Seneca: 5 Secrets That Will Keep You Going When the Going Gets Rough

Stoics lived a thousand lives, and we struggle to live even “one.”

Every Stoic stood the test of trials:

• Seneca: exiled and had death threats
• Marcus Aurelius: Antonine plague
• Epictetus: born as an enslaved person, banished, never wrote anything

Though Seneca was intelligent, he couldn’t predict the intentions of others toward him. Historians label it as “innocence.”

Nero, his student, and Caligula, the emperor, were jealous of Seneca’s intelligence and tried to execute him. Seneca’s life wasn’t a bed of roses, but he kept going.

Seneca did not adopt a Nihilistic attitude towards life — he advocated for embracing life experiences and persisting through challenges. For Seneca, life is difficult, but stopping and quitting secures nothing. As the old saying goes:

“If your life is hell, why do you want to stay in the same spot?”

Forget the uncontrollable subjects such as hiking prices of fuels, inflation, and family crises, and focus on what you can control. Rather than being called a victim, Seneca wanted to be called the “intelligent one,” and that’s how he revised his life.

Seneca lived through sorrow, drama, and pain. But even two