Marcus Aurelius: 4 Powerful Habits To Make Your Time in This World Less Complicated
Starve the ugly thoughts, feed your habits.
Marcus Aurelius Antoninus was a warrior, despite being Antoninus Pius’ adoptive son.
(Put yourself in the shoes of Marcus Aurelius, and if being adopted makes you feel bad, you need mental rewiring.)
Not all of us are fighters. Some of us are healers.
The world is a balanced scaffold of fighters, healers, and caretakers. Most of us use violence to take care of things. In contrast, some of us communicate politely.
Marcus Aurelius was a fighter. He had to be.
In 121 AD, people either opted for warfare training or chose upon their deaths. Teenagers went to battlefields to learn sword skills and make a reputable living.
When some teenagers excelled, some quietly stayed in the room, praying the battle practice didn’t pivot into a reality. Marcus Aurelius fought the battle with Germans and Sarmatians alongside his stepfamily and ungrateful citizens.
(Truth: Marcus Aurelius embraced.)
Marcus never let his unworthy feelings take over his mind. The reason why he achieved excellence is that he had a complete takeover over his mind and heart.
Your mind is a sum of your thoughts and routines. Pull the habits in the right place, and the equations fall in line.
Below are four habits as preached by Marcus Aurelius to transform your life.
Habit 1: The cunning
You don’t need to become a yogi or tarot card expert to predict the future. Align your mentality with the universe.
- Mental alignment+ knowledge= cunning.
As Marcus Aurelius believed:
“Look back over the past, with its changing empires that rose and fell, and you can foresee the future too.”
History repeats itself. We’re the generation of people who fought wars to have their rights.
All of us have an “instinct” in our life. Your gene is proof of that.
In other words, you already know whatever you need to know. The confusion and thoughts are occupying your brain. You’re overwhelmed. Lift the veil of confusion.
Action step:
- Algebra trains your mind
- Pythagoras’ theorem furnishes your mental capacity
- History predicts the future
Whatever you’ve been taught, use it to practice. Use history (information) and maths (dates) to predict the future.
Universe has its plotholes. Find the loopholes, and you’ll understand the cycle.
It takes time and patience to see the mockery of nature. Once you’ve got practice (like me), intuition becomes a piece of the pie.
Habit 2: Deep thinking
Marcus Aurelius was one of the five good emperors of Rome.
Because he wasn’t:
- A lavish person
- Didn’t make mistakes
- He was kind and just
Now tell me, who doesn’t make a mistake? Even philanthropists do.
But Aurelius believed:
“Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth.”
With thorough thinking, everything falls into place. Remember that every problem occurs to/from humans, which means your human brain can solve it.
Use your brain to think of right and wrong. It’s better to consider before deciding than to fumble after it.
Employ your effort in the right place.
Action step:
Everyone has a different way of thinking.
Marcus Aurelius:
- Mediated
- Enjoyed time with nature
- Wrote and read
These three habits were enough for him to think deeply. You can add more practices such as playing sports, praying, meeting with the right people, etc.
Cleanse your brain and make it the perfect stop for deep thinking.
This way, you won’t suffer changing yourself into the shoes of a deep thinker.
Habit 3: Reflection
Other than pointing sticky fingers at other people, find your flaws.
Why?
- It hurts when you’re unaware of your flaws and someone uses them against you.
Be realistic. Everyone has imperfections. Instead of concealing, accept and own it.
As Marcus Aurelius said:
“Waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be. Be one.”
When you find out that the other person talks too much, misbehave, or eats inappropriately, are you doing it well?
It takes “one” backfire comment to ruin your reputation. Instead, reflect on your mistakes and mishaps.
What are your faults?
Action step:
- Step 1: find your fault
- Step 2 (a): try to fix it
- Step 2 (b): talk about it
- Step 3: make it seem ordinary
If you hide your flaws, people will find joy in bringing them up.
Don’t gossip about people. Don’t articulate anything terrible when your friend’s group are dishing.
Expect nature to behave accordingly. Become assured that nobody will lay a hand on you.
Or if anyone unveils your secret, say:
“I’ve never thought about you like this — it’s a shame your heart and personality display two different sides.”
Habit 4: Know the right timing
“When” is a killer.
Killings happened because the time was either imperfect or people were at the right place at the wrong time.
Timing is never perfect.
Time seems like a boy suffering from trauma. For the time, there’s no specific minute.
Not just limited to the battlefields, we must know when to rest and depart our thoughts from this world. Keep yourself sane using the correct time method.
As Marcus Aurelius says:
“It is in your power to withdraw yourself whenever you desire. Perfect tranquility within consists in the good ordering of the mind, the realm of your own.”
Before universal strains take over you, give yourself a break. People who turn to depression and trauma often miss their ringing bells and deadlines — don’t join them.
Action step:
Your mind is a sacred place.
Taking breaks allows you to dump your memories and lean your brain. A machine cannot work for 24 hours. If your mind is too tired, it will never give you the right time.
For that, maintain a habit or routine.
For Marcus Aurelius:
- Wake up early in the morning
- Learning skills and solving problems
- Spending time meditating
- Journal and plan for a day ahead
Keep a continuous time frame. This way, you’ll have an ideal dusting hour to introduce calmness.
For that, respect the time.
Final thoughts:
It’s an honor to live a life like a king.
You’re a king to your family, friends, and followers. Your routine is your sharp sword.
When most promises and future leaves, your mind and routine (sword) remain faithful to you.
He made his everyday count. That’s why he is still alive today, in books and practices.
Are you even doing what it takes to be remembered?
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