Marcus Aurelius: 8 Habits of Highly Motivated People (That Lead to Success)
Only dead people know the end of the war.
Marcus Aurelius believed we do injustice by doing nothing.
- you have no home: okay
- you have no job: okay
- you have no food: okay
You may blame someone for not getting a job. There’s a ton to say when we don’t want to work hard.
Blame-game is suitable for instant gratification. But in the long run, you must wake up and take the matter into your hands because no one can do it for you.
As per Stoics, working hard is not the only prospect for success. To succeed in life, people must be:
- motivated
- kind, a loyal human
- strategist
- positive person
In other words, being successful is a mixture of these five things. I am sure you and I don’t have all these qualities.
But it’s not that hard.
Marcus Aurelius wasn’t a born emperor — he learned the hard way. But the good news? You either know the hard way or genetically inherit the qualities. That’s why below are eight signs of motivated people you should copy.
1. Believer in the steps
I know you have been to school camps.
- here’s the thing: the commute was more exciting than the destination itself.
Marcus Aurelius asks you to love learning, growing, and exploring. As per him, you need two steps in your life to stay motivated:
“The first step: Don’t be anxious. Nature controls it all.
The second step is: Concentrate on what you have to do. Fix your eyes on it. But with kindness. With humility. Without hypocrisy.”
Anything is possible. The reason why you have an idea in the first place isn’t magic — it’s doable.
You have this vision, this dream planted into your heart for a reason. Unexplained goals might look foolish, but you must bring them to reality. Fix your eyes on the prize.
Because you, only you, know what that dream looks like.
2. Objective judgment
There are two types of judgment:
- subjective: something that exists in the mind of a person
- objective: unbiased, not influenced by an individual’s viewpoint
A great example of objective judgment is journalists and reporters. Reporters leave their opinions and reviews out of their statements and reports.
Marcus Aurelius believed that objective judgment is the key to becoming motivated and successful. He further says:
“Objective judgment, now, at this very moment. Unselfish action, now, at this very moment. Willing acceptance, now, at this very moment — of all external events. That’s all you need.”
Have clear facts in mind.
Refrain from confusing yourself with emotions, poor decision-making, or biased details.
Have clear thoughts.
3. The tortilla maker
From a middle-eastern background, my family has a high consumption of “Saj bread.”
Typically, every region around the world has its kind of bread:
- France: Baguette
- India: Roti
- Spain: Tortilla
- Middle east: Saj bread
My mom once told me: “make tortillas like you never count — like it’s your job to do so, and you’ll feel much pleasure.” In other words, she meant to do deeds like you’re meant for it.
Marcus Aurelius believed the same:
“When he has done a good act, a man does not call out for others to come and see, but he goes on to another show as a vine produces the grapes again in season.”
When you do a good deed, don’t be proud.
It’s your right to help others. Don’t go ahead and tell everyone how you assisted someone. You’re made to help others. And if you oppose this idea, imagine where you would be without the (help) of your teacher, parents, and friends.
Help is essential.
4. Label themselves
Southwest Journal believes:
“Find good adjectives/ verbs to describe yourself.”
Don’t limit this activity to interviews or resumes. Tell yourself how good you are when you’re alone at home.
As Marcus believed:
“When you have assumed these names — good, modest, truthful, rational, a man of equanimity, and magnanimous — take care that you do not change them, and if you should lose them, quickly return to them.”
Use the right words to describe yourself. For example:
I am:
- bad → healthy procrastinator
- emotional → empath
- overconfident → optimist
- mean → strategist thinker
- blunt → honest
What you call yourself explains a lot about you.
Call yourself with the right words. Don’t underestimate the power of labeling on good terms. Become your motivator.
5. Goes with the flow
Everything happens with the flow.
If you don’t believe me, ask a fisherman who goes into the river every day and comes back empty-handed sometimes. Not that there was a storm or fish migration, but sometimes things don’t work.
Airplanes, ships, and the medical industry undergo out-of-control situations, so they usually have damage control precautions ready. As Marcus says:
“Whatever happens to you has been waiting to happen since the beginning.”
Whatever wants to happen will happen. Life is like a storm — you get hurt if you try to stop it.
Life has been in control of you since you were a toddler, and you were unaware of good/bad stuff. Either way, you’re here — which means your life is not your enemy.
It took care of you when you were little. Why would life be your enemy now?
Tell me.
6. Born ready
My mom learned the mantra “Expect the opposite” from Marcus Aurelius:
“So I look for the best and am prepared for the opposite.”
You think John will bring you four apples, how about you expect one apple?
Expect the worst. Because then you have this advantage:
- surprise factor: if the person still manages to complete his task, you can be happy.
- no disappointment: John didn’t bring four apples for some reason, but you will still be happy.
I’ve learned to stop or expect less.
This, in turn, helps me to get along with people who’re too lazy to fulfill their promises. Some people are lethargic and take more time to complete their commitments.
That doesn’t mean they’re wrong.
7. thinks out of the box
I wouldn’t say I like this:
- My professor always told me: to think outside of the box.
- I sometimes wonder, do I even think inside of the box?
I think of everything besides the box, flowers, trees, the environment, etc.
Don’t worry — we all learn it. Start with the purpose in hand and your gift. Don’t be fooled by comfort zones or laziness. Rember that you’re here to make your name.
As Marcus believed:
“So you were born to feel “nice”? Instead of doing things and experiencing them? Don’t you see the plants, the birds, the ants, spiders, and bees going about their tasks, putting the world in order as best they can? Isn’t confining and narcissist.”
Bees produce honey. Spiders build webs.
Nobody told them to do so, but they’ve been doing it since they entered this world. There’s beauty in finding your fit and wedding it with your hard work.
Think outside of your comfort zone.
You’re made for something (I am sure).
8. Goes the extra mile
I have the best Medium friends: Yana Bostongirl, Fatunla Samuel, Boateng Sekyere, Dr. Preeti Singh, George J. Ziogas, and many more.
I sometimes read their stories and end up sharing my life suggestions. I am sure the comment gets too long, but I am happy I related the subject to my life experience.
Nobody judges you. I like to go the extra mile by thinking: what if this is my last comment on Medium?
This instantly makes me write a helpful comment.
Fear death. Fear fading away. Fear not being able to convey what’s in your heart.
As Marcus believed:
“Do every act of your life as though it were the very last act of your life.”
You may die (just) right now. If you think you’re immortal, remember all those who sailed into the Titanic and never returned.
The best quality of a motivating person is that he isn’t ashamed to take the extra mile.
It brings satisfaction.
Final thoughts:
Some people ask me: why do I share knowledge?
My answer: it helps me learn too. As Marcus believed: “The only wealth you will keep forever is the wealth you have given away.”
When you give away what you know, you make little space in your mind to learn more.
That’s the beauty of sharing.
Join 1,260+ writers and get your next writing inspiration right now.
Or join Medium with my referral link.
