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Stoicism and the Dichotomy of Control
The foundation of Stoic practice: some things are up to us (our judgments, choices, efforts), and some are not (reputation, health, fortune, other people). Peace comes from investing yourself fully in the first and staying indifferent to the second.
Stoic ideas for this
“You have power over your mind — not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.”
Marcus Aurelius · Meditations
“Very little is needed to make a happy life; it is all within yourself, in your way of thinking.”
Marcus Aurelius · Meditations
“The soul becomes dyed with the color of its thoughts.”
Marcus Aurelius · Meditations
“Some things are within our power, while others are not.”
Epictetus · Enchiridion
“For a man to be happy, he must live in accordance with nature, and this is impossible unless he has learned what is in accordance with nature and trained himself to do it.”
Musonius Rufus · Lectures
“The goal of life is living in agreement with nature.”
Zeno of Citium · Diogenes Laertius, Lives of the Philosophers
Put it into practice
A Stoic tool is only useful if you actually use it. Try this small loop the next time stoicism and the dichotomy of control shows up:
- Name it plainly. Say what is happening without the story you are adding on top of it.
- Split what’s yours from what isn’t. Invest your energy only in the part you can actually choose.
- Do one small thing. A single deliberate action today beats a week of intending to.
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