November 7th, 2021
Don’t trust in your reputation, money, or position, but in the strength that is yours—namely, your judgments about the things that you control and don’t control. For this alone is what makes us free and unfettered, that picks us up by the neck from the depths and lifts us eye to eye with the rich and powerful.
This reading had two important messages that leapt out to me.
The author of "The Daily Stoic" told us there was a discourse between Alexander the Great and the Stoic philosopher Diogenes the Cynic. Diogenes rejected what society prized and, by extension, Alexander's self-image. What I really took away from this example was Alexandar was unhappy with what he had. His empire and power was never enough to appease him. Diogenes on the other hand was happy to live with simple basic needs of life.
The other message was about obtaining power through inward focus. When we focus on our wants before we satisfy our needs we can't see the forest for the trees.
There is a difference between needs and wants. Putting priority on wants over needs is sure to bring you misery. Even if your needs are satisfied, your quest for wants can cause you to lose sight of the blessings you have been afforded. If we can learn to rule ourselves we will not have a need to have a great empire.