Happiness and Freedom. Stoicism and Entrepreneurship, the Parallel.

[SnowLava]

For example, you're not angry that you can't fly, because you correctly perceive that this isn't under your control. But you are angry that you're not rich: because you perceive that this is in your control.

This was a nice and unique insight. Something that I have noticed in my real life.

I personally lean towards agreeing with you, but a hardcore Stoic would say that you can't give up control over something that you don't control to begin with. Whether your tennis serve lands inside your opponent's court isn't something that you control. Factually it's not. Who knows, maybe a gust of wind blows exactly when you serve and it makes it land outside.

So all that you control is how you serve: focusing on your technique and executing what you've done in practice so many times to the best of your ability. A Stoic would say that you can control whether you win a tennis match or not is inaccurate, and it is this belief that makes you get angry when you lose. Your focus should be on playing the best tennis, NOT on winning, since winning isn't something you can control, but playing your best tennis is.

Most people don't understand the dichotomy of control... it's not prescriptive, it doesn't tell you how you SHOULD behave, it tells you how you DO in fact behave. The Stoic theory of mind suggests that it is impossible to get angry over something that you do NOT perceive as being under your control. For example, you're not angry that you can't fly, because you correctly perceive that this isn't under your control. But you are angry that you're not rich: because you perceive that this is in your control.

So the dichotomy of control isn't about you CHOOSING whether something is in your control or not. It's about how that belief will impact your emotions. And if you want to change that impact, you need to change how you reason about it. Another example: if someone perceives that getting rich isn't in their control, then they will not be angry that they're not rich. Anger will simply be impossible for them to experience with regards to wealth.

So if the Stoic sees someone who is angry that they're not wealthy, they will tell them to look at the dichotomy of control. Not in the sense of suggesting that they can CHOOSE not to be angry (the stoics didn't believe this), but in the sense that they should re-assess whether being wealthy is in their control or not. And the Stoics would say it's not. Hence feeling angry that you're poor is stupid.

My thoughts as to why I disagree with stoicism are here:

MINDSET - Thoughts on Stoicism?

I read some negative things about it on here and was a bit confused. I started reading a book on it and managed to apply the knowledge to better control and redirect my (negative) emotions. For example, I was scared to shit for a piano performance (200+ people) and applied a technique (which I...

www.thefastlaneforum.com

Yep saw that thread right after I had replied in this thread. I completely agree with you 100%. Even Nietzsche has said the same things about stoicism. Anyway, if I may ask, what philosophy do you follow that is actually congruent with 'success mindset'?

 

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[Black_Dragon43]

This was a nice and unique insight. Something that I have noticed in my real life.

Yep saw that thread right after I had replied in this thread. I completely agree with you 100%. Even Nietzsche has said the same things about stoicism. Anyway, if I may ask, what philosophy do you follow that is actually congruent with 'success mindset'?

I have found no philosophy congruent with the success mindset as you call it. I was discussing this with @WillHurtDontCare in the other thread too.

One of the biggest gaps imo is that there isn’t such a philosophy for ambitious people out there. We have people like Jordan Peterson who are systematic, but they have a philosophy that doesn’t work lol. And then we have people like Andrew Tate, who aren’t systematic and don’t really have a coherent philosophy at all, but give bits and pieces of useful advice.

So that means a young Alexander can find no ready-made philosophy fit for their character.

 

[Kevin88660]

I am going to start and end this thread with the same question. How has philosophy helped you?

Not long ago, my college-old interest in philosophy had been rekindled. With a specific focus on Stoicism. This occurred about the same time I started becoming interested in entrepreneurship. Was this a coincidence? I think not. I would venture to guess that the same thing happend to you when you started your expedition into the Fastlane.

Many business, motivational, and self-help books are written with philosophical undertones. Now more than ever, people are starting to recognize the importance of philosophy and how it can help them achieve happiness and purpose in life. In modern day, you hear Tim Ferriss and Ryan Holiday talk about it. Sports teams using it. And even the military teaching it. Prominent members of society like George Washington, James Stockdale, Theodore Roosevelt, and many others were practicing Stoics.

I’ve been practicing and studying Stoicism for two years now and have noticed that there are many aspects of Stoicism that seem to translate to success in business and life.

To name a few parallels:

• Accepting loss- Money, time, health, relationships are all things that we do not own, therefore they can be taken away from us at any point in time. It is important that we accept that loss is part of life. The quicker we can come back from a loss, the sooner we can come back stronger and ready to accomplish more.
  
  
• Using reason and not emotion- When making decisions in your business, it is important to use your better judgement and not let your emotions get in the way.
  
  
• Helping fellow man- All of us are trying to solve a problem by creating a product or service. Doing so helps the entire human race. We are here to do the work of humans, and that work is to help other humans.
  
  
• Bettering yourself- It is important that you exercise, eat well, and nurture your mind. Doing this helps you help your fellow man.
  
  
• Valuing time- Next to health, many say that time is our most valuable resource and we should spend it wisely.
  
  
• Discipline- Quite obvious how this applies to starting a business.

False perception
When you think what is means to be Stoic, you think of someone who is; robotic and emotionless. But what you are thinking of is actually being stoic (with a lowercase “s”). The two are very different. Someone who practices Stoicism as a philosophy is actually a very happy person (outwardly). That is because Stoicism is the art of minimizing negativity in your life.

We first started down this road by asking ourselves the same question. How do I obtain freedom?

We may have even convinced ourselves that If we can obtain freedom, then we will be happy.

But the truth is, you must learn to be happy before you can achieve freedom. Otherwise no amount of money, cars, or babes with help you.

When you can be happy in any situation, then you are truly free.

Happiness is internal
Whether we recognize it or not, we search for freedom in everything external when we should be looking for freedom and happiness internally. If you you are telling yourself “If _____ happens, then I will be happy” you are going about it all wrong. All too often we get _____ or achieve ____ and are still not happy.

Take notice of when successful forum members talk about “enjoying the process.” This is what it means to learn to be happy, not matter what.

Your philosophy of life directly correlates with how you think, reason, and make everyday decisions.

This way of thinking has helped me come back from my many failures stronger and faster with each failure. It has helped me appreciate the process more, and makes me more willing to take on bigger challenges.

How has philosophy helped you in your life and business?

Conclusion: Stoicism may or may not be for you, that doesn’t really matter. What matters is that having a philosophy will help you have a purpose in life and could be your key to happiness.

I would think of myself as an empiricist and consequentialist.

I also believe in the importance of being self-critical. If we don’t have the ability to question what we believe to be true that we become incapable of learning.

Old ideas must be changed as new evidence surface.

But it is more like attitudes and mindsets rather than philosophy. In my mind philosophy is like really deep stuff. Classical philosopher like Kant or modern day Leo Strauss who influenced many of the modern day politicians in U.S.