Stoicism. Isn't that for old, boring people?

In my mind, Stoicism always conjured images of worn and weary, long-bearded old men, steeped in pessimism, waiting to die as they reflected on the regrets in their lives. Dreary? Perhaps. Yet, had I encountered Massimo Pigliucci's explanation of this ancient Greek Philosophy first, the clarity of concept would have driven me to quicker action. However, living in this present time, I thank my personal trainer, a former Rugby Forward, for using it in his own life and sharing the core tenants with me. I was encouraged to explore it more for myself than as an academic pursuit (which, being Zimbabwean, this culture glorifies academia over practicality. That particular discussion we shall leave for another day).

So what are the practical uses of Stoicism today? According to author/entrepreneur Tim Ferris , in his TedTalk titled, "Why you should define your fears instead of your goals", he describes Stoicism as, "...the operating system for [managing] high stress environments." Though it isn't a band-aid or quick-fix, it is becoming one of the most useful life-skills we implement at Corporate Earth for; developing composure when one is under duress, personal resilience, mental toughness and increasing our productivity.

Despite his newness to me, some of you might recognise Tim Ferris from his podcasts and"The 4-hour work week" or "Tools for Titans." Whichever the case, he is clearly an influential thinker, mover and leadership trainer who stands shoulder to shoulder with titans such as Tony Robbins ("Awaken the Giant Within") and Malcolm Gladwell ("Outliers", "The Tipping Point") to name a couple. So if you are serious about raising your awareness about the world and exposing yourself to the reality of how it operates, the authors above are a good starting point.

Personally, I'm looking forward to the expected release of "Tribe of Mentors" which will hopefully hit the shelves 21 Nov 2017. If you would like to make my Christmas wish come true, or add this to your own wishlist, I think it will be a great personal investment of time, money and energy. In general, lists and endless endorsements don't excite me much, but if you are keen on more of Tim's accomplishments, you can enjoy the bio and related resources here. Have a great weekend. 

http://www.notable-quotes.com/s/seneca_lucius_annaeus.html