by Michael McGill
There are a lot of powerful lessons to be learned from the ancient philosophy of Stoicism.
Stoicism gives us ways of thinking to help us to be mentally stronger. It teaches us mental frameworks that allow us to live more tranquil lives. But there’s one lesson from Stoicism that stands out as particularly powerful in helping us to live with more mental well-being.
Some of the most famous Stoics were incredibly powerful men. Marcus Aurelius was a Roman Emperor, arguably the most powerful person on the face of the earth while he was alive. Seneca, was an extremely wealthy and influential political advisor to the Roman Emperor Nero. It would stand to reason that the most powerful lesson to be learned from Stoicism would come from one of these powerful men.
But yet, the Stoic who came from the humblest of circumstances gave us the most powerful lesson in Stoicism.
His name was Epictetus.
Who Was Epictetus?
Epictetus was a Greek philosopher who lived during the first century CE and is widely regarded as one of the most influential Stoic philosophers of his time.
Unlike Marcus Aurelius and Seneca, who were both born into wealth and privilege, Epictetus was born into slavery. Epictetus spent much of his early life as a servant in Rome. However, after gaining his freedom, he became a student of Stoic philosophy and eventually founded his own school of Stoicism.
Epictetus’ philosophy emphasizes the importance of inner freedom and the ability to control one’s own mind and emotions. He believed that true happiness and contentment come from accepting what is outside of our control and focusing instead on what we can control: our thoughts and actions.
Epictetus’ teachings were recorded by his student, Arrian, in the “Discourses” and the “Enchiridion,” both of which remain popular texts among Stoic philosophy enthusiasts to this day. His ideas have also had a profound influence on modern philosophy, particularly in the areas of ethics, psychology, and self-help.
What Is The Most Powerful Lesson of Stoicism That Epictetus Left Behind?
Epictetus left us a wealth of Stoic wisdom through his teachings in Discourses and The Enchiridion. But the single most powerful lesson he taught is in the opening passage of The Enchiridion:
Of things some are in our power, and others are not.
It’s simple. It’s powerful. It’s called The Dichotomy of Control.
It seems almost too simple, right? But, if you’re honest with yourself, you can probably recall many times that you got upset about something you couldn’t control. You might be upset at this very moment about something that you can’t control. What a waste of precious time and energy! Stoicism helps us reclaim the energy we waste on things we cannot control and re-focus it on taking action on the things we can.
Think of all the things you ultimately have little to no control over that (if you’re like most people) might tend to upset you:
- Traffic
- Politics
- The past
- The weather
- The actions of others
- What other people think about you
Every day, we willingly surrender our peace of mind to things, people, and events that we cannot control. We waste time and energy focusing on what we cannot control instead of taking action on the things we can control.
But Epictetus offers us a cure to this malady through The Dichotomy of Control.
How Can you Use the Dichotomy of Control in Your Everyday Life?
The beauty of the Dichotomy of Control lies within is practicality and it’s simplicity. Nearly every situation you encounter in life has facets that are within your control and facets that are outside of your control. Any situation that upsets you is an opportunity to practice the Dichotomy of Control. Simply ask yourself: “What about this situation can I control, and what can I not control?” Then accept what you can’t control and get to work on the things you can.
The next time you’re feeling stressed out or overwhelmed, try this simple exercise based on the Dichotomy of Control.
I call it the Stoic Rating System.
- Get out a pen and paper. I recommend doing this exercise with pen and paper because writing things down helps to clarify them.
- Write down everything that is bothering you. Don’t hold back, get it all down. Just the act of getting it out of your head and on to paper will help relieve some stress.
- Next to each item, put a number 1 to 5. 1 means you have absolutely no control over it. 2- 4 means you have some degree of control over it (you can influence it). 5 means you have absolute control over it.
- Anything with a 1 – 2 next to it – Scratch it off the list. Accept it. Give yourself permission to let it go.
- Anything with a 3 – 4 next to it – Write the next Action you can take to improve the situation.
- Anything with a 5 next to – Write the next action you can take and Prioritize it.
- Now you know what your top Priority is. You have Action steps for everything you have some degree of control over. And you have given yourself permission to accept what you have little or no control over.
After you completed the Stoic Rating System exercise, you will feel a sense of relief. You’ve identified what you cannot control and accepted it. You know what you can control and created an action plan.
Accepting what you cannot control and acting on what you can control. The simple but powerful Dichotomy of Control in action.
A far better place to be in than a state of overwhelm.
Conclusion
Understanding what is within your control and what is not. Taking action on the things within your control and accepting the things that are outside your control. It’s the single most practical, useful, and powerful lesson we can learn from Stoicism. It will make you more tranquil and stronger in every area of your life.
The Dichotomy of Control, introduced to us by the Stoic Philosopher Epictetus, is the most powerful lesson to be learned from Stoicism.
Michael McGill is the Chief Information Officer with Medical Service Company and has been in the IT industry for more than 20 years. He writes about Stoicism and thriving in tech.