The Stoic Approach to Mental Clarity: 5 Lessons from Marcus Aurelius

In this article, we will explore five lessons on how to think clearly, drawn from the teachings of the famous stoic philosopher and Roman Emperor, Marcus Aurelius. By following these lessons, you can train your perception, control your emotions, exercise the dichotomy of control, embrace virtues, and broaden your perspective to achieve mental clarity.

Train your Perception

First, it is important to train your perception by choosing not to be harmed and not feeling harmed. As Marcus Aurelius said, “Choose not to be harmed and you won’t feel harmed. Don’t feel harmed and you haven’t been.” This lesson encourages us to take control of our perception and not let our initial judgments of things, which are often influenced by our emotions, dictate how we view the world. Instead, we should be careful to judge everything we come across and try to re-frame our thinking to be more optimistic and reasonable.

Control your Emotions

Second, it is essential to learn to control your emotions, especially strong emotions such as anger. According to Marcus Aurelius, “If you want to think clearly at all times, one of the most important skills to master is the ability to control your emotions.” This means redirecting emotions instead of suppressing them. When you are experiencing anger, for example, ask yourself what you can do with that anger and find ways to express it that are helpful, such as calmly talking with the person who hurt you or engaging in physical exercise.

Exercise the Dichotomy of Control

Third, it is crucial to exercise the dichotomy of control, which is the distinction between what we can control and what we cannot. As Marcus Aurelius said, “You have power over your mind, not outside events. Realize this and you will find strength.” By learning to distinguish between what we can control and what we cannot, we can clear our minds and avoid being affected by external events that are outside of our control.

Embrace Virtues

Fourth, embracing virtues is an important part of achieving mental clarity. According to stoicism, a virtue is an excellence of character or morally upright behavior that benefits not only the individual but also those around them and the greater good. By internalizing the four cardinal virtues of wisdom, justice, temperance, and courage, we can cultivate a tranquil mind and be guided by reason in our actions.

Broaden your Perspective

Finally, it is important to broaden our perspective and see the world from a wider angle. As Marcus Aurelius said, “Whenever you want to talk about people, it’s best to take a bird’s eye view and see everything all at once.” By adopting a wide-angle view, we can realize how minute our personal experiences are and how infinitesimal we are in the vast scheme of things. This shift in perspective can help us make informed decisions and form comprehensive judgments, and it also helps us let go of personal biases and viewpoints.

Conclusion

In conclusion, by following these five lessons from the teachings of Marcus Aurelius, we can train our perception, control our emotions, exercise the dichotomy of control, embrace virtues, and broaden our perspective to achieve mental clarity. By incorporating these principles into our lives, we can be more rational and thoughtful in our thinking and decision-making, and we can find strength and tranquility in the process.