It’s the start of the new year, so what better way to ring in 2022 than with a fresh perspective?
This year, I’ve made it my goal to become a stoic writer.
I’m not planning on joining the ranks of Epictetus and Seneca with elegant stoic prose, but I want to use the teachings of these ancient stoics and their peers as inspiration for my personal writer’s journey.
In short, I want to lean on the practical philosophy to stay on track with my professional goals.
My interest in the philosophy began with the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius, and his text ‘Meditations’. I call it a text rather than a book because it is more a collection of his thoughts and musings than it is a cohesive narrative intended for an audience.
If you’re not familiar with the text, it’s essentially a series of journal entries in which Aurelius grapples with his thoughts and wrestles with the virtues associated with stoicism.
The four most important stoic virtues are Courage, Justice, Temperance, and Wisdom.
Courage is the virtue that I want to focus on as a writer, as it’s necessary for the struggle every creative faces: fear of judgment or criticism.
Even though I’ve been a full-time writer for several years now, I’m still hesitant to put my work out there when it isn’t client-driven. It takes courage to hit the ‘publish’ button, and I have nothing but admiration for those who do it day after day.
Courage helps you put your foot out of the door and submit your work, but then you’re subject to the opinions and judgment of others. This is where the stoic idea of the dichotomy of control comes into play.
As Epictetus tells us, one of our main responsibilities in life is to figure out what we can and can’t control. Only then will we be able to channel our energy in the right places and avoid unnecessary suffering.
In the case of writing, once our work is out in the public domain, we no longer have control over it. We don’t control how others perceive or respond to it, and as such, we have to let go of it.
The stoic writer puts his work out into the universe and continues to plug away with the next task. He uses feedback to grow as a writer without letting criticisms eat away at his motivation to produce and create.
On a practical level, I’m using Ryan Holiday’s ‘Stoic Journal’ to ensure I clarify my thoughts through writing every day and contemplate the major stoic ideas often.
It’s easy to get lost in the texts of stoicism, eagerly soaking up the ideas, without putting any of them into practice.
Adopting a daily journalling habit isn’t going to change my life, but it will help me to interact and engage with the philosophy, much like Aurelius did when he would sit down to lay out his thoughts in ‘Meditations’.
You have power over your mind — not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.
-Marcus Aurelius
