It is easy to dispense advice in retrospect and tell people what they should have done. It is far more difficult to make the right decisions in real time, while being bitterly criticised and publicly attacked. Psychological pressure is hard to resist, especially when it is coming at us from all directions. #seneca knew that, in the absence of a solid #philosophy , individuals tend to break down under pressure and commit one error after another. How do we preserve our #effectiveness in the face of severe criticism? How can we deflect insults and aggression, and stay perfectly calm? What insights had Seneca gained in this area? In his 98th Letter to Lucilius, Seneca described his strategy for remaining effective during setbacks, interpersonal conflict, and disasters of all kinds. I call it a “strategy” and not a “hack” because it requires assiduous, constant implementation. Seneca’s preferred approach consists of adopting a resilient lifestyle in all areas of life. I mean in the areas of relationships, nutrition, exercise, work, personal finances, and even hobbies. The strategy recommended by Seneca in the 98th Letter to Lucilius encompasses everything we do, every interaction with other people, every expenditure we make, and our plans for the future. Truth be told, Seneca did not find many historical examples to illustrate his strategy. He mentioned Sextius Niger, a Roman philosopher he had personally met, but Seneca’s description of Sextius’ lifestyle is rather sketchy. Thus, I’m reluctant to regard this example as a paragon of virtue. I find it more convincing when Seneca’s philosophy is put to the test in a real-life situation of which all details are known. For example, in the lifestyle of #davidhume (1711-1734), one of the foremost philosophers of the Scottish #enlightenment . Here is the link to the original article: https://johnvespasian.com/seneca-effectiveness-in-the-face-of-criticism/