The Stoic Manual

The Stoic Manual

I. Become a Friend to Yourself

You’re the lore you tell yourself.

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Stoic Philosophy
Sep 21, 2024
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“What progress, you ask, have I made? I have begun to be a friend to myself.” — Seneca

It’s important to talk to yourself.

To look yourself in the mirror and say you’ll be the greatest ever and mean it by combining it with effective action in a direction you’ve chosen.

You’re slowly becoming powerful by controlling your narrative and harmonizing it with reality.

For you’re the lore you tell yourself.

The highest wisdom is taking control of this story, developing your character to become perceptive of life in a way that every good and bad enhances your ambition and molding events as they happen rather than working with what’s non-existent — what you’d like circumstances to be.

Align your body, mind, and spirit to bend toward the greatest story ever told by taking the form of what unwavering courage, wisdom, discipline, and justice would look like in action.

Ask yourself, “What would a great man do,” whenever you’re at a crossroad.

This is pragmatic self-tal…

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