💀 Dying Every Day
Dying Every Day (Stoicism in a Year) is a podcast by the Perennial Leader Project. Each episode turns a selected passage from Stoic philosophy into a guided meditation designed to help you (and me) learn how to live.
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Epictetus on being content
Welcome back to Dying Every Day (Stoicism in a Year). This is Day 98, and we’re exploring what it means to be content.
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The Stoic teacher Epictetus taught,
He who is discontented with what he has and with what has been granted to him by fortune is ignorant of the art of living, but he who bears that in a noble spirit and makes reasonable use of all that comes from it deserves to be regarded as a good man.
+ Adapted from Fragments
Epictetus emphasizes the significance of virtue, acceptance, and, you might say, appreciation. He observes that the source of dissatisfaction is not the reality of one’s life but rather a lack of understanding about how to live.
For the Stoics, the “art of living” consists of bringing one's desires into harmony with life, rather than continuously seeking to change reality to suit one's goals. We need to remember that we have limited control over most aspects of life. The Stoics often stress that we cannot control fate, chance, or external events.
Being free means living in accord with the eternal truths of life rather than resisting them. To quote Seneca, “A wise man is content with what he has, regardless of what it may be, without desiring what he has not.”
The path to being content lies within us. Epictetus advises us to focus on our thoughts, decisions, and actions rather than on external factors. Instead of attempting to manipulate fate, we should focus on conquering ourselves.
Reflection Prompt
Consider taking a few moments to reflect (or journal) on what it means to be content. You could ask yourself, “Where has discontent taken root in my life?” and/or “How can my dissatisfaction be reframed as an invitation to cultivate patience, courage, and gratitude?”
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Thank you for listening; I hope you found something useful.
Until next time, be wise and be well.
J.W.
P.S. I greatly appreciate your time, attention, and support!