One of my values, as I've learned from taking a values test a couple of times, is "realistic values." The report states this:
Realistic people have little patience for endeavors that waste time, money or effort. If an idea doesn't prove sensible or has the potential for failure, they may be reluctant to get involved. Those with this value can sometimes be opportunists, in the sense that they would be willing to help others if it proves profitable in return - they are always looking for the best deal and payback, after all. Rather than working for the pride of accomplishing something amazing, some people with this value may only see the benefits of the end result - money.
I sometimes place emphasis on not beginning something because the chance of success might be low. It bothers me that I sometimes put a lot of effort into something with little in return to show for it. While this line of thinking is indeed realistic and practical, it sometimes has the effect of preventing me from seeing something through to the end.
Therefore, I try to identify the preferred indifferents I'm willing to die for; the things I'm willing to endure and persist hardships for and to demonstrate my excellence of character. These would be my will to live; my wife and children and family and in generally my duties as I outline in the Stoic Ethics essay.
My next task is to tackle the challenge of staying engaged with other problems placed in my path. Problems such as:
how do I help my company change its culture to an agile mindset, knowing full well that the chance of success is limited?
how do I fully solve the problem of providing financially for myself and my family for many decades to come?
[1] Materials are indifferent, but the use that one makes of them is by no means indifferent. [2] How, then, can one preserve firmness and calmness of mind, and at the same time the attentiveness that saves us from careless and thoughtless action? By following the example of those who play at dice. [3] The counters are indifferent, the dice are indifferent. How can I know in what way the throw will fall? But to be attentive and skilful in making use of whatever does fall, that is now my task. [4] And so likewise, my principal task in life is this: to distinguish between things, and establish a division between them and say, ‘External things are not within my power; choice is within my power. ... [15] Experienced ball players can also be seen to act in such a way. None of them is concerned about whether the ball is good or bad, but solely about how to throw and catch it. [16] It is there accordingly that the player’s agility, and skill, and speed, and good judgement are demonstrated; so where I for my part can’t catch the ball even if I spread out my cloak to do so, an expert will catch it whenever I make a throw. ... [20] That was what was involved, that was what he was playing with, but play he did nonetheless and threw the ball with dexterity. That is how we too should act, with the close attention of the cleverest of ball players, while showing the same indifference to what we are playing with, as being no more than a ball. [21] For we should do our best to show our skill with regard to any external material, yet without becoming attached to it, but merely displaying our skill with regard to it, whatever it might be. In just the same way, a weaver doesn’t make wool, but employs his skill on whatever wool he may receive (Discourses 2.5 1-4, 15-16, 20-21).
‘I want indeed to be free from passion and disturbance of mind, but I also want, as a pious person, a philosopher, and a diligent student, to know what my duty is towards the gods, towards my parents, towards my brother, towards my country, and towards strangers.’ [32] Pass on now to the second field of study; for that too is yours (Discourses 2.17.31-32)
Therefore practicing each virtue always must follow learning the lessons appropriate to it, or it is pointless for us to learn about it. The person who claims to be studying philosophy must practice it even more diligently than the person who aspires to the art of medicine or some similar skill, inasmuch as philosophy is more important and harder to grasp than any other pursuit (Musonius, 36).
From my [adoptive] father: gentleness, and an immovable adherence to decisions made after full consideration; no vain taste for so-called honours; stamina and perseverance; a ready ear for anyone with any proposal for the common good ... focused and persistent in deliberation in council, never satisfied with first impressions and leaving a question prematurely; ... his own master in all things, and serene with it; foresight for the longer issues and unfussy control of the least detail ... his constant watch on the needs of the empire, his stewardship of its resources, and his tolerance of some people's criticism in this area ... sober steadfastness in all things, and nowhere any vulgar or newfangled taste ... a settled habit in the same places and the same practices; to resume instantly after attacks of migraine, fresh again and vigorous for his usual work ... Nothing about him was harsh, relentless, or impetuous, and you would never say of him that he 'broke out a sweat': but everything was allotted its own time and thought, as by a man of leisure - his way was unhurried, organized, vigorous, consistent in all. What is recorded of Socrates would apply to him too: that he could regulate abstinence and enjoyment where many people are too weak-willed to abstain or enjoy too indulgently. Strength of character - and endurance or sobriety as the case may be - signifies the man of full and indomitable spirit (Marcus Aurelius, 1.16).
If you set yourself to your present task along the path of true reason, with all determination, vigour, and good will: if you admit no distraction, but keep your own divinity pure and standing strong, as if you had to surrender it right now; if you grapple this to you, expecting nothing, shirking nothing, but self-content with each present action taken in accordance with nature and a heroic truthfulness in all that you say and mean then you will lead a good life. And nobody is able to stop you (Marcus Aurelius, 3.12).
Thus no fortune, no external circumstance, can shut off the wise man from action. For the very thing which engages his attention prevents him from attending to other things. He is ready for either outcome: if it brings goods, he controls them; if evils, he conquers them. 39. So thoroughly, I mean, has he schooled himself that he makes manifest his virtue in prosperity as well as in adversity, and keeps his eyes on virtue itself, not on the objects with which virtue deals. Hence neither poverty, nor pain, nor anything else that deflects the inexperienced and drives them headlong, restrains him from his course. 40. Do you suppose that he is weighed down by evils? He makes use of them. It was not of ivory only that Phidias knew how to make statues; he also made statues of bronze. If you had given him marble, or a still meaner material, he would have made of it the best statue that the material would permit. So the wise man will develop virtue, if he may, in the midst of wealth, or, if not, in poverty; if possible, in his own country – if not, in exile; if possible, as a commander – if not, as a common soldier; if possible, in sound health – if not, enfeebled. Whatever fortune he finds, he will accomplish therefrom something noteworthy (Seneca, Moral Letters 85).
that perfect man, who has attained virtue, never cursed his luck, and never received the results of chance with dejection; he believed that he was citizen and soldier of the universe, accepting his tasks as if they were his orders. Whatever happened, he did not spurn it, as if it were evil and borne in upon him by hazard; he accepted it as if it were assigned to be his duty. "Whatever this may be," he says, "it is my lot; it is rough and it is hard, but I must work diligently at the task." (Seneca, Moral Letters 120).
There is some difference between labor and pain. They are near kindred, but yet not altogether alike. Labor is a certain function of either body or mind, of somewhat grave amount and importance ; while pain is a rude disturbance in the body, disagreeable to the senses. These two things the Greeks, whose language is more copious than ours, call by one name. [i.e., πονοϛ, (ponos), which means either labor or pain] Thus they call industrious men not only busy, but painstaking [i.e., φιλοπονοϛ, (philoponos), the love of toil]; we more fitly term them laborious. For labor is one thing; pain another (Cicero, Tusculan Disputations, On Bearing Pain)
Citations and further reading
Aurelius, M., & Hammond, M. (2014). Meditations.
Cicero, M. T., & In Peabody, A. P. (1886). Cicero's Tusculan disputations. Boston: Little, Brown and Company. (link)
Epictetus, ., Hard, R., & Gill, C. (2014). Discourses, fragments, handbook. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Musonius, R. C., King, C. A. K., & Irvine, W. B. (2011). Musonius Rufus: Lectures & sayings. United States: Createspace.
Seneca, L. A., & Gummere, R. M. (1917). Ad Lucilium epistulae morales: London: Heinemann.
Courage in Stoicism - There are more components to courage than just mastering fear (Greg Sadler)
