Timeless Wisdom from Marcus Aurelius: Habits, Lessons and Quotes to Motivate Yourself Every Day

Marcus Aurelius, the Roman Emperor from 161 to 180 AD, is renowned not only for his leadership but also for his philosophical insights. As one of the most prominent figures of Stoicism. Marcus Aurelius and the Stoic way of thinking offer invaluable insights into the art of living well and finding peace in a turbulent world. By embracing Stoic principles and embodying the virtues espoused by Marcus Aurelius, we can cultivate inner strength, resilience, and wisdom, leading to a life of greater fulfillment and flourishing.

1. espouse /ɪˈspaʊz/ (v.t) to support an idea, belief etc, especially a political one
2. flourishing /ˈflʌrɪʃɪŋˈflɜːr-/  (adj) a business or industry that is flourishing is very successful and is making a profit

The Stoic philosophy espoused by Marcus Aurelius offers timeless wisdom that remains relevant in today’s fast-paced and unpredictable world. In an era marked by uncertainty, stress, and constant distractions, Stoicism provides a framework for navigating life’s challenges with clarity, purpose, and resilience.

Stoicism emphasizes the importance of cultivating healthy relationships based on mutual respect, empathy, and compassion. By practicing Stoic principles in interactions with others, individuals can foster deeper connections, resolve conflicts more effectively, and contribute to a more harmonious and supportive social environment.

And as advocated in stoicism and displayed in “Meditations” by Marcus Aurelius one should keep a journal for self-reflection, self-improvement, and to inculcate growth. And one such feature is available on our app LETS GET HAPPI in the form of journalling which people one can use free of cost.

Do your job as a human being

Aurelius shares some insights on how to motivate yourself to get out of bed in the morning…

• At dawn, when you have trouble getting out of bed, tell yourself: “I have to go to work — as a human being. What do I have to complain of, if I’m going to do what I was born for — the things I was brought into the world to do? Or is this what I was created for? To huddle under the blankets and stay warm?”
• Don’t you see the plants, the birds, the ants and spiders and bees going about their individual tasks, putting the world in order, as best they can? And you’re not willing to do your job as a human being? Why aren’t you running to do what your nature demands?
• When you have trouble getting out of bed in the morning, remember that your defining characteristic — what defines a human being — is to work with others.

None of them can hurt me

Marcus Aurelius offers a simple recipe on how to deal with criticism and negative people…

• When you wake up in the morning, tell yourself: The people I deal with today will be meddling, ungrateful, arrogant, dishonest, jealous, and surly. They are like this because they can’t tell good from evil. But I have seen the beauty of good, and the ugliness of evil, and have recognized that the wrongdoer has a nature related to my own — not of the same blood or birth, but of the same mind, and possessing a share of the divine. And so none of them can hurt me.
• You have power over your mind — not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.
• Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth.
• You don’t have to turn this into something. It doesn’t have to upset you. Things can’t shape our decisions by themselves.
• I have often wondered how it is that every man loves himself more than all the rest of men, but yet sets less value on his own opinion of himself than on the opinion of others.

Attitude of Gratitude

Aurelius’ recipe for happiness and fulfillment is to be grateful…

• All you need are these: certainty of judgment in the present moment; action for the common good in the present moment; and an attitude of gratitude in the present moment for anything that comes your way.
• Choose not to be harmed — and you won’t feel harmed. Don’t feel harmed — and you haven’t been.

You have the power to revoke

Aurelius shares some hard-earned wisdom on how to deal with setbacks and failures…

• If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to your estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment.”

Concentrate every minute like a Roman

Here is his Marcus Aurelius’ productivity hack from over 2000 years ago.

• Concentrate every minute like a Roman — like a man — on doing what’s in front of you with precise and genuine seriousness, tenderly, willingly, with justice. And on freeing yourself from all other distractions. Yes, you can — if you do everything as if it were the last thing you were doing in your life, and stop being aimless, stop letting your emotions override what your mind tells you, stop being hypocritical, self-centered, irritable.

Rid yourself of useless things that disturb you

This is his recipe on how to find peace of mind, even when things around you are chaotic…

• ‘You can rid yourself of many useless things among those that disturb you, for they lie entirely in your imagination; and you will then gain for yourself ample space by comprehending the whole universe in your mind, and by contemplating the eternity of time, and observing the rapid change of every part of everything, how short is the time from birth to dissolution, and the illimitable time before birth as well as the equally boundless time after dissolution’
• Think of yourself as dead. You have lived your life. Now, take what’s left and live it properly. What doesn’t transmit light creates its own darkness.

Work intelligently with what is given

Marcus Aurelius shares some rules for being an exceptional leader…

• What can even the most vicious person do if you keep treating him with kindness and gently set him straight — if you get the chance — correcting him cheerfully at the exact moment that he’s trying to do you harm,”
• It is the responsibility of leadership to work intelligently with what is given, and not waste time fantasizing about a world of flawless people and perfect choices.

Aurelius also notes his grandfather’s dedication to integrity regardless of what others thought of him.

• His restrictions on acclamations — and all attempts to flatter him… And his attitude to men: no demagoguery, no currying favor, no pandering. Always sober, always steady, and never vulgar or a prey to fads.

All credit goes to Mayo Oshin

Footnotes

1. Historical facts about Marcus Aurelius are from the biography, Warrior, Philosopher, Emperor by Frank McLynn.

2.Historian, Edward Gibbon notes that Aurelius was the last emperor to reign over the golden age of Imperial peace and justice, known as the Pax Romana.

Originally published at mayooshin.com on October 5, 2017.

#motivation #leadership #quotes