas and theories and elucidate my philosophical beliefs. I've always kind of felt like a odd duck or a part of a dying breed, or that maybe I was just really old school in my views, but finding I'm not alone in my beliefs in the form of stoicism is so life-affirming.

That last question put a knot in my throat… Life is meaningful if we intend to make it meaningful, then we realize it is beautiful with its ups and downs… Thanks Ryan, working on the daily stoic journal everyday!

I've been playing with this idea in my head and wasnt sure if it me trying to be stoic or niellist:


Nothing inherently has meaning. Society is a social construct developed by groups with different ideas of how to live trying to survive near one and other. Importance is a learned method of categorization that differs between individual by varying degrees and thus generated ideas of "good" and "bad" that are all relative to what the society deems approaching a societal goal or moving away from it.

So the life I'm living is essentially a game and and all the rules are made up and it is my choice to play or not and my choice on how I play and the ultimate choice of defining what winning is is mine and mine alone. People get angry or stressed when the outcome of a situation doesn't align with the expectation the individual decided to expect. So if you are honest about every possible outcome of a given action you could in theory never ger angry or stressed unexpectedly (some people may find it fun or beneficial to a task they are set on, again all choices).

When you remove the fear of death and accept it is the ultimate fate of this life everything else can seem less impactful on a situation. You can choose to assign an emotional response to something or not by simply choosing to care about it or not. And in the end happiness is a choice not a goal to be reached and learning to detach happiness from goal achievement puts everything into manageable perspectives.


Thoughts?

Lie how all your videos are you and not some random people.

George Carlin: It’s thoughts like this that kept me out of the really good schools.

I love the quote about playing for the name on the front of the jersey! I was recently awarded employee of the quarter for my entire region. I was surprised. When people asked me how… what did you do to get this and my answer was very much like that quote you shared. I just do the thing every day for the name of the company on my badge.👍

Good 👍

Thanks brother 💕 for this inspired video

I don't spend time with anyone. So I guess I'm no one

Use the Alexander Technique to better implement stoic principles - AT allows us to use our minds and bodies in the most efficient way - purely from a bio-mechanical pov - Frederick Mathias Alexander (Australian actor born 1880 ish) called it taking control of our psycho-physical organism - counter intuitively the process involves mentally ceding control - stopping yourself from trying to be right in your ‘use of yourself’ - another fave Alexander phrase

In "12 (Stoic) Questions That Will Change Your Life," Ryan Holiday discusses the importance of asking key questions inspired by Stoic philosophy to guide one's life. These questions include evaluating values, control, audience, significance, time usage, character, and the meaning of life.

This video is so valuable that it should be made into a self-help book.

The Stoic school of thought has much to offer on a personal and societal level, both. Like any approach to arriving at 'the good life' on serious reflection you will find flawed reasoning. A lot of cognitive behavioural therapy takes up aspects of this tradition to achieve meaningful results (a breath of fresh air in psychological formalism). The sour side is that there are certain prescriptive tenets that are done great violence by the facts on the ground, so to speak. It's great advice for example, to 'reject the sense of injury...) yet there are injurious circumstances in everyone's life that are beyond rejection. It seems to overlook the insights of depressive realism', the issues of hard determinism that push back against any line of reasoning to desirable outcomes, factors beyond ones control (as dictated by external and internal obstacles) & perhaps ultimately the self deception required to live by a code which necessitates the illusion that there are optimal goals, the heavy lifting that distinguishing what one truly desires and the plausibility of arriving at an ideal situation, in full knowledge of our ignorance re what we want and why. Most of us are pressed into the service of model for living or mere survival which our obstacles preclude, even if we could figure out what 'right action' might look like. The fact that we all have differing opinions on what constitutes the right way to proceed and what 'right' even means is beyond anything in opposition to the guesswork we have to undertake to end. What may well be misanthropy, nihilism and so one are not bugs but creatures of reality. To use a trite example, but if you are in almost in every way doomed to a life of suffering - as so many have and will be - rejecting the 'sense' of injury is akin to prayer to an empty sky or framing say the death of a child or even a missing limb as something we can simply choose to take the sting out of by way of rejecting brute facts that will harm even to he most 'enlightened'. There's only one panacea for the cessation of suffering, which is to not exist... Stoicism is a useful tool to be equipped with but always be mindful that all sentient creatures can and will suffer. Some in ways that no amount of elevated optimism can satisfactorily compensate for. Perspective is powerful and purpose is a dire need to be fulfilled. Yet there are dangers in a teleological mindset and what we have good reason to believe is that oblivion is the book ends to pre existence and our ultimate end. Meditate your way out of the asymmetry argument. It may well be that on ballance it really might be 'better to have never been'. No amount of bandaids is going to cover the open sewer that exists in the realm of self awareness even if we are strong enough to catch the occasional glimpse of the numinous or even have a relatively harmonious and arbitrarily productive life.

