9 STOIC PRINCIPLES EVERY MAN MUST LIVE BY TO BE GREAT

To begin, here are 4 important values you must possess;

1. Virtue: Stoic virtues can be further classified into four tenets;

Wisdom, courage, justice and moderation.

• Wisdom:- eloquence, resourcefulness, sound judgment.
• Justice:- Honesty, equity, understanding.
• Courage:- Perseverance, confidence, fearlessness.
• Moderation:- discipline, balance, self-control.

These are absolute prerequisites for attaining peak Manliness.

2. Knowledge:

The greatest asset to possess is an excellent mental state, forged through private study and contemplation. Every man must have a deep yearning for truth & self-discovery. Otherwise, he is bound to live a life devoid of depth and wisdom.

3. Emotional maturity

Most people obsess over things that they have little to no power over while outsourcing authority over that which they can master. Strength comes from understanding that you have power over your mind and body - they must obey you.

4. Amor Fati: This literally means to surrender to fate. 

To accept every part of one’s destiny. To be resolute in the face of adversity. Not wanting to alter your past, but appreciating it. Not merely bearing the hardships, but concealing it. Stoicism is a philosophy that is guaranteed to you wiser, more resilient and impactful to the world around you.

Follow these 5 stoic rules to become fully actualized;

1 - Read purposefully

The number of books you read a year is a vanity metric. Knowledge is useless if it doesn’t improve your judgment & critical thinking. Wisdom is gained through self-reflection, not through memorizing fancy quotes.

2 - Spend your time wisely

The attention you give to anything must directly correspond to its importance. A wise man wastes no time on things that do not improve his body-mind-spirit and lifestyle. Live every day to the fullest so you can die with no regrets. Life is short only if you waste in on irrelevancies.

Ask yourself every moment - is this a good investment of my time?

3 - Shun anger

No other human emotion is as destructive as anger. It is a deadly poison that contaminates your spirit. And the equipoise that comes from self-awareness is the only antidote. To quote Aurelius;

“It isn’t manly to be enraged. Rather, gentleness & civility are more human, and therefore manlier. A real man doesn’t give way to anger and discontent - and such a person has strength, courage, and endurance.”

4 - Have a role model

Choose someone whose deeds and way of life inspire you to be a greater man. Model your life in accordance - not for childish imitation, but to set a standard for yourself that must be surpassed.

5 - Live in the present

True bliss is to give the present moment your full attention - without anxiously hankering for the future, or wallowing in regrets about the past. Root out the fear of future troubles and recollection of past suffering from your psych. Stop unnecessarily torturing yourself.

Live immediately, live immensely.

If you never explore the full limits of your potential, you’ll live a wasted life. Remember to share with your friends.