Meditations

Key takeaways

• Events cannot harm you; only your judgement about them can
• Rehearse in the morning the difficult people you will meet today
• Picture the world from above and let fame and worry shrink
• Obstacles are material for action, not reasons to stop
• Do your part for the whole without complaint, as a hand serves the body

Inside this bit

1. The big idea

   Imagine the most powerful man in the world sitting in a military tent on the Danube frontier, plague in the empire behind him and hostile tribes ahead, writing notes to himself about how to stay decent. That is Meditations.

2. Only your judgement is yours

   The Stoic starting point is a division. Some things are up to you: what you believe, what you want, how you act.

3. Meet difficult people before breakfast

   One of the most famous passages is a morning rehearsal. Marcus tells himself that today he will meet people who are meddling, ungrateful, arrogant and dishonest, and that they act this way because they do not know better.

4. Everything is passing, so act now

   Marcus is relentless about impermanence. Emperors, generals and philosophers who once seemed immortal are now names, and soon not even that.

5. The work of a human being

   In one entry Marcus catches himself not wanting to get out of bed. His reply is a question: were you made to lie under warm blankets, or to do the work of a human being?

6. Put it to work

   This week, try Marcus's morning rehearsal: before checking your phone, name the frustrations you are likely to meet and decide in advance how you want to respond. When something annoys you, describe it in plain factual language and see how much of the sting was in the story.