Force Yourself To Be Consistent | Stoicism

LET ME DRAW YOU DEEPER INTO A SCENARIO THAT'S ALL TOO COMMON YET CRITICALLY REVEALING IT'S 4:00 AM AND THE DARKNESS ENVELOPS YOUR ROOM YOUR ALARM IS SET TO SHATTER THE SILENCE ANY MOMENT NOW PLACED LAST NIGHT WITH A VOWEL TODAY IS THE DAY IT ALL CHANGES TODAY YOU START YOUR NEW MORNING ROUTINE YET AS THE ALARM TEARS THROUGH THE QUIET A SUBTLE BUT PERSUASIVE VOICE BEGINS TO BARGAIN WITH YOU JUST FIVE MORE MINUTES IT WHISPERS SEDUCTIVELY YOU DESERVE MORE REST YOU CAN START TOMORROW THIS SOUNDS FAMILIAR DOESN'T IT? BUT WHAT IF I TOLD YOU THAT

THIS MOMENT THIS SEEMINGLY SMALL DECISION IS WHERE YOUR ENTIRE FUTURE TAKES SHAPE? IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT SILENCING THE ALARM OR THE MORNING WORKOUT IT'S ABOUT SOMETHING MORE PROFOUND YOUR COMMITMENT TO CONSISTENCY IN STOICISM EVERY DECISION REFLECTS OUR PHILOSOPHY OF LIFE BY CHOOSING TO RISE YOU HONOR A COVENANT WITH YOUR FUTURE SELF A PROMISE TO LIVE WITH PURPOSE AND DISCIPLINE AND YET WE OFTEN FALTER JUST AS RESEARCH INDICATES THAT 92% OF PEOPLE ABANDON THEIR NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS BY FEBRUARY THIS ISN'T JUST A STATISTIC IT'S A REFLECTION OF THE BATTLE WE ALL FACE AGAINST THE LURE OF

COMFORT OVER THE CHALLENGE OF GROWTH THE STOICS TAUGHT US THAT NATURE OPERATES WITH UNWAVERING CONSISTENCY THE SUN RISES THE SEASONS CHANGE THE HEART BEATS ALL AROUND US THE UNIVERSE ADHERES TO A DIVINE RHYTHM SO WHY DO WE MADE TO MIRROR SUCH ORDER AND RESILIENCE STRUGGLE SO PROFOUNDLY WITH CONSISTENCY? TODAY LET'S DELVE INTO HOW EMBRACING THE STOIC PRINCIPLES OF COMMITMENT AND COURAGE CAN FUNDAMENTALLY TRANSFORM OUR LIVES ENSURING THAT OUR ACTIONS ALIGN NOT JUST WITH OUR INTENTIONS BUT WITH OUR HIGHEST IDEALS JOIN ME AS WE EXPLORE HOW TO HARNESS THE POWER OF OUR DECISIONS TURNING EVERYDAY MOMENTS

INTO THE PILLARS OF A PURPOSEFUL AND STEADFAST LIFE IF YOU APPRECIATE THE INSIGHTS WE'RE DIVING INTO HERE A SIMPLE FAVOUR I'LL ASK FROM YOU IS TO HIT THE SUBSCRIBE BUTTON AND SHARE THIS VIDEO WITH OTHERS WHO ARE ON THIS JOURNEY OF SELF DISCIPLINE AND GROWTH TODAY'S EXPLORATION MIGHT CHALLENGE SKEPTICS AND PROVOKE THOUGHT AMONG EVEN THE MOST DISCIPLINED MINDS SO I ENCOURAGE YOU TO WATCH UNTIL THE END AS WE UNCOVER HOW EVEN THE SMALLEST DECISIONS CAN SET THE STAGE FOR PROFOUND TRANSFORMATIONS NOW LET'S DIVE INTO THE HEART OF STOICISM AND DAILY CONSISTENCY THE ALARM RINGS IN

THE DARKNESS CUTTING THROUGH THE QUIET STILLNESS OF EARLY MORNING IT'S 4:00 AM AND THE WORLD OUTSIDE IS HUSHED STILL WRAPPED IN THE SHADOWS OF NIGHT FOR A BRIEF MOMENT THERE'S SILENCE IN YOUR MIND A RECOGNITION OF THE DAY BEGINNING AN OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE CHARGE BUT THEN AS IF ON CUE A FAMILIAR VOICE STIRS WITHIN YOU JUST FIVE MORE MINUTES YOU'VE BEEN WORKING HARD YOU DESERVE A LITTLE MORE REST THAT VOICE SO PERSUASIVE AND WELL TIMED KNOWS EXACTLY HOW TO BARGAIN WITH YOUR AMBITION IN THAT INSTANT YOU'RE CAUGHT AT A CROSSROADS AND THE CHOICE YOU MAKE

HERE SEEMINGLY SMALL ALMOST TRIVIAL SETS THE TONE FOR YOUR DAY AND IN MANY WAYS YOUR LIFE WILL YOU EMBRACE DISCOMFORT AND RISE HONORING THE PROMISE YOU MADE TO YOURSELF? OR WILL YOU LEAN INTO THE WARMTH OF YOUR BED PUTTING OFF TODAY'S GOALS UNTIL A MORE CONVENIENT TIME? FOR THE STOICS THIS MOMENT IS A TEST OF CHARACTER A PRACTICE IN FORTIFYING THE MIND AGAINST THE PULL OF COMFORT AND INERTIA AS MARCUS AURELIUS WROTE 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? IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT WAKING UP OR STICKING TO A ROUTINE IT'S A COVENANT YOU MAKE WITH YOURSELF A COMMITMENT TO ACT IN ALIGNMENT WITH YOUR HIGHEST VALUES CONSISTENCY ACCORDING TO STOIC PHILOSOPHY IS A VIRTUE IT'S THE DAILY DISCIPLINED ACT OF HONORING YOUR PRINCIPLES REGARDLESS OF MOOD OR CIRCUMSTANCE EVERY TIME YOU CHOOSE TO RISE DESPITE THE COMFORT CALLING YOU BACK YOU STRENGTHEN THIS BOND WITH YOUR FUTURE SELF THINK OF IT AS A

