The Daily Stoic - The One (or Two) Words To Live By

Episode Date: January 28, 2019

Confucius was once asked by a student if there was a single word to to live by, a word that would always provide guidance and truth. He thought about it for a minute and replied with the word chu, which translates roughly into “forbearance.”This is interesting because Epictetus was once asked which words would help a person live a life of peace and goodness. The two words, he said, were ἀνέχου (bear) and ἀπέχου (forbear). (Another translation puts it at: Persist and Resist). Again, it’s remarkable how two wise men living in the ancient world some 5,000 miles apart from each other, raised in different cultures and very different circumstances, speaking very different languages, in very different philosophies, could come to express the same concept. But that’s why we must take it to heart. There is universality in their simple formula (though it’s not an easy one): We resist giving in, resist temptation, resist despair, and resist degradation. We persist in our efforts, we persist in trying to be a good example for others, we persist in our training, we persist despite the obstacles thrown at us. The definition of forbearance perfectly captures both those ideas: Patient self-control. That’s our aim. Forever and always.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hey, prime members, you can listen to the Daily Stoke podcast early and add free on Amazon music. Download the app today. Welcome to the Daily Stoke. For each day, we read a short passage designed to help you cultivate the strength, insight, wisdom necessary for living the good life. insight, wisdom necessary for living good life. Each one of these passages is based on the 2000-year-old philosophy that has guided some of history's greatest men and women. For more, you can visit us at dailystowach.com. The One or Two Words to Live by. Confucius was once asked by a student if there was a single word to live by. A word that would always provide guidance and truth. He thought about it for a minute and

replied with the word, too, which translates roughly into four barons. This is interesting because Epic Titus was once asked which words would help a person live a life of peace and goodness. The two words, he said, were bear and forebear. Another translation puts it, at persist and resist. Again, it's remarkable how two wise men living in the ancient world, thousands of miles apart from each other, raised in different cultures in very different circumstances,

speaking very different languages and very different philosophies could come to express the same concept. But that's why we must take it to heart. There is universality in their simple formula that's not an easy one. We resist giving in, resist temptation, resist despair, and resist degradation. We persist in our efforts, we persist in trying to be a good example for others. We persist in our training. We persist despite the obstacles thrown at us. The definition of forbearance perfectly captures both those ideas, patient, self-control.

That's our aim forever and always. If you like the podcast that we do here and you want to get it via email every morning, you can sign up at dailystowoc.com slash email. slash email. Hey, prime members. You can listen to the Daily Stoic early and ad free on Amazon Music, download the Amazon Music app today, or you can listen early and ad free with Wondery Plus in Apple podcasts. and Apple podcasts.