“Two Thousand Years Old and Still Better Than Your Therapist”
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Title: Lessons in Stoicism
Author: John Sellars
Category: Philosophy & Big Ideas, Motivation & Self-Improvement, Personal Growth, Learning & Education
What if the thing stressing you out isn't actually yours to control? Sam and Sophie open with that question, and it turns out Epictetus asked it two thousand years ago.
They walk through John Sellars' Lessons in Stoicism, starting with the dichotomy of control — opinions, impulses, desires and aversions are ours; body, reputation, property and position are not. From there: Seneca's letters to Lucilius on wealth and grief, negative visualization (Seneca's premeditating future evils), Marcus Aurelius' morning rehearsal of difficult people, the four virtues of wisdom, justice, courage and moderation, Seneca's argument that anger is never justified, the view from above, and the death chapter — live each day as if it were your last.
If you've been trying to manage anxiety, anger, or a commute that ruins your morning, this episode gives you the actual tools, not the marble-statue version. The takeaway: care hard, hold loose.
Lessons in Stoicism by John Sellars. For the full written summary, the whole library is on 7minutebooks.com/app — over 6,000 fiction and nonfiction titles you can read or listen to in any language, with infographics on many titles. Unlimited access from $2.99 a month, $9.99 a year, or $19.99 lifetime.
Chapters
00:00The Dichotomy Of Control01:41Grief, Wealth, And Negative Visualization02:49Marcus Aurelius' Morning Rehearsal03:18The Four Virtues And Indifferents04:15Seneca On Anger And The View From Above05:20Death, Community, And Care Hard Hold Loose
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