Simple but powerful lessons. 🤍💯🔥

yes but please no ebikes thats cheating lol

I am learning a lot from you, Ryan😊

Hats off 🎉

Like and like again❤

My mentor and friend who just passed away at 93 gave me the best advice.

“Don’t say….. DO “

The music was really irritating throughout.

I was always the Master of my own life. With Stoicism I’m now the Master of everything! Not in a controlling way. I mean I can deal with anyone or anything.

Love this, grew up with this already ingrained into my consciousness via a very evolved Mother who was curious about everything past, present, future. What drives me nuts in any podcast or conversation is when a person says “ do you know what I mean” after making a point. Yes. I fucking know what you mean. I find it insulting to the other person’s intelligence when people have that as part of their daily speech. Drives me MAD. Thanks for letting me vent.

“Is this essential to watch at 12:45 AM ”
NO, I left

Steven Colbert might not be the best example

Marcus Aurelius: "Never let the future disturb you. You will meet it, if you have to, with the same weapons of reason which today arm you against the present."

The video talks about 12 questions that can help you live a better life. These questions are derived from stoicism, a philosophy that emphasizes reason and virtue.

The first question is "who are you spending time with?". The people you spend time with can have a big impact on you, so it's important to choose them wisely. Seneca said, "Spend time with people who make you a better person."

The second question is "is this in my control?". This question is about separating the things that you can control from the things that you can't. It's important to focus your energy on the things that you can control, such as your own thoughts and actions.

The third question is "what does your ideal day look like?". This question is about figuring out what's important to you and designing your life accordingly. If you don't know what a good day looks like, you're just going to be working on making more money, acquiring more fame, or getting more power.

The fourth question is "to be or to do?". This question is about whether you're more focused on being a good person or doing good things. It's important to find a balance between the two.

The fifth question is "how are you measuring your life?". This question is about figuring out what's important to you and making sure that you're living your life accordingly. Hillel said, "If I am not for myself, who is for me? If I am only for myself, what am I?"

The sixth question is "what am I missing by choosing to worry or be afraid?". This question is about reminding yourself that worry and fear are often counterproductive. They can take your eye off the ball and prevent you from living your best life.

The seventh question is "are you doing your job?". This question is about taking responsibility for your own life. Everyone has a job to do, and it's important to make sure that you're doing yours.

The eighth question is "what is the most important thing to you?". This question is about figuring out what matters most to you in life. If you don't know what's important, how do you know that you're putting it first?

The ninth question is "who is this for?". This question is about remembering who you're doing things for. If you're not making things for the people who matter to you, then who are you making them for?

The tenth question is "is this essential?". This question is about reminding yourself that most of what we do and say is not essential. When you eliminate the inessential, you get the double benefit of doing the essential things better.

The eleventh question is "will this be a live time or dead time?". This question is about making the most of every moment. Life is short, so don't waste it.

The twelfth question is "is this who I want to be?". This question is about living with integrity. Every interaction and situation is an opportunity to be the person you want to be.

These are just a few of the questions that can help you live a better life. If you ask yourself these questions often enough, you will start to make choices that are in line with your values and goals.

I hope this is helpful!

eh, I’m just tired of all those citations.

I appreciate life 🙏 thank you.😅

Hi... I've never met you, we probably never met. But you found my comment, among all these thousands. If you are seeing this comment, consider it as a sign that things will get better, that things will be fine, that you can get over it.

Whatever the problems that bring you here, or if you are here simply to learn, remember that you are important, you are valid and that you have the right to be here. You are braver and stronger than you think.

You are still here, trying to make things better and live a better life. Therefore, whatever is keeping you awake at night is no stronger than you. You can get over that. I don't know you, you can discard this as meaningless words of a stranger or you can believe me. Whatever you chose, I believe in you.❤❤❤

Question 1: I spend time with my 5 year old...That's it. I live alone, I'm in a ldr so I barely get to see her and my family keeps to themselves. So yepp my best friend is my son

Excellent

I still don't understand some sentences, can you help me with more suggestions?!!

Dude the advertising has went way too far. That's not to mention the presale begging. Has to be half the program on your Spotify joints. You also alienate people that lean conservative it seems. I get that it makes you money by catering to woke crowd but your not standing out any more

"When you fight for the name in the front of the shirt, they will remember the name in the back".

Can I ask you your own question: "Am I trying to be an important person or am I trying to make an impact?" - How does this influence your opinion on your books likely being stolen and distributed illegally, so you aren't seeing the monetary impact of their existence but the planetary impact still remains? I hope this question won't be ignored. I am genuinely interested in your response.

Bitter are the roots of study but how sweet their fruit — Cato

Ιs there a stoic video to get to know your self....when someone ask me who are you ?i must know my self (i mean deeply,no basic stuff)....if not please for a vid

9:42AM 8-9-24

Don't cry over spilled milk the past or the curves the choices we make only bring us to the place we deserve.
I wish I had learned this quote earlier in life.
As I prepare to shuffle off this mortal coil, sadly it's to late for me.

It's amazing how Stoicism encourages us to accept things as they are. Very enlightening

Great choice of questions!