Stoicism: Epictetus Philosophy
in our Daily Life
by Richard Uzelac
" It's always very hard at first. When I sold my first house, that's when I realized why do I feel scared when I'd got nothing to lose when I was selling"
Stoicism: Epictetus Philosophy in our Daily Life
I have been thinking about how the world would be if we all were in the same state.No body argues, and one only holds the decision. So then: It may be chaotic or serene. But in reality, the world is complex. I am fascinated by the great Stoic Philosopher; Epictetus. Philosophy of Stoicism, is a word coming from Stoa Poikile, a painted colonnade where executive disciples or committees gathered for discussions, like Zeno. Zeno originated the philosophy of Stoicism.
In today’s world, we use the word Stoic as being calm under pressure. But this is more than this attitude. In original philosophy, Stoicism, as lived by Seneca and Epictetus, who I was deeply captivated with, is a doctrine cited as “being immune to misfortune and that virtue is sufficient to happiness”. One of the famous Stoic Philosopher of antiquity is Epictetus, a slave during his time. Yet, he influenced Marcus Aurelius, the great emperor, and was the last of the “Five Good Emperors of Rome”, and a stoic himself. Epictetus not being less of a slave, had his teaching influence a Roman Emperor. Imagine that, A slave- being powerless, typically deals with many sufferings and pain, and was even tortured that he had to walk limp his whole life had become a great philosopher of all times. Despite his disability, he even dares to be better.
“The more we value things outside our control, the less control we have.” – Epictetus
Richard Uzelac on Applying Stoicism:
Whenever I’m dealing with a difficult situation, I always incorporate Epictetus’s virtues and morale. Epictetus believed that our bodies are not in our control like it’s a property, like anything else. But what we do have control is how we respond to it. We can choose how we react, how we treat others, and how we see ourselves. For example, if someone hits us, breaks our legs, or cuts our skin with a knife, it doesn’t matter—we still have the power to choose how we respond.
“The chief task in life is simply this: to identify and separate matters so that I can say clearly to myself which are externals not under my control, and which have to do with the choices I actually control.” –Epictetus
Richard Uzelac's Favorite quotes from Epictetus:
Nothing great is created suddenly, any more than a bunch of grapes or a fig. If you tell me that you desire a fig. I answer you that there must be time. Let it first blossom, then bear fruit, then ripen, then eaten
Don't seek to have events happen as you wish, but wish them to happen as they do happen, and all will be well with you
There is only one way to happiness, and that is to cease worrying about things which are beyond the power of our will
Stoicism: Ideal Expectations in the Modern World
Stoicism is a study of philosophy that maximizes happiness and living a virtuous life by reducing negative emotions. There are many things that are out of our control but stoicism taught us that rather than dealing with an ideal society, it teaches us how to deal with the world as it is, and by cultivating the cardinal virtues: wisdom, temperance, justice, and courage, we can bring positive change in others. Stoicism, as a formal institution, faded away. But its influence has continued to inspire untold business leaders, politicians, and athletes to this day and even to me, Richard Uzelac. Stoicism is a simple philosophy that can help us lead a more fulfilling life. Stoicism teaches us a lot about how to deal with life, no matter what it throws at us. It also creates a deep impact on our surroundings. Thus it is not only a self-centered philosophy.
Stoicism for Social
“Be careful whom you associate with. It is human to imitate the habits of those with whom we interact. We inadvertently adopt their interests, their opinions, their values, and their habit of interpreting events.”
Richard Uzelac’s final comments on Epictetus:
“This excerpt hits me. Having these different kinds of businesses I own is challenging yet gratifying. But I always make sure to enjoy and inadvertently, it creates a good impact on my business and the people around me.”- Richard Uzelac
As human as we are, we are capable of being social but the complex thing about being social is how do we navigate the complexities of relationships? Besides having great relationships with family and friends, as a CEO of multiple businesses I always make sure to bring genuine and great people in my businesses. Letting anyone into your life is a crucial decision and anyone should regard this. Thus, there are things that we should consider when being social.
