How to Think Like a Roman Emperor: The Stoic Philosophy of Marcus Aurelius
by Donald J. Robertson
Related videos
24:20
Host interprets stoic philosophy in terms of being our best selves
17K
407
Sep, 2020
Spoiler:
The video’s creator makes a point to distinguish between philosophers who are more like “librarians” and the stoic philosophers, who were more like warriors; this means they practiced their philosophy instead of just thinking about it. He busts a myth around common interpretations of the word “stoic” by clarifying that the stoics had no problem with joyful, positive emotions, but that they saw no place in life for negative emotions. The more we pursue being the best version of ourselves, the more we experience “stoic joy.”
4:39
5 strategies for dealing with modern emotions, in animated format
6K
213
Aug, 2022
Spoiler:
The video’s creator chooses key concepts from the book and explains how we can apply them to our daily lives. He says his favorite is “cognitive distancing,” which is the idea that it’s not things that upset us but rather our judgment of and perception of those things; therefore, we should see problems as opportunities. Another concept is called “the view from above,” and means that we should look at our lives from a distance, as if we are looking down at ourselves from a mountaintop.
75:51
Host chats with author about stoics in video call format
5K
241
May, 2023
Spoiler:
The author emphasizes how fortunate we are to have a “treasure trove” of information on Marcus Aurelius, from his meditations to his legal records. Robertson speaks of Aurelius’s strengths as emperor, a job he approached with workaholic zeal and tremendous self-discipline, as opposed to others who had abused the position for their own pleasure. As a teen, Aurelius had lived with Emperor Hadrian during the last few months of his reign, during which Hadrian was allegedly tyrannical and served as a counterexample for the young future emperor.
1:29
The author does a short promo for book with images of ancient art
4K
44
Jan, 2019
Spoiler:
Noting that this book is not an introduction to stoic philosophy, the author says he wanted to write a book that would allow people to apply stoic concepts to their modern daily lives. He says the book intertwines the external story of Marcus Aurelius’s reign with the story of his inner psychological journey, as interpreted from the Roman leader’s meditations. The book gives strategies and tips for overcoming common problems such as anger management, difficulty in habit building, and dealing with anxiety.
Follow the author
Ask Albert:
Rate the book
⚡️ Find Out Even More Wisdom
"To anyone I’ve offended, I just want to say, I reinvented electric cars and I’m sending people to Mars in a rocket ship. Did you think I was also going to be a chill, normal dude?"
"The NASA managers and astronauts alike were in the grip of what they would later recognize as “‘Go’ Fever”—the desperate drive to push on toward a launch..."
“My biggest problem was that I had succeeded, at least in the pursuit of building my company. Where I had failed was with the rest of my life.”
"Often it is the outsider, unburdened by the past, who becomes the pattern-breaking person behind a pattern-breaking idea."
"The world of the past few decades has been the best it will ever be in our lifetime. Instead of cheap and better and faster, we’re rapidly transitioning into a world that’s pricier and worse and slower. Because the world—our world—is breaking apart."
"There are three things that create a reserve currency: a strong economy, a strong military, and an open capital account. The United States has all three, but its relative position is declining, while China's is rising."
"When you lift up women, you lift up humanity."
recommends
"When you think you're done, you're only at 40% of what your body is capable of doing. That's just the limit we put on ourselves."
"The key, though, is being aware of how you’re feeling and how you need to be feeling. It all starts with awareness."
"I still loved what I did. The turn of events at Apple had not changed that one bit. I had been rejected, but I was still in love. And so I decided to start over."
"I have nothing new to teach the world. Truth and nonviolence are as old as the hills."
"Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do."
"Seek a calling. Even if you don’t know what that means, seek it. If you’re following your calling, the fatigue will be easier to bear, the disappointments will be fuel, the highs will be like nothing you’ve ever felt."
"To be principled means to consistently operate with principles that can be clearly explained."
recommends
"The Blitz was not just a battle of bombs and buildings; it was a battle of wills, a test of endurance, a clash of values."
"It does not take a majority to prevail... but rather an irate, tireless minority, keen on setting brushfires of freedom in the minds of men."
"Fanatic discipline keeps 10X enterprises on track, empirical creativity keeps them vibrant, productive paranoia keeps them alive, and Level 5 ambition provides inspired motivation."
"All happy companies are different: each one earns a monopoly by solving a unique problem. All failed companies are the same: they failed to escape competition."