El estoicismo ha cobrado una especie de revival en los últimos años. Gracias a gente como Ryan Holiday, Tim Ferriss y un enorme grupo de Entrepreneurs de Silicon Valley es que nuevamente escuchamos nombres como Seneca, Marco Aurelio, Epicteto y otros tantos.
Pero qué es exactamente el estoicismo? ¿Y, por qué deberíamos ponerle atención? Pero sobre todo, por qué deberíamos incorporar parte de la filosofía estoica en nuestra vida diaria?
El estoicismo es una práctica de mindfulness que se originó en Atenas, Grecia en el siglo 3 — BCE.
La práctica del estoicismo parte de la premisa que el mundo es impredecible y que la vida es fugaz. El estoicismo te enseña como ser fuerte en mente y poder controlar tus emociones, mas no eliminarlas.
Una buena definición de un estoico es esta de Taleb Nassim Nicholas:
“A Stoic is someone who transforms fear into prudence, pain into transformation, mistakes into initiation, and desire into undertaking.” ― Taleb Nassim Nicholas
Se enfoca en la responsabilidad individual y en el mantenerse presente. Lejos de moverse hacia el placer y evitar el dolor, los Estoicos saben que es mejor enfrentar el momento con lo que trae. Particularmente funciona en tiempos turbulentos o difíciles como lo ha sido este 2020
Aquí hay algunas frases a las que recurro constantemente cuando necesito calmar la mente, tomar valor, y enfrentar lo que la vida me pone por delante.
“The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.” — Marcus Aurelius
“I judge you unfortunate because you have never lived through misfortune. You have passed through life without an opponent — no one can ever know what you are capable of, not even you.” — Seneca
Don’t promise twice what you can do at once.” — Cato the Younger
“Progress is not achieved by luck or accident, but by working on yourself daily.” Epictetus
“You could leave life right now. Let that determine what you do and say and think.” Marcus Aurelius
“Just keep in mind: the more we value things outside our control, the less control we have.” Heraclitus
“The whole future lies in uncertainty: live immediately.” Seneca
“The best revenge is not to be like your enemy.” Marcus Aurelius
“If it is not right, do not do it, if it is not true, do not say it.” Marcus Aurelius
“I begin to speak only when I’m certain what I’ll say isn’t better left unsaid.” — Cato
“Man is affected not by events but by the view he takes of them.” ― Seneca
“Things that were hard to bear are sweet to remember.” ― Seneca
“It is the power of the mind to be unconquerable.” ― Seneca
“Choose not to be harmed — and you won’t feel harmed. Don’t feel harmed — and you haven’t been.” — Marcus Aurelius
It is not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.” Epictetus
“It’s not that we have little time, but more that we waste a good deal of it.” Seneca
“The universe is change; our life is what our thoughts make it.” Marcus Aurelius
“It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, that is poor.” Seneca
“If one does not know which port one is sailing, no wind is favorable.” Seneca
“Waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be. Be one.” Marcus Aurelius
“How long are you going to wait before you demand the best for yourself?” Epictetus
“Learn to be indifferent to what makes no difference.” Marcus Aurelius
“We should not, like sheep, follow the herd of creatures in front of us, making our way where others go, not where we ought to go.” Seneca
“Be tolerant of others and strict with yourself.” Marcus Aurelius
“No person has the power to have everything they want, but it is in their power not to want what they don’t have, and to cheerfully put to good use what they do have.” Seneca
“If you are pained by any external thing, it is not this thing that disturbs you, but your own judgment about it. And it is in your power to wipe out this judgment now.” Marcus Aurelius
“No great thing is created suddenly, any more than a bunch of grapes or a fig. If you tell me that you desire a fig, I answer that there must be time. Let it first blossom, then bear fruit, then ripen.” Epictetus
“A gem cannot be polished without friction, nor a man perfected without trials.” Seneca
Por último aquí hay un video corto que explica muy bien la filosofía del estoicismo
Te gustó el artículo? Puedes encontrar algunas otras frases que me ayudan a inspirarme: Here. Agregame en Linkedin. Estás reclutando y necesitas talento? Lee esto antes de buscar a una firma de Headhunters (en inglés)
En Alder Koten, ayudamos a forjar organizaciones.