DEPOSIT INTO THE ACCOUNT OF WHO YOU'RE BECOMING AND EACH TIME YOU CHOOSE EASE OVER EFFORT YOU'RE MAKING A WITHDRAWAL A SLIGHT BETRAYAL OF YOUR LONG TERM GOALS THE STOICS BELIEVED IN THE POWER OF SMALL CONSISTENT ACTIONS TO BUILD CHARACTER THEY OBSERVED HOW NATURE ITSELF ADHERES TO A RHYTHM THE SUN RISES THE SEASONS CHANGE ALL WITH UNWAVERING REGULARITY IN THE SAME WAY YOU ARE CAPABLE OF BUILDING YOUR OWN INNER CONSISTENCY MIRRORING THIS NATURAL ORDER WHEN YOU CHOOSE DISCIPLINE OVER DELAY YOU'RE NOT JUST GETTING OUT OF BED YOU'RE PRACTICING RESILIENCE YOU'RE BECOMING THE PERSON YOU ASPIRE TO

BE AND SO THAT MOMENT SEEMINGLY TRIVIAL IN THE GRAND SCHEME OF LIFE BECOMES A POWERFUL MOMENT OF DECISION IT'S A DEFINING POINT IN YOUR DAY WILL YOU RISE AND STEP INTO WHO YOU'RE MEANT TO BE OR WILL YOU ALLOW THE VOICE OF COMFORT TO KEEP YOU WHERE YOU ARE? EVERY MORNING THIS BATTLE WITH THE ALARM IS A CHANCE TO TRAIN YOUR WILL TO TEST YOUR RESOLVE AND TO LIVE IN ACCORDANCE WITH YOUR VALUES IT'S A STOIC PRACTICE IN REAL TIME A COMMITMENT TO LIVE A LIFE THAT ISN'T SWAYED BY MOOD BUT ANCHORED BY PURPOSE WE

ALL KNOW THIS STRUGGLE THAT FEELING OF MOTIVATION AT THE START OF SOMETHING NEW THE FRESH ENERGY THE FIERCE DETERMINATION TO CHANGE TO FINALLY BREAK THE OLD HABITS AND ESTABLISH NEW ONES MAYBE IT'S THE PROMISE OF A NEW YEAR A NEW WEEK OR SIMPLY A NEW MINDSET YOU SET THE GOAL PLAN THE ROUTINE TELL YOURSELF THIS TIME IT WILL BE DIFFERENT YET JUST WEEKS OR EVEN DAYS LATER THE SPARK FADES AND YOU FIND YOURSELF RIGHT BACK WHERE YOU STARTED THIS ISN'T JUST A PERSONAL FAILING IT'S A DEEPLY HUMAN EXPERIENCE RESEARCH EVEN TELLS US THAT AROUND 92%

OF PEOPLE ABANDON THEIR GOALS SHORTLY AFTER SETTING THEM IT'S AS THOUGH THERE'S AN INVISIBLE FORCE DRAWING US BACK TO OUR OLD SELVES THE STOICS UNDERSTOOD THIS WELL THEY DIDN'T SEE IT AS WEAKNESS OR AS A REASON TO GIVE UP ON SELF DISCIPLINE INSTEAD THEY RECOGNISED IT AS THE ESSENTIAL CONFLICT BETWEEN COMFORT AND GROWTH MARCUS AURELIUS WROTE THE IMPEDIMENT TO ACTION ADVANCES ACTION WHAT STANDS IN THE WAY BECOMES THE WAY EVERY TIME WE ENCOUNTER RESISTANCE WHETHER IT'S THE LURE OF AN EXTRA HOUR OF SLEEP OR THE COMFORT OF OUR USUAL HABITS WE FACE AN OPPORTUNITY TO

TRANSCEND IT TO TURN OBSTACLES INTO STEPPING STONES THIS INTERNAL BATTLE ISN'T JUST ABOUT MOTIVATION IT'S ABOUT OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH DISCIPLINE WITH THE WILL TO RISE ABOVE OUR IMMEDIATE DESIRES FOR THE SAKE OF SOMETHING GREATER CARL JUNG PUT IT SIMPLY YOU ARE WHAT YOU DO NOT WHAT YOU SAY YOU'LL DO THE INTENTIONS WE SET THE PLANS WE MAKE ARE EMPTY WITHOUT THE ACTIONS TO BACK THEM UP THERE'S AN ILLUSION IN SETTING A GOAL IT FEELS LIKE PROGRESS BUT THE REAL GROWTH ONLY COMES FROM CONSISTENTLY SHOWING UP EVEN ON THE DAYS WE DON'T FEEL LIKE IT JUNG

