The last couple of years for me have been a journey to better understand my thoughts, motivations, desires, beliefs, and assumptions. I began working on self-awareness after I realized that I did not fully understand the world and what was happening around me. Podcasts helped open my eyes and helped me see that there were … Continue reading Stoic Self-Awareness
Month: June 2016
Marcus Aurelius on Being Present
The Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius kept a common place book during his time as ruler between 160 and 180 AD. In his common place book he recorded his thoughts and ideas about life, compiling a wealth of stoic knowledge. Aurelius commonly focused on the way we reacted to external events, and how our perceptions shape our … Continue reading Marcus Aurelius on Being Present
Building Steady Thought
Marcus Aurelius focused on mindfulness in every action and every decision that he made as Emperor of Rome, and his writings in Meditations reflect his approach toward mindfulness. He stresses the importance of doing every action with meaningful intent so that no time is wasted, and so that no effort is half-hearted. By becoming more focused … Continue reading Building Steady Thought
Cooperating With Others
Marcus Aurelius wrote about the importance of accepting others and working with others in his collection of thoughts, Meditations. In his writing he addresses the importance of accepting the shortcomings of others and being willing to cooperate with them in part of a functioning society. No matter how much we strive to be great, we … Continue reading Cooperating With Others
Reputation
In his collection of thoughts, Meditations, Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius wrote about the lessons he learned from those around him when he was growing up and maturing into an emperor who would be known for his wiseness. In his writing he dedicates a long section to the lessons he learned from his father. One of his lessons … Continue reading Reputation
Tolerate Ignorance
In Meditations, Marcus Aurelius writes about how we should think about those around us to become more benevolent in our thoughts and actions. Specifically, while writing about the way we think of and speak of others who are not as educated as us, he introduces an idea of compassion that is not seen very often … Continue reading Tolerate Ignorance
The Reflections of a Stoic
Meditations is a work by Marcus Aurelius, the Roman Emperor from 161 to 180 AD. It is a collection of letters written by Aurelius in his common place book, a journal where he wrote his important thoughts and reflections so that he could return to them and always be cognizant of the lessons life had provided … Continue reading The Reflections of a Stoic
Owning Our Mistakes
Fred Kiel gives a few examples of what it means to be a great leader for a company in his book, Return on Character, where he focuses on the ties between strong moral values, success, and leadership. One of the examples he gives of what it means to be a leader who focuses on ethical … Continue reading Owning Our Mistakes
Compiling a Coherent Life Story
One characteristic that high performing and morally focused CEOs have in common is an understanding of their life story and the events that happened in their life, shaping them into the people they are today. This idea is a cornerstone part of Fred Kiel’s book Return on Character. Kiel researched successful companies and CEOs trying … Continue reading Compiling a Coherent Life Story
Personal Change
Author Fred Kiel advocates for self-awareness and and the development of strong moral character traits among leaders in business throughout his book Return on Character. Kiel spends time explaining the ways in which leaders with strong values, who truly care about the people they work with and providing real value for the people they serve, bring … Continue reading Personal Change