Stoic Strength Trainer

The essence of who we are is choice--what Epictetus called our prohairesis. When it comes to our experience there is no authority higher than our own choice.

Today we explore the implications of this perspective and I introduce my simple model of the mind (i.e. The Choosing Self and The Conditioned Self). So we'll look at our choices, the habits we have, and how they interrelate.

For a free PDF of The Gymchiridion go to: http://gymmanual.com

And if you prefer video:

https://youtu.be/vrgTLuOhVZk

Our circumstances do not dictate our experience. It's common to hear that traffic is frustrating or sitting on the beach is relaxing. But that's not actually the case.

It's our thinking that's frustrating or relaxing. What we imagine about the circumstances creates our experience.

I introduced this concept in Episode 6: Stoic Strength - The Promise, The Price, And The Result. In today's episode we look into this in more detail.

For a free PDF of The Gymchiridion go to: http://gymmanual.com

And if you prefer video:

https://youtu.be/vWINe3IHo_0

Stoic alchemy is taking whatever life offers and turning it into something good. When we make this a consistent practice the circumstances we’re faced with stop being obstacles. Instead they become the perfect material with which to create excellence.

”This is the magic wand of Hermes: ‘Touch what you want’, so the saying goes, ‘and it will turn to gold.’ No, but bring me whatever you wish, and I’ll turn it into something good. Bring me illness, bring death, bring destitution, bring abuse or a trial for one’s life, and under the touch of the magic wand of Hermes, all of that will become a source of benefit.” (Discourses 3.20.12, trans. Robin Hard)

For a free PDF copy of The Gymchiridion: gymmanual.com

And if you prefer video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CoSU89gkZMo&t=115s

The faster we can accept our circumstances the faster we can adapt our approach to those circumstances.

When we try to resist what's happening we add to the external obstacles. We become our own obstacle. It's only by being like water, adapting immediately to changes in reality, that we can continue smoothly moving toward our target.

When we accept the reality we can take advantage of what life is offering. These are the materials with which we create our excellence.

For a free PDF of The Gymchiridion go to: gymmanual.com

And if you prefer video:

https://youtu.be/oJzE5qn6yjg

"Focus on the excellence of your effort. As to the excellence of your results? That is beyond your power." - Gymchiridion 6

Our choices are up to us. The more excellent our choices, the more excellent our actions. And the more excellent our actions, the more excellent our results.

By keeping our focus on the excellence of our own effort (i.e. our choices and actions) we're doing all we can to produce excellent results. Now we can relax about all the other details. It's out of our hands.

For a free PDF of The Gymchiridion go to: gymmanual.com

And if you prefer video:

https://youtu.be/ZECT9XOMYMs

It's been said "with great power comes great responsibility". The interesting thing is the inverse of this is also true. So I like to say "with great responsibility comes great power."

Asserting self-responsibility for our experience is the strongest we can be. Events, circumstances, or other people do not determine our ultimate experience. That's up to us. And when we make the choice to be self-responsible in this way everyone benefits; society itself is elevated.

The moral excellence of the individual is the foundation of the moral excellence of society. Excellent choices are worthy of emulation. Not necessarily in the particulars of the choice itself, as not everyone's circumstances are the same. It's the act of choosing excellence, of striving to be excellent as a human being, that's worthy of praise and emulation.

For a free PDF of The Gymchiridion go to: gymmanual.com

Prime yourself before each new task. Take a few moments to imagine what you're about to do. Imagine what you may face as you're doing so. Imagine how you'd prefer to behave in the face of those circumstances. In this way you'll more likely operate with excellence.

For a free PDF of The Gymchiridion go to: gymmanual.com

We can only start where we are. Many of us try our best to start a little further ahead, impossible as that is.

Today we look at the wisdom of accepting where we are. And regardless of how far we've come we are consistently standing at a new start line.

For a free copy of The Gymchiridion go to: gymmanual.com

In Chapter 2 of The Gymchiridion we look at the importance of focusing on what we can control--the choices we make regarding our own behaviour.

It's only when we focus our effort beyond our own choices that we open ourselves to the anxiety of failure. Failure is always a possibility. By focusing on our own behaviour we remove the sting of failure and become much more effective in our efforts.

For some FREE resources and to access my coaching: gymmanual.com

A few years ago I wrote an ebook called The Gymchiridion: Everything You Need To Master Life You Will Learn In The Gym. Published on Amazon July 2018.

The ebook is the result of my wondering, "What if Epictetus, the ancient Stoic teacher, had been a fitness trainer? What advice would he have had for those of us working out in the gym?"

Here I read the first chapter and add some additional commentary.

To grab a FREE copy of the ebook go to: gymmanual.com