The Habit You Must Start This Year

The Daily Stoic

Daily Stoic | Backyard Ventures

Education, Daily Stoic, Society & Culture, Stoic, Stoicism, Self-improvement, Business, Stoic Philosophy, Philosophy, Ryan Holiday

4.6 • 4.7K Ratings

🗓️ 7 January 2019

⏱️ 3 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Why does Marcus Aurelius’s Meditations speak to us so? The answer, ironically, is that because the author had zero intention of doing so—in fact, he probably would have been mortified to know how well the book has been received...because it meant the exposure of his private thoughts and fears and struggles

As Ernest Renan observed, Marcus was writing for an audience of one. “Never,” Renan said, “has one written more simply for himself, for the sole end of emptying his heart, with no other witness than God.” That’s what journaling is about. Getting the thoughts out of our head, the anguish out of our hearts, and onto the page. It’s a way of clarifying and alleviating, excising and exercising.

For centuries—nay, millennia—people have been pouring themselves into private journals. Some did it at night. Some did it in the morning. Some did it in sporadic bursts or on rare occasion. But in literally countless cases, journaling has been a source of relief and self-guidance.

Which is why you should strongly consider picking up the habit this year. Do it on your phone. Do it on scrap paper. Do it in a free notebook you were given in the swagbag at a conference. Or—if we may so humbly recommend it—check out The Daily Stoic Journal, which provides daily prompts and over 20,000 words of Stoic wisdom. Just as Marcus developed this daily habit, so can you. As Musonius Rufus, teacher to Epictetus, said: habit always beats theory for it’s where “one brings together sound teaching with sound conduct.”

Whatever method you go with, just go with it. Give yourself quiet time where you can write simply for yourself, with no witness over your shoulder or hovering in the clouds above. Empty out your heart. Clear the racing thoughts of your mind. Leave a record of what you’re learning and what you’ve done. Practice becoming a better human.

It will be the best decision you make this year.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey, prime members, you can listen to the Daily Stoke Podcast early and add free on Amazon music. Download the app today.
0:13.6	Welcome to the Daily Stoke. For each day, we read a short passage designed to help you cultivate the strength, insight, wisdom necessary for living the good life.
0:23.3	Each one of these passages is based on the 2000-year-old philosophy that has guided some of history's greatest men and women. For more, you can visit us at DailyStoic.com.
0:36.3	The habit you must start this year. Why does Marcus Aurelius' meditations speak to us so?
0:43.3	The answer, ironically, is that because the author had zero intention of doing so, in fact he probably would have been mortified to know how well the book has been received, because it has meant the exposure of his private thoughts and fears and struggles.
0:59.3	As Ernest Renan observed, Marcus was writing for an audience of one. Never Renan said, has one written more simply for himself for the sole end of emptying his heart with no other witness and God.
1:13.3	That's what journaling is all about. Getting the thoughts out of your head, the anguish out of our hearts and on to the page. It's a way of clarifying and alleviating, excising and exercising for centuries, nay, millennia.
1:29.3	People have been pouring themselves into private journals. Some did it at night, some did it in the morning, some did it in sporadic bursts or on rare occasion.
1:39.3	But in literally countless cases, journaling has been the source of relief and self-guidance, which is why you should strongly consider picking up the habit this year. Do it on your phone, do it on scrap paper, do it in a free notebook that you were given in the swag bag at a conference.
1:57.3	Or if we may so humbly recommend it, check out the Daily Stoic Journal, which provides daily prompts in over 20,000 words of Stoic wisdom.
2:06.3	Just as Marcus developed this daily habit, so can you. As Musonius Rufus, teacher to Epictetus said, have it always beats theory. For it's where one brings together sound teaching with sound conduct.
2:20.3	Whatever method you go with, just go with it. Give yourself quiet time where you can write simply for yourself with no witness over your shoulder or hovering in the clouds above.
2:31.3	Empty out your heart. Clear the racing thoughts of your mind. Leave a record of what you are learning and what you've done. Practice becoming a better human. It will be the best decision you make this year.
2:46.3	Please check out the Daily Stoic Store where we sell products that we ourselves use that are designed to take these Stoic lessons to the next level. Just go to DailyStoic.com slash store.
2:59.3	Hey, Prime Members, you can listen to the Daily Stoic early and ad free on Amazon Music. Download the Amazon Music App today. Or you can listen early and ad free with Wondery Plus in Apple podcasts.

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