Markus Aurelius was a devout student of the philosophy of Stoicism. During his rule, Aurelius found the time to construct a series of autobiographical writings, now known as the Meditations. In these writings, Marcus Aurelius offered a number of key insights on how to build self-discipline.
Discipline is systematic instruction intended to train a person, sometimes literally called a disciple, in a craft, trade or other activity, or to follow a particular code of conduct or "order." The phrase "to discipline" has a negative connotation involving notions of order maintained largely or primarily through punishment. Discipline involves the assertion of willpower over more base desires and is usually understood to be related to self-control.
Self-discipline is the ability to manage ourselves and our emotions to determine the best course of action on any situation that weather it is according to or against our will.
So here are 10 important insights for self-discipline from Marcus Aurelius.
- Self Discipline starts with finding your purpose
- Count on yourself
- Show up every day
- Practice voluntary hardship
- Practice dichotomy of control
- Never play the victim
- Practice delayed gratification
- Ignore naysayers
- Find wise people to emulate
- Honestly review your day
Even though Marcus Aurelius wrote it 2,000 years ago his insights on Stoicism still carry strong weight today. Stoicism is a school of Hellenistic philosophy founded by Zeno of Citium in Athens in the early 3rd century BC. Even though it is over 2000 years old, more and more people are discovering how Stoicism is not only relevant to modern times, but can be applied in very simple, yet strong ways.
I hope you enjoyed the article and hope you find these insights very helpful for your self-discipline.
Curiosity is the single most important attribute with which humans are born. More than a simple desire to discover or know things, curiosity is a powerful tool, like a scalpel or a searchlight. Curiosity changes us. It is also a way to effect change, perhaps even on a global level.