SAW THIS CHALLENGE AS A PSYCHOLOGICAL STRUGGLE WITH THE SHADOW THAT PART OF US THAT RESISTS GROWTH AND PULLS US BACK TO SAFETY AND COMFORT FACING THE SHADOW LIKE THE STOICS FACING THEIR INNER RESISTANCE REQUIRES MORE THAN A BURST OF MOTIVATION IT DEMANDS DAILY STEADY COMMITMENT TO THE PERSON WE ASPIRE TO BE THIS COMMON STRUGGLE AGAINST INCONSISTENCY IS IN A WAY A FIGHT FOR FREEDOM BECAUSE EVERY TIME WE GIVE IN TO COMFORT WE LET OUR IMPULSES CONTROL US WE BECOME SLAVES TO OUR MOODS AND DESIRES THE STOIC SOUGHT TO BREAK FREE FROM THIS CYCLE BY STRENGTHENING

THEIR RESOLVE TRAINING THEIR MINDS TO STAY CENTRED AND GROUNDING THEMSELVES IN VALUES OVER FEELINGS FOR EPIC TEETERS TRUE FREEDOM WAS MASTERY OVER ONESELF AN ABILITY TO DIRECT ONE'S ACTIONS IN HARMONY WITH ONE'S BELIEFS WHEN WE BUILD CONSISTENCY WE'RE NOT JUST FORMING HABITS WE'RE BUILDING THAT FREEDOM SO IF YOU'RE SOMEONE WHO'S FELT THE SURGE OF MOTIVATION ONLY TO BE DISAPPOINTED BY YOUR RETURN TO OLD HABITS UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS NOT FAILURE IT'S A UNIVERSAL HUMAN EXPERIENCE ONE THAT THINKERS AND PHILOSOPHERS HAVE GRAPPLED WITH FOR CENTURIES THE CHALLENGE ISN'T IN WANTING TO CHANGE IT'S IN COMMITTING TO

THAT CHANGE EVERYDAY AND IT'S HERE IN THIS UNIVERSAL STRUGGLE THAT STOICISM OFFERS A PATH FORWARD NOT WITH QUICK FIXES OR BURSTS OF INSPIRATION BUT WITH A STEADY COMMITMENT TO BECOMING WHO WE TRULY WANT TO BE THE STOICS HAD A PROFOUND UNDERSTANDING OF CONSISTENCY THEY DIDN'T SEE IT AS A CHORE OR AN OBLIGATION BUT AS A WAY OF EMBODYING THEIR DEEPEST VALUES DAY AFTER DAY TO A STOIC CONSISTENCY IS MORE THAN HABIT IT'S A DELIBERATE ALIGNMENT BETWEEN ONE'S ACTIONS AND BELIEFS EVEN WHEN IT'S UNCOMFORTABLE OR INCONVENIENT MARCUS AURELIUS APPROACHED EACH DAY AS A PRACTICE OF LIVING

IN LINE WITH HIS PRINCIPLES A COMMITMENT THAT WASN'T DEPENDENT ON HOW HE FELT AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT HE FAMOUSLY REMINDED HIMSELF WASTE NO MORE TIME ARGUING ABOUT WHAT A GOOD MAN SHOULD BE BE ONE FOR THE STOICS IT WASN'T ABOUT LOFTY GOALS BUT ABOUT SHOWING UP EACH DAY WITH INTENTION AND INTEGRITY THE STOIC VIEW OF CONSISTENCY IS ALL ABOUT RESILIENCE AND MASTERY OVER ONESELF THEY SAW EACH ACT OF CONSISTENCY AS A STEP TOWARD INNER FREEDOM A WAY OF LIBERATING ONESELF FROM THE WHIMS OF MOOD AND CIRCUMSTANCE THIS APPROACH CHALLENGES THE COMMON BELIEF THAT MOTIVATION IS

NEEDED TO STAY CONSISTENT IN STOICISM CONSISTENCY ISN'T ABOUT WAITING FOR MOTIVATION IT'S ABOUT CULTIVATING DISCIPLINE SO STRONG THAT IT BECOMES SECOND NATURE THEY UNDERSTOOD THAT LASTING CHANGE DOESN'T COME FROM A SINGLE MOMENT OF INSPIRATION BUT FROM STEADY REPEATED ACTION JUST AS WATER SHAPES ROCK THROUGH A CONSTANT FLOW WE SHAPE OUR CHARACTER THROUGH DAILY CONSISTENT CHOICES KARL JUNG'S INSIGHTS ECHO THIS IDEA HE ARGUED THAT TRUE TRANSFORMATION REQUIRES NOT JUST A DESIRE TO CHANGE BUT THE COURAGE TO ACT REPEATEDLY EVEN WHEN OUR DESIRES AND IMPULSES TRY TO PULL US IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS YOUNG BELIEVE THAT EVERY PERSON

CARRIES A SHADOW A PART OF OURSELVES THAT RESISTS GROWTH A PART THAT CRAVES COMFORT AND FAMILIARITY OVER THE DISCOMFORT OF CHANGE THE STOICS RECOGNISE THIS PART OF THEMSELVES TOO AND RATHER THAN BATTLING IT DIRECTLY THEY DEVELOPED A METHOD OF TRANSCENDENCE BY CHOOSING ACTIONS THAT REFLECT THEIR HIGHEST VALUES DAY IN AND DAY OUT THEY QUIETED THE SHADOWS INFLUENCE DIMINISHING ITS PULL BY REFUSING TO FEED IT WITHIN CONSISTENCY THINK ABOUT HOW EPIC TEACHERS WHO WAS ONCE A SLAVE USED CONSISTENCY TO RESHAPE HIS LIFE HE DIDN'T HAVE CONTROL OVER HIS CIRCUMSTANCES BUT HE UNDERSTOOD THAT HE HAD FULL

