Stoics Use This to Handle Obstacles
The Alchemy of ‘Good’ — your philosopher’s stone.
Quick pause! These essay entries are made possible by the generous contributions of The Stoic Manual members. I warmly invite you to become a Premium Member today. For just $16/month, you’ll gain access to everything we offer while helping us fulfill our mission of making Stoic Philosophy accessible to all! Learn more at the bottom of this email or by clicking the button below.
“This is the magic wand of Hermes. ‘Touch what you will,’ the saying goes, ‘and it will turn into gold.’ Nay, but bring whatever you will and I will turn it into a good. “What will you make of disease?” I will show its character, I will shine in it, I will be firm, I will be serene, I will not fawn upon my physician, I will not pray for death… Everything that you give I will turn into something blessed, productive of happiness, august, enviable.” — Epictetus
Think of your mind as the Wand of Hermes, a symbol of transformation representing the ability to unite opposing forces, e.g., order and chaos, to create inner balance and achieve spiritual or material change, and nothing will ever be bad to you. Why? Because no matter what happens, you’ll find a way to turn it into an advantage.
Lost your job? Great. Now you have the chance to start over—get a better paying job in a good culture or maybe get the fire, focus and time to start your own business. No more answering to people who don’t see your value. No more doing what you don’t like.
Going through a breakup? Good. That relationship was probably holding you back in ways you didn’t even realize. Now you can meet someone who actually fits your life and appreciates you. Now you can learn to express the love overflowing inside you toward the whole of life, to art, to strangers, to work, to family, to nature — see them with fresh, caring and desirous eyes as you did your lover. Or use this time to focus on yourself, love yourself, become someone you hold in high esteem.
Feeling overwhelmed by work, kids, or customers? Perfect. This is how you get more intense and deliberate with your work because now you have deadlines, cut out the pesky distractions, get better at time management and focus, learn patience, refine your leadership skills, and practice handling pressure like it’s nothing. The more you practice, the better you become and the easier it gets.
Flight got canceled? No problem. Use the extra time to explore your local city, connect with the strangers you meet, work on your project, read a book, or finally relax without a packed schedule.
Too much coursework? Good. You’re developing will power, a mental library of valuable foundational knowledge, and cognitive skills that’ll give you more leverage and make everything else in your career feel easier. If you handle this, you’ll be sure you can handle anything within your power that comes later or smoothen the process of acquiring new skills.
Low on cash? Perfect. Time to learn how to get by with less and limit your desires to only what you need to be happy, learn new and in-demand skills that’ll set you up financially, know where your friends’ loyalty lie now that there’s no incentive & be grateful for the little you get and what you have — the gift of life.
Every setback is a setup. Every problem is an opportunity. Train yourself to see it this way, and you’ll finally get the confidence and clarity to see life as Marcus Aurelius did,
“That every event is the right one. Look closely and you’ll see. Not just the right one overall, but right. As if someone had weighed it out with scales. Keep looking closely like that, and embody it in your actions.”
You’ll also enjoy this one,
Join 112,500 other Stoics. Support The Stoic Manual and access 280+ premium in-depth essays.
P.S: Annual & Patron members get all my books with their subscription. The bundle includes, ‘The Best of Marcus Aurelius’, ‘The Tools’, with over 40,000 words of bonus content + a free copy of ‘The Stoic Manual Vol. 1’ dropping September next year. Patron members also get Lifetime Access to the publication with a one-time fee, all bonuses, and all future benefits- at no extra cost. Featured,
Did you like this entry? Tell me about it.
I always enjoy hearing from you, and for you to hear from each other.
Please leave a like (❤️), tell me what you think (💬) in the comment section and share this post with someone so that more people can discover and benefit from it.
The Stoics called it Amor Fati — love of fate. In Chinese philosophy, we call it 顺势而为, "flowing with the current of heaven." Both traditions arrived at the same insight: resistance to what is creates suffering, while embracing obstacles as teachers transforms them into fuel. Beautiful piece!
Everybody who has ever written, knows the next page is never the same as the prior. It's an impossibility. Life is identical. It's against the laws of physics for things to stay the same. Better use of today, highlights a better changed page. Because the knowledge you gain through your struggles, from today, helps write pages in the future. Nothing one does is for nothing. Becsuse you are always writing. Great article 👏