Four Essential Rules for Living a Better Life
Marcus Aurelius, the philosopher king of Rome, outlined four fundamental principles that make life worth living. These timeless rules continue to guide those seeking wisdom and tranquility in their daily lives. Here are the four essential things Marcus Aurelius believed would lead to a better life.
Marcus Aurelius emphasized the importance of doing only what's truly important. This approach brings a double satisfaction: you do fewer things, and you do those fewer things better. This rule should be remembered daily, keeping a reminder in a place you'll often see: focus only on what's essential.
Focus on the present moment. Waste no time thinking about the monsters that may or may not be up ahead. Deal with what's in front of you, not with what might be.
In Meditations, Marcus emphasizes this idea repeatedly: The Stoic is too busy improving themselves to waste time criticizing others. By distinguishing between what we can and cannot control, it becomes clear that only our choices, deeds, words, and thoughts deserve our focus. Everything else concerns others, not us.
Stoicism teaches us to focus only on what we can control. What others think of us isn't something we can control. Therefore, it's not worth worrying about what others think. This paradox of human nature - that we value ourselves above others yet value their opinions above our own - is something to overcome.