Relationships of all kinds are often perceived as very delicate things, that require extra effort to maintain. However, a relationship can also be something that can provide security and can also be long lasting despite many trials.

Building an effective and lasting relationships is a necessity for several reasons. For example in a group or organization, the well being of the people depends on how efficient and effective that group or organization works.

An ineffective group or organization can really be very frustrating. An effective group or organization can also ask so much on their members, that sometimes the members would be having no life outside the walls of the area where they work or sacrifice the other aspects of their life just to meet deadlines. For an organization or group with this kind of scenario, relationships can be stressed or suffer from breakdown.

Moral Letters 62.2 states” When I give myself to my friends, I do not withdraw from my own company, nor do I linger with those who are associated with me through some special occasion or some case which arises from my official position. But I spend my time in the company of all the best; no matter in what lands they may have lived, or in what age, I let my thoughts fly to them.”

A very common issue that people experience when they’re trying to find true happiness or success is that they don’t really feel as though they’re being true to themselves. What you once thought was a life goal of yours isn’t really interesting to you anymore, and the career you wanted to have doesn’t make you feel truly accomplished. 

These are the times in which you have to be able to really evaluate yourself. A lot of our dreams and ideal situations are based around those of other people in our lives rather than ourselves. 

Meditations 6.21 states If any man is able to convince me and show me that I do not think or act right, I will gladly change; for I seek the truth by which no man was ever injured. But he is injured who abides in his error and ignorance.

Something that many people often struggle with on their path to success is that they get all caught up in second guessing themselves to the point where they’ve overthought it and end up making a poor decision – or stall out completely and never make progress. 

Overthinking can be caused by a few different things, but one of the main causes is a lack of confidence in yourself. If you’re not confident in your decision making abilities, you’ll often think way too hard about things and talk yourself out of any potential risk and reward situation.

Discourses 3.25.1 states “Consider which of your undertakings you have fulfilled, which not, and wherefore; which give you pleasure, which pain, in the reflection; and, if possible, recover yourself where you have failed. For the champions in this greatest of combats must not grow weary; but should even contentedly bear chastisement. For this is no combat of wrestling or boxing, where both he who succeeds and he who fails may possibly be of very great worth or of little; indeed may be very fortunate or very miserable; but this combat is for good fortune and happiness itself.”

Everyone complains. Some people have complained so much and so often that it’s their default setting. Something bad happens and they complain. Something good happens and they complain. 

Default complainers often feel that success is for others. What you might not know is that many complaints are based in understandable reasons. Things do go wrong and sometimes through no fault of your own. 

But complaints without making an effort to change anything can end up making you stuck in life if that’s all you ever do. Most complaining is based in negativity. You feel disappointed by something. 

Meditations 7.24 states . A deepscowl on the face is contrary to nature. When the countenance is often thus deformed, its beauty dies, and cannot be revivedagain. By this very thing you may ‡ apprehend that it is against reason. If the sense of moral evil is gone, what reason could one have for desiring to live?  

The Stoic archer is one of the great metaphors in Stoic philosophy. Attributed to Cicero, the archer does what he can to hit the target. He trains. He cares for his equipment. He does everything he can to be able to hit the target. 

But once the arrow leaves the archer has no control. A gust of wind or some other factor could affect the outcome. This is  out of the archers control.

This could be similar to the idea of trying to make and reach goals. We set goals in place and do our best to reach them. Often some uncontrollable factor means a goal is not met. The real achievement is the progress that is made toward a goal.

But what happens after the archer misses. What happens when you fail to reach a goal. It may mean some reflection and review to see what worked and what did not.   

There are ways to improve yourself once you ask yourself “what do I need to do to improve.” Maybe sitting down and writing a list of things that you don’t like about yourself could help. Make sure you prioritize them making the most important one on top and the less important on the bottom. It takes time to make changes but you can do it.

How do you spend your time? Do you volunteer? Get busy and don’t just lie around the house doing nothing. Keeping busy and helping others always helps. By helping others, you learn that someone else in the world has it worse than you do.  

Volunteering is much like the interconnectedness in Stoicism. Meditations 4.45 states  In the series of things those which follow are always aptly fitted to those which have gone before; for this series is not like a mere enumeration of disjointed things, which has only a necessary sequence, but it is a rational connection: and as all existing things are arranged together harmoniously, so the things which come into existence exhibit no mere succession, but a certain wonderful relationship.

 Take a little time out of each day for yourself. You can’t be any good to other people if you don’t take care of yourself.  

Self esteem is often linked directly with success in life for a number of reasons. If you’re not confident in yourself, you likely won’t get very far at all because you won’t be able to take any initiative. 

There are four main factors that influence your self esteem: feelings, thoughts, behaviors, and actions. How well you develop each factor will determine how much self esteem you have, and in turn, will affect your success.

Enchiridion 8. Don't demand that things happen as you wish, but wish that they happen as they do happen, and you will go on well.

Even in the most rational individuals, a great deal of our behavior still stems from our emotions. Subconscious actions are often determined by your emotions. 

Your own thoughts are what will determine your emotions, and by extension, much of your appearance to the outside world. If you have a lot of negative thoughts, people will be able to see it in the way you conduct yourself. 

Moral Letters 75.11-12 states . I have often before explained the difference between the diseases of the mind and its passions. And I shall remind you once more: the diseases are hardened and chronic vices, such as greed and ambition; they have enfolded the mind in too close a grip, and have begun to be permanent evils thereof. To give a brief definition: by "disease" we mean a persistent perversion of the judgment, so that things which are mildly desirable are thought to be highly desirable. Or, if you prefer, we may define it thus: to be too zealous in striving for things which are only mildly desirable or not desirable at all, or to value highly things which ought to be valued but slightly or valued not at all.  "Passions" are objectionable impulses of the spirit, sudden and vehement; they have come so often, and so little attention has been paid to them, that they have caused a state of disease; just as a catarrh, when there has been but a single attack and the catarrh has not yet become habitual, produces a cough, but causes consumption when it has become regular and chronic. Therefore we may say that those who have made most progress are beyond the reach of the "diseases"; but they still feel the "passions" even when very near perfection

Getting what you want out of life, whether it’s in your personal relationships, your career or the success you seek in either, you need to achieve your goals with honor. If you look around at successful people in the world, you’ll see that some have achieved what seems like greatness on the outside. 

But inside, they’re small people who battle guilt and shame because they reached the top using dishonorable methods. When people chase success by any means, it taints their success. 

Marcus Aurelius wrote in Meditations 9.29 The universal cause is like a winter torrent: it carries everything along with it. But how worthless are all these poor people who are engaged in matters political, and, as they suppose, are playing the philosopher! All drivellers. Well then, man: do what nature now requires. Set thyself in motion, if it is in thy power, and do not look about thee to see if any one will observe it; nor yet expect Plato's Republic: but be content if the smallest thing goes on well, and consider such an event to be no small matter. For who can change men's opinions? And without a change of opinions what else is there than the slavery of men who groan while they pretend to obey? Simple and modest is the work of philosophy. Draw me not aside to indolence and pride.

You’ve done it a thousand times in your life. Something has happened, you’ve been faced with an event, concept, or action which has challenged your ingrained mores. It’s very difficult for us humans to change our pre-existing belief systems when faced with something that challenges them, so more often than not, we react irrationally. 

Just because an action is irrational, does not mean it is unreasonable. In fact, irrational actions can prove to be the more reasonable courses of action. 

Meditations 8.13 states Constantly and, if it be possible, on the occasion of every impression on the soul, apply to it the principles of Physic, of Ethic, and of Dialectic.