Month: August 2026

Maxims From Three Wise Men – The Daily Stoic – Part 23 of 366

“For any challenge we should hold three thoughts at our command: ‘Lead on God and Destiny, To that Goal fixed for me long ago. I will follow and not stumble; even if my will is weak I will soldier on.”

— Cleanthes

“Whoever embraces necessity count as wise, skilled in divine matters.”

— Euripides

“If it pleases the gods, so be it. They may well kill me, but they can’t hurt me.”

— Plato’s Crito and Apology

— Epictetus, Enchiridion, 53

If one believes in destiny then there is no such thing as an event going contrary to plan. If you believe in a deity this may be an easy thought to stomach, but how does one square the idea of destiny otherwise?

As the book says, these quotes all are wisdoms compiled by Epictetus to demonstrate tolerance, flexibility, and acceptance. Regardless of your beliefs, these are enduring stoic concepts that can be applied to any and all events. If you approach each happening with this frame, then the concept of destiny actually takes shape regardless of your beliefs. An event may be random, challenging, painful, and yet it is uniquely yours the same as an event that may be pleasing or fortuitous. Is it reasonable to consider oneself deserving of the good events without also deserving the bad?

Zooming out slightly, I recently read The End of Everything (Astrophysically Speaking) by Katie Mack which was excellent. In it she explores the various was the Universe eventually ends according to astrophysics. As part of this is a sobering realization — no matter what, the party doesn’t go on forever. It is literally written into the rules of the Universe. The only question is how the party ends, and humanity will have vanished long before we arrive at any conclusion.

In a sense, this is our destiny. Humanity, yes, but also… well, everything. What choice is there but to accept this fate? It cannot be changed, at least not with any knowledge we now possess. And even if we could, why would we? Who are we to rewrite the rules of the Universe even if such a thing is possible.

This ventures into the territory of nihilism and absurdism, but I find it quite compatible with what Epictetus highlights here. We must accept that at the grandest of scales, it really isn’t up to us at all what happens. Perhaps it is our fate, our destiny, to party with the Universe and enjoy the ride as best we can taking each day as it is given.

Four Habits Of The Stoic Mind – The Daily Stoic – Part 22 of 366

Our rational nature moves freely forward in its impressions when it:

  1. accepts nothing false or uncertain;
  2. directs its impulses only to acts for the common good;
  3. limits its desires and aversions only to what’s in its own power;
  4. embraces everything nature assigns it.

— Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, 8.7

Your mind and thoughts are a product of what you put into them. This has never been more true in the era of the almighty algorithms that manage the infinite content machine on our behalf. Something I have come to realize is that for the important things to stick you need to revisit them as Marcus Aurelius does here. He knows these facts, and yet he chooses to reiterate them in his own journal for an audience consisting solely of himself. This is actually as powerful as the habits he outlines. Every time you read Meditations you will derive new meaning and insights than before simply because you now have new problems, challenges, and perspective.

Excellence is often a matter of habit, and that includes excellence of thought. This is the power of a journal, daily affirmations, and similar habits. Seed your mind with the thoughts and frameworks you need on a frequent basis. Never hesitate to revisit a book or passage just to marinate in the nutrients they offer.

Of these four lines, at this moment in time, I connect most with line four. Embrace what nature has in store for you. This has been a tumultuous year for many reasons, and it has been an extreme challenge to consider what was meant to be. Stay open to change, for it comes for you regardless. All you can do is decide how to react and manage what is within your control.