CONTROL OVER HIS ACTIONS HIS RESPONSES HIS WILL HE TRAINED HIMSELF TO REMAIN STEADY TO CHOOSE ACTIONS THAT ALIGNED WITH HIS PRINCIPLES REGARDLESS OF THE HARDSHIPS HE FACED IN MANY WAYS HIS ENTIRE PHILOSOPHY RESTED ON THIS FOUNDATION OF SELF DISCIPLINE OF CHOOSING HIS RESPONSE TO LIFE MOMENT BY MOMENT THIS IS WHAT MADE HIM FREE IN THE DEEPEST SENSE A FREEDOM THAT DIDN'T DEPEND ON EXTERNAL CONDITIONS BUT ON HIS UNWAVERING CONSISTENCY IN STOICISM THIS CONSISTENCY IS A VIRTUE IN ITSELF A WAY OF CULTIVATING STRENGTH INTEGRITY AND INNER PEACE RATHER THAN BEING SWAYED BY EVERY MOOD OR CIRCUMSTANCE

STOICS GROUNDED THEMSELVES IN THEIR VALUES AND ALLOWED THOSE VALUES TO GUIDE EVERY ACTION THIS WAS THEIR METHOD OF ACHIEVING WHAT YOUNG MIGHT CALL INDIVIDUALATION THE PROCESS OF BECOMING WHOLE INTEGRATED AND TRUE TO ONESELF FOR THE STOICS CONSISTENCY WAS THE PATH TO WHOLENESS A WAY OF BECOMING FULLY WHO THEY WERE MEANT TO BE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT BARRIERS WE OFTEN THINK OF EXTERNAL OBSTACLES WORK DEADLINES LACK OF TIME OR LIMITED RESOURCES BUT THE TRUTH IS THE MOST CHALLENGING BARRIERS ARE THE ONES WE BUILD WITHIN OURSELVES THE STOICS UNDERSTOOD THIS DEEPLY SEEING INNER RESISTANCE AS ONE OF

LIFE'S GREATEST TEACHERS SENECA ONCE WROTE IT IS NOT BECAUSE THINGS ARE DIFFICULT THAT WE DO NOT DARE IT IS BECAUSE WE DO NOT DARE THAT THEY ARE DIFFICULT MANY OF THE WALLS WE FACE ARE BUILT FROM OUR OWN DOUBTS FEARS AND DESIRE FOR COMFORT AND RECOGNIZING THIS TRUTH IS THE FIRST STEP TO DISMANTLING THEM THESE INTERNAL BARRIERS ARE SUBTLE THEY APPEAR IN THE FORM OF EXCUSES I'LL START TOMORROW I'M TOO TIRED OR I'M JUST NOT READY EACH TIME WE GIVE IN TO THESE THOUGHTS WE STRENGTHEN THEM MAKING THE WALLS A LITTLE HIGHER A LITTLE THICKER

KARL JUNG SAW THIS RESISTANCE AS A NATURAL PART OF THE PSYCHE WHAT HE CALLED THE SHADOW THE SHADOW IS THE PART OF US THAT AVOIDS GROWTH AND PREFERS FAMILIARITY OVER CHALLENGE ACCORDING TO YOUNG IGNORING OR FIGHTING AGAINST THE SHADOW ONLY GIVES IT MORE POWER THE STOICS HAD A DIFFERENT APPROACH THEY PRACTICED ACKNOWLEDGING THEIR INNER RESISTANCE WITHOUT LETTING IT DICTATE THEIR ACTIONS MARCUS AURELIUS CONFRONTED HIS OWN RESISTANCE HEAD ON TREATING EACH OBSTACLE AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO GROW STRONGER HE WROTE THE IMPEDIMENT TO ACTION ADVANCES ACTION WHAT STANDS IN THE WAY BECOMES THE WAY THIS STOIC MINDSET

TRANSFORMS BARRIERS INTO TEACHERS INSTEAD OF SEEING CHALLENGES AS REASONS TO STOP THE STOIC APPROACH ENCOURAGES US TO LEAN INTO THEM TO FACE THE DISCOMFORT AS PART OF OUR DEVELOPMENT EACH TIME WE PUSH AGAINST THESE BARRIERS WE BECOME A BIT MORE RESILIENT A BIT MORE EQUIPPED TO FACE THE NEXT ONE IN THIS WAY THE WALLS THAT ONCE CAN FIND US BECOME STEPPING STONES ON OUR JOURNEY FOR MANY OF US COMFORT IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST BARRIERS TO GROWTH IT'S EASY TO FALL INTO ROUTINES THAT DON'T CHALLENGE US BECAUSE THEY FEEL SAFE AND FAMILIAR BUT AS EPIC

TETUS REMINDS US NO MAN IS FREE WHO IS NOT MASTER OF HIMSELF EVERY TIME WE CHOOSE COMFORT OVER CHALLENGE WE HAND OVER CONTROL TO THE PART OF US THAT WANTS TO STAY THE SAME REAL FREEDOM ACCORDING TO THE STOICS COMES FROM MASTERING THIS PART OF OURSELVES FROM BREAKING FREE OF THE PATTERNS THAT KEEP US SMALL THIS MASTERY ISN'T ABOUT DENYING OUR DESIRE FOR COMFORT BUT ABOUT PUTTING IT IN ITS PROPER PLACE STOICISM TEACHES US TO EMBRACE DISCOMFORT AS A NECESSARY PART OF GROWTH TO SEE IT AS A SIGN THAT WE'RE PUSHING PAST OUR LIMITS IMAGINE

