The short answer is a resounding NO!

How do I know this ?

Because I'm using Stoic principles and tactics all the time in my day-to-day life.

"But isn't Stoicism a 2000+ years old philosophy -- what does it have to do with modern-day life?"

This philosophy was founded more than 2 centuries ago but its principles are timeless.

When Marcus Aurelius wrote about "distractions", he might've meant gladiatorial games or petty imperial court politics... but if you replace that with social media and binge-watching TV, it's like the Meditations were written last week!

But how do I actually apply Stoicism in my life, every single day? The important example is separating things that are in my control from those that aren't.

• The weather is bad? Ok.

• Your friend is really dumb? It's in your control to educate them. If you don't want to, stop complaining.

• Worried about kids in Africa being hungry? Go help them or donate to charities that help them. Crying because of this won't help anybody.

• You lost all your savings in the crypto market? Nobody forced you to take that bet. (Yes, crypto is still a gamble and I'm happy to take it.)

• The global pandemic utterly destroyed all your plans for 2020 & 2021? Either invent a cure for COVID-19 or stop whinning about it.

• Someone close to you died? It's sad but that's life, everyone will die eventually. (May sound a bit morbid until you realize this thought makes you live your life more fully.)

In fact, separating things in your control from those outside of it will probably solve at least 70% of your perceived problems. I'm not kidding. Try this if you're not already doing it.

Every time something upsets you (or otherwise influences your emotions in a negative way), ask yourself if this is in your sphere of control and whether you're willing to do anything about it.

If the answer to either of these questions is no, there is no point in thinking about it anymore.

"OMGG how else are you applying Stoicism in your life Filip?"

Well, you can always make use of the 4 Stoic virtues :

⚖️ Justice ➡ be fair & just to everyone

🦉 Wisdom ➡ learn to be wise

🦁 Courage ➡ take a risk every now and then

⚓ Temperance ➡ apply moderation to all things

With the focus-on-things-in-your-control principle and these 4 virtues, you're 90% there to being a perfect Stoic.

How do you get to 100%? You can't, nobody is perfect...

See you around,

Filip