The Stoic Practice That Made Me Stop Wasting My Life Away
Steal the formula, upgrade your life
Think about this: every day, we’re granted a gift of 24 hours — 1440 minutes, or if you want to get granular, 86,400 seconds. Yet, most of us squander this precious resource as if it were an infinite commodity.
Time, the one thing we can’t recover, replicate, or replace, keeps ticking away, and we let it slip right through our fingers. If this rings a bell, then this article is for you.
This is my story about a stoic practice that made me stop wasting my life away. It might just do the same for you.
The Stoic Way
Do you sometimes feel like you’re merely existing, instead of truly living? I’ve been there, my friend.
Navigating through life aimlessly, jumping from one day to the next without much thought or purpose.
Then I stumbled upon Stoicism, an ancient Greek philosophy that changed my entire perspective.
Stoicism emphasizes living life intentionally, or as they put it, “living in accordance with nature”.
To put it in modern terms, it’s about aligning our actions and decisions with our core values and purposes — really living our lives instead of just going through the motions.
It means taking control of our time and using it purposefully, effectively, and efficiently.
To live this way, I started implementing a Stoic practice called ‘Premeditatio Malorum’, which translates to ‘premeditation of evils’. Sounds grim, doesn’t it?
Stay with me — it’s not as scary as it sounds.
‘Premeditation Malorum’
This intriguing Stoic practice is about visualizing the worst-case scenarios in any situation. It’s not about being pessimistic — it’s about mentally preparing yourself for possible future hardships.
By doing this, you not only make yourself more resilient, but you also begin to appreciate the time you have.
You see, most of us walk around with this delusion of immortality, behaving as if we have all the time in the world. But we don’t.
Our time here is limited. ‘Premeditatio Malorum’ slapped this truth across my face and woke me up from my state of complacency.
Every morning, I began to contemplate the adversities I could encounter, the potential failures, and even my mortality.
This might sound morbid, but I assure you, it’s not — it’s enlightening. This mental rehearsal makes you see life for what it really is: fleeting, and unpredictable, but still within our control.
How Visualizing the Worst Helped Me Make the Best of My Time
So, how did imagining the worst help me stop wasting my life away? It made me realize the value of the present moment.
By understanding the potential for loss, failure, and even death, I began to appreciate the beauty and importance of now.
Every minute seemed precious. Every interaction mattered. Every opportunity became something to seize, not something to postpone for an indefinite ‘someday’.
This practice urged me to make deliberate decisions about how I spent my time, what activities I engaged in, who I shared my time with, and most importantly, the kind of person I wanted to be.
This shift didn’t happen overnight. It took practice, perseverance, and a strong desire to change.
But was it worth it? You bet!
The Impact — A Life Lived Fully, Not Wasted
Today, I can confidently say I’m not wasting my life away. I’m living each day to its fullest, taking actions that align with my values, and cherishing each moment.
I’m more resilient to setbacks, more appreciative of what I have, and more conscious of my time.
I stopped procrastinating and started prioritizing. I quit dwelling in the past and worrying about the future and learned to live in the present.
I started doing, not just dreaming. I embraced the temporary nature of life and used it as motivation to make every second count.
The Time to Change is Now
Do you want to live life on autopilot, spend your time mindlessly, and feel unfulfilled at the end of the day?
Then maybe it’s time to explore the stoic practice of ‘Premeditatio Malorum’.
Remember, we’re not given an unlimited amount of time. Once a moment passes, it’s gone forever.
So,
- Why not use our time wisely?
- Why not seize every opportunity, cherish every moment, and live life fully?
Don’t wait for tomorrow, next week, or next year. Don’t wait until you’re facing a crisis to realize the value of your time.
Start now. Start living intentionally. Start making the most of your life. After all, aren’t you worth it?
In the end, we’ll not be remembered for how much time we had, but for how well we used it. And wouldn’t you prefer a life well lived over a life wasted away?