EACH BARRIER AS A TEST OF CHARACTER A CHANCE TO PRACTICE THE STOIC VIRTUES OF COURAGE DISCIPLINE AND RESILIENCE JUST AS A MUSCLE GROWS STRONGER THROUGH RESISTANCE SO TOO DOES OUR CHARACTER WHEN WE PUSH AGAINST THESE INNER WALLS THE STOICS DIDN'T VIEW CHALLENGES AS UNFORTUNATE SETBACKS THEY SAW THEM AS ESSENTIAL PARTS OF THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE EACH ONE AN OPPORTUNITY TO PRACTICE VIRTUE AND WITH EACH BARRIER WE BREAK WE GET CLOSER TO THE PERSON WE'RE MEANT TO BECOME YOUNG BELIEVE THAT WHAT YOU RESIST PERSISTS SUGGESTING THAT OUR BARRIERS DON'T DISAPPEAR BY IGNORING THEM INSTEAD THEY BECOME LOUDER

MORE PERSISTENT THE STOICS UNDERSTOOD THIS AND SAW ACCEPTANCE AS KEY TO OVERCOMING INTERNAL OBSTACLES BY ACKNOWLEDGING OUR RESISTANCE WITHOUT LETTING IT CONTROL US WE'RE FREE TO ACT IN LINE WITH OUR VALUES EACH BARRIER THEN BECOMES AN INVITATION TO KNOW OURSELVES BETTER TO SEE WHERE WE ARE STILL CLINGING TO COMFORT OVER GROWTH IT'S SUBTLE OFTEN DISGUISED AS KINDNESS TO OURSELVES A WELL DESERVED BREAK OR A CHANCE TO RECHARGE BUT OVER TIME THE PULL OF COMFORT BECOMES MORE THAN JUST REST IT BECOMES A HABIT A PLACE WE RETURN TO AGAIN AND AGAIN UNTIL IT QUIETLY TAKES CONTROL

THE STOICS HAD A CLEAR VIEW ON THIS TO THEM COMFORT WAS A DANGEROUS SEDATIVE LULLING US INTO COMPLACENCY CONVINCING US THAT THERE'S ALWAYS TOMORROW TO PURSUE OUR GOALS ALWAYS ANOTHER CHANCE TO DO THE HARD WORK OF BECOMING WHO WE TRULY WANT TO BE MARCUS AURELIUS WARNED AGAINST THIS POOL REMINDING HIMSELF EACH MORNING THAT HE WAS BORN TO ACT WITH PURPOSE NOT TO INDULGE IN EASE AT DAWN WHEN YOU HAVE TROUBLE GETTING OUT OF BED TELL YOURSELF I HAVE TO GO TO WORK AS A HUMAN BEING HE WROTE THE WORK HE REFERRED TO WAS THE WORK

OF VIRTUE OF DOING WHAT IS RIGHT AND NECESSARY REGARDLESS OF HOW COMFORTABLE OR UNCOMFORTABLE IT MIGHT FEEL FOR THE STOICS THIS DAILY CHOICE BETWEEN COMFORT AND DISCIPLINE WAS NOTHING LESS THAN THE ESSENCE OF LIFE TO CHOOSE COMFORT WAS TO BETRAY ONE'S PURPOSE TO ABANDON THE COMMITMENT TO GROWTH AND INTEGRITY CARL JUNG SAW THIS PULL OF COMFORT IN PSYCHOLOGICAL TERMS IDENTIFYING IT AS PART OF THE SHADOW THE PART OF US THAT RESISTS CHANGE AND PREFERS THE FAMILIARITY OF THE KNOWN OVER THE CHALLENGE OF THE UNKNOWN YOUNG BELIEVED THAT THE COMFORT SEEKING PART OF US OFTEN MASKS

DEEPER FEARS THE FEAR OF FAILURE OF STEPPING INTO UNCERTAINTY OF CONFRONTING PARTS OF OURSELVES THAT MIGHT BE UNCOMFORTABLE TO FACE SO COMFORT BECOMES A DEFENSE MECHANISM A WAY TO PROTECT OURSELVES FROM THE DISCOMFORT OF GROWTH BUT IN DOING SO IT KEEPS US FROM REALIZING OUR FULL POTENTIAL FROM BECOMING WHOLE THINK ABOUT IT EVERY TIME WE CHOOSE COMFORT OVER GROWTH WE REINFORCE THIS HABIT OF AVOIDANCE WE BECOME USED TO TAKING THE EASIER ROAD AND SOON THAT ROAD BECOMES THE ONLY PATH WE KNOW THE STOICS UNDERSTOOD THAT TRUE PROGRESS REQUIRES US TO RESIST THIS TEMPTATION EPIC TEACHERS

SAID WE MUST UNDERGO A HARD WINTER TRAINING AND NOT RUSH INTO THINGS FOR WHICH WE HAVEN'T PREPARED FOR EPIC TEACHERS RESISTING COMFORT WAS A DISCIPLINE A FORM OF TRAINING THAT PREPARED THE MIND AND SPIRIT FOR LIFE'S INEVITABLE CHALLENGES HE SAW COMFORT AS A TEMPORARY PLEASURE A FLEETING INDULGENCE WHILE DISCIPLINE WAS A LONG TERM INVESTMENT IN ONE'S CHARACTER AND RESILIENCE THE PROBLEM WITH COMFORT IS THAT IT PROMISES PEACE BUT DELIVERS STAGNATION IT'S EASY TO SAY I'LL START TOMORROW BUT EACH DELAY BUILDS A HABIT OF INACTION AND SOON WEEKS MONTHS EVEN YEARS PASS WITHOUT MEANINGFUL PROGRESS COMFORT

IS LIKE A WARM COCOON THAT PROTECTS US FROM THE WORLD BUT IT ALSO KEEPS US FROM GROWING FROM STRETCHING INTO THE PERSON WE WANT TO BECOME THE STOICS BELIEVED THAT GROWTH COMES FROM CHALLENGING THE SELF FROM PUSHING PAST WHAT FEELS EASY AND FAMILIAR AS SENECA SAID DIFFICULTIES STRENGTHEN THE MIND AS LABOR DOES THE BODY TRUE PEACE THEY TAUGHT IS FOUND NOT IN AVOIDING CHALLENGES BUT IN FACING THEM AND PROVING TO OURSELVES THAT WE CAN OVERCOME THE IRONY OF COMFORT IS THAT WHILE IT FEELS GOOD IN THE MOMENT IT OFTEN LEADS TO LONG TERM DISSATISFACTION A

LIFE SPENT AVOIDING DIFFICULTY IS A LIFE WITHOUT THE SATISFACTION OF ACCOMPLISHMENT THE PRIDE THAT COMES FROM PUSHING THROUGH ADVERSITY THE STOICS UNDERSTOOD THAT THE GREATEST REWARD COMES NOT FROM A LIFE OF EASE BUT FROM A LIFE OF PURPOSE OF STRUGGLE OF OVERCOMING EVERY TIME WE CHOOSE DISCOMFORT WE GROW A LITTLE STRONGER A LITTLE MORE RESILIENT AND OVER TIME THIS RESILIENCE BUILDS A DEEP INNER PEACE A CONFIDENCE THAT CAN'T BE SHAKEN BY LIFE'S INEVITABLE HARDSHIPS TO LIVE AS A STOIC THEN IS TO SEE COMFORT AS A CHALLENGE IN ITSELF A TEST OF OUR COMMITMENT TO OUR

VALUES IT'S EASY TO STAY IN BED TO POSTPONE OUR GOALS TO CHOOSE THE PATH OF LEAST RESISTANCE BUT THE STOICS REMIND US THAT THE PATH OF GROWTH IS RARELY EASY THE REAL ENEMY ISN'T THE DIFFICULTY OF THE TASK IT'S THE VOICE THAT TELLS US WE DON'T NEED TO TRY IT'S THE SEDUCTIVE WHISPER OF COMFORT PROMISING PEACE BUT DELIVERING REGRET IN BREAKING FREE FROM THIS HABIT OF COMFORT WE RECLAIM OUR LIVES WE RETURN TO OUR VALUES OUR PURPOSE AND OUR INNER STRENGTH AND IN DOING SO WE BECOME MORE LIKE THE PERSON WE WISH TO BE WE

BECOME AS THE STOICS MIGHT SAY ALIGNED WITH NATURE RESILIENT AND UNSHAKEN BY THE HIGHS AND LOWS OF FORTUNE TO RISE ABOVE THE POOL OF COMFORT IS NOT JUST AN ACT OF DISCIPLINE IT'S AN ACT OF FREEDOM BY CHOOSING GROWTH OVER EASE WE CLAIM OUR TRUE POWER AND WE STEP ONTO THE PATH OF A LIFE WELL LIVED THIS MIGHT SOUND PARADOXICAL AT FIRST AFTER ALL WHEN WE THINK OF FREEDOM WE OFTEN IMAGINE COMPLETE FLEXIBILITY THE ABILITY TO DO WHATEVER WE WANT WHENEVER WE WANT BUT THE STOICS SAW FREEDOM DIFFERENTLY TO THEM TRUE FREEDOM WASN'T ABOUT ESCAPING

COMMITMENT OR AVOIDING DISCIPLINE IT WAS ABOUT MASTERING ONESELF TO THE POINT WHERE EXTERNAL CIRCUMSTANCES NO LONGER DICTATED THEIR ACTIONS IN THIS SENSE CONSISTENCY DAILY DISCIPLINE IN THOUGHT AND ACTION BECOMES THE FOUNDATION OF TRUE FREEDOM IT'S THE ABILITY TO ACT IN ACCORDANCE WITH OUR PRINCIPLES REGARDLESS OF WHAT HAPPENS AROUND US EPIC TEACHERS FAMOUSLY SAID NO MAN IS FREE WHO IS NOT MASTER OF HIMSELF CONSISTENCY IN HIS EYES WAS A MEANS OF GAINING THAT MASTERY IF WE ALLOW OURSELVES TO BE RULED BY MOODS BY FLUCTUATING DESIRES OR BY THE OPINIONS OF OTHERS WE BECOME SLAVES TO THINGS

BEYOND OUR CONTROL THE STOICS BELIEVE THAT EVERY TIME WE CHOOSE TO ACT CONSISTENTLY WITH OUR VALUES WE REINFORCE OUR INNER FREEDOM ALIGNING OUR ACTIONS WITH WHO WE TRULY WANT TO BE IT'S ABOUT CREATING A STEADY RHYTHM ONE THAT WE CAN RELY ON SO THAT NO MATTER WHAT STORMS MAY COME WE KNOW WE CAN STAND FIRM CONSISTENCY FREES US FROM THE SWAY OF EMOTIONS THAT CHANGE MOMENT BY MOMENT IMAGINE FOR A SECOND IF WE ONLY WORKED ONLY EXERCISED ONLY PURSUED OUR GOALS WHEN WE FELT LIKE IT OUR LIVES WOULD BE IN CONSTANT FLUX ENDLESSLY PULLED BY

SHIFTING FEELINGS MARCUS AURELIUS KNEW THIS WELL REMINDING HIMSELF TO WASTE NO MORE TIME ARGUING WHAT A GOOD MAN SHOULD BE BE ONE TO HIM FREEDOM WAS THE ABILITY TO CHOOSE HIS ACTIONS BASED ON HIS PRINCIPLES NOT HIS FEELINGS EACH CONSISTENT ACT BUILDS A LAYER OF RESILIENCE MAKING US LESS VULNERABLE TO THE HIGHS AND LOWS OF DAILY LIFE WITH CONSISTENCY WE GAIN A SENSE OF STABILITY THAT NO PASSING EMOTION CAN SHAKE KARL JONG ALSO SPOKE TO THIS IDEA OF INNER FREEDOM NOTING THAT THE PRIVILEGE OF A LIFETIME IS TO BECOME WHO YOU TRULY ARE BUT TO

BECOME THAT PERSON REQUIRES A COMMITMENT TO DAILY ACTIONS THAT ALIGN WITH OUR HIGHEST SELF THIS IS WHERE CONSISTENCY COMES IN IT'S NOT ABOUT DOING THE SAME THING EVERYDAY JUST FOR THE SAKE OF ROUTINE IT'S ABOUT BUILDING THE STRUCTURE IN OUR LIVES THAT ALLOWS US TO GROW INTO THE PEOPLE WE ASPIRE TO BE EACH TIME WE HONOR THAT STRUCTURE WE FREE OURSELVES A BIT MORE FROM THE IMPULSES AND FEARS THAT HOLD US BACK WE BECOME LESS REACTIVE MORE DELIBERATE AND ULTIMATELY MORE IN CONTROL OF OUR DESTINY THE STOICS SAW FREEDOM NOT AS A LIFE WITHOUT BOUNDARIES

BUT AS A LIFE GOVERNED BY SELF MADE BOUNDARIES TO THEM FREEDOM WASN'T A LACK OF RULES BUT THE RIGHT RULES THEY UNDERSTOOD THAT IF WE DON'T SET OUR OWN LIMITS THEN THE WORLD WILL SET THEM FOR US CONSISTENCY IS WHAT ALLOWS US TO LIVE BY OUR OWN DESIGN RATHER THAN BY DEFAULT WHEN WE CONSISTENTLY ACT IN LINE WITH OUR VALUES WE CREATE A LIFE THAT REFLECTS OUR TRUE PRIORITIES RATHER THAN JUST REACTING TO THE DAYS DISTRACTIONS OR DEMANDS IN A WORLD THAT CONSTANTLY PULLS US IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS CONSISTENCY BECOMES A FORM OF RESISTANCE A WAY

OF SAYING I KNOW WHO I AM AND I KNOW WHAT I STAND FOR IN A PRACTICAL SENSE CONSISTENCY ALSO CREATES FREEDOM BECAUSE IT REMOVES DECISION FATIGUE WHEN WE BUILD HABITS AROUND OUR VALUES WE NO LONGER HAVE TO CONSTANTLY DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT TO ACT ON THEM JUST AS A SKILLED MUSICIAN NO LONGER THINKS ABOUT EACH NOTE BUT PLAYS WITH FREEDOM THROUGH PRACTICED CONSISTENCY WE TOO CAN MOVE THROUGH LIFE WITH A SENSE OF EASE WHEN OUR ACTIONS ALIGN WITH OUR PRINCIPLES THIS IS WHAT THE STOICS ASPIRED TO A STATE WHERE THEIR CHARACTER NOT THEIR MOOD OR

SITUATION DICTATED THEIR ACTIONS THIS KIND OF FREEDOM BORN FROM CONSISTENCY BRINGS A QUIET CONFIDENCE THAT CAN'T BE SHAKEN IT'S THE FREEDOM THAT COMES FROM KNOWING THAT NO MATTER WHAT THE DAY BRINGS WE ARE PREPARED TO MEET IT WITH STRENGTH AND RESILIENCE WHEN WE ACT CONSISTENTLY WE MAKE OURSELVES IMMUNE TO THE CHAOS OF THE EXTERNAL WORLD THE STOIC COMMITMENT TO CONSISTENCY WAS NOT JUST ABOUT DISCIPLINE IT WAS ABOUT ACHIEVING A STATE OF MIND WHERE THEY COULD REMAIN CALM FOCUSED AND UNSHAKEN THIS IS A PROFOUND KIND OF FREEDOM FREEDOM FROM THE NEED FOR APPROVAL FREEDOM FROM THE

FEAR OF FAILURE AND FREEDOM FROM THE PULL OF IMMEDIATE GRATIFICATION SO WHILE FREEDOM AND CONSISTENCY MAY SEEM LIKE OPPOSITES THEY ARE IN FACT TWO SIDES OF THE SAME COIN CONSISTENCY IS WHAT ENABLES US TO LIVE WITH PURPOSE AND CLARITY IT ALLOWS US TO BUILD A LIFE ON OUR OWN TERMS ALIGNED WITH OUR VALUES AND UNSHAKEN BY FLEETING DISTRACTIONS THIS FREEDOM ROOTED IN DISCIPLINE AND SELF MASTERY IS ONE THAT NO EXTERNAL FORCE CAN TAKE AWAY IT'S THE FREEDOM THE STOICS BELIEVED IN A FREEDOM GROUNDED IN WHO WE ARE AND STRENGTHENED BY THE CHOICES WE MAKE DAY

AFTER DAY THIS IS YOUR STOIC CALL TO ACTION TO BRING YOUR VALUES TO LIFE TO TURN WHAT YOU KNOW INTO WHAT YOU DO MARCUS AURELIUS REMINDED HIMSELF WASTE NO MORE TIME ARGUING WHAT A GOOD MAN SHOULD BE BE ONE THIS LINE TO THE CORE OF THE STOIC APPROACH DON'T DWELL ENDLESSLY ON WHAT YOU COULD DO OR ON WHAT OTHERS THINK INSTEAD LET YOUR ACTIONS SPEAK THIS IS THE MOMENT TO STOP WAITING FOR THE RIGHT TIME OR THE PERFECT CONDITIONS IT'S THE MOMENT TO BEGIN WHERE YOU ARE WITH WHAT YOU HAVE TAKING STEPS THAT ALIGN WITH

YOUR PURPOSE FOR THE STOICS PHILOSOPHY WASN'T AN ABSTRACT DISCIPLINE BUT A GUIDE FOR LIVING EACH DAY BROUGHT NEW CHANCES TO PRACTICE COURAGE TEMPERANCE AND JUSTICE IT WASN'T ABOUT BEING FLAWLESS IT WAS ABOUT BEING INTENTIONAL SENECA SAID BEGIN AT ONCE TO LIVE AND COUNT EACH SEPARATE DAY AS A SEPARATE LIFE THIS IS THE STOIC CHALLENGE NOT TO WAIT FOR A GRAND MOMENT OF TRANSFORMATION BUT TO TREAT EVERY SINGLE DAY AS A PRACTICE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET CLOSER TO THE PERSON YOU WANT TO BECOME EVERY MORNING YOU HAVE THE CHANCE TO ASK YOURSELF HOW WILL I LIVE

TODAY? WHAT ACTIONS WILL ALIGN ME WITH MY VALUES? CARL JUNG, WHO DELVED DEEPLY INTO THE JOURNEY OF SELF AWARENESS BELIEVE THAT YOU ARE WHAT YOU DO NOT WHAT YOU SAY YOU'LL DO OUR INTENTIONS HOWEVER NOBLE ARE ONLY THOUGHTS UNTIL THEY MANIFEST THROUGH ACTION IT'S EASY TO GET CAUGHT UP IN PLANNING IN PREPARING IN ENVISIONING THE PERSON WE WANT TO BE BUT THE REAL CHALLENGE IS SHOWING UP ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S INCONVENIENT OR DIFFICULT JUNG WOULD ARGUE THAT EVERY TIME WE CHOOSE ACTION OVER IDLE CONTEMPLATION WE STRENGTHEN OUR AUTHENTIC SELF BREAKING THROUGH THE RESISTANCE OF THE SHADOW

THAT CLINGS TO COMFORT AND SAFETY CONSIDER EACH SMALL ACT AS A BUILDING BLOCK IN THE FOUNDATION OF YOUR CHARACTER THE STOICS KNEW THAT WE ARE NOT BORN VIRTUOUS WE BECOME VIRTUOUS THROUGH PRACTICE JUST AS AN ATHLETE TRAINS TO STRENGTHEN THEIR BODY WE CAN TRAIN OUR MINDS AND OUR WILL THROUGH CONSISTENT PRACTICE OF STOIC PRINCIPLES IF WE WANT TO BECOME MORE RESILIENT WE NEED TO ACT RESILIENTLY EACH DAY NOT JUST WHEN IT'S EASY BUT ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S CHALLENGING EACH CHOICE TO TAKE ACTION TO STEP INTO OUR VALUES REINFORCES THE HABITS OF MIND AND SPIRIT THAT MAKE

US WHO WE ARE IN MOMENTS OF DOUBT THE STOICS WOULD REMIND US TO RETURN TO OUR PRINCIPLES EPIC TEACHERS ADVISED THAT WE SHOULD CONSTANTLY REMIND OURSELVES OF WHAT WE TRULY VALUE AND THEN MAKE EVERY DECISION WITH THOSE VALUES IN MIND THIS IS THE CALL TO ACTION TO BRING MINDFULNESS TO OUR DAILY LIVES TO MAKE OUR VALUES THE COMPASS GUIDING OUR CHOICES IT DOESN'T REQUIRE GRAND GESTURES IT REQUIRES SMALL ACTS DONE CONSISTENTLY WITH INTEGRITY AND AWARENESS IMAGINE WHAT YOUR LIFE WOULD LOOK LIKE IF EACH DAY YOU PRACTICED ONE SMALL ACT ALIGNED WITH YOUR VALUES WHETHER IT'S

CHOOSING PATIENCE OVER ANGER DISCIPLINE OVER PROCRASTINATION OR GRATITUDE OVER COMPLAINT THESE CHOICES MADE DAILY BUILD UP OVER TIME THEY SHAPE OUR CHARACTER AND ULTIMATELY OUR LIFE'S PATH THIS IS THE STOIC JOURNEY ONE THAT BEGINS NOT IN TIMES OF EASE OR COMFORT BUT IN MOMENTS OF CHALLENGE IT'S ABOUT TAKING OWNERSHIP ABOUT DECIDING THAT YOU WILL SHAPE YOUR LIFE RATHER THAN LETTING YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES OR IMPULSES SHAPE YOU REMEMBER THE POWER OF STOICISM ISN'T IN GRAND GESTURES BUT IN THE QUIET STEADY COMMITMENT TO LIVE BY YOUR PRINCIPLES EVERY SINGLE DAY TRUE STRENGTH IS BUILT IN THOSE SMALL CONSISTENT

ACTIONS IN CHOOSING DISCIPLINE OVER COMFORT AND PURPOSE OVER CONVENIENCE EVERY DECISION EVERY MOMENT IS A CHANCE TO SHAPE THE PERSON YOU WANT TO BECOME THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND FOR BEING A PART OF STOIC JOURNAL IF YOU'RE READY TO DIVE DEEPER INTO THE STOIC PATH CHECK OUT ONE OF THE VIDEOS ON YOUR SCREEN NOW UNTIL NEXT TIME KEEP PRACTICING STAY RESILIENT AND LIVE TRUE TO YOUR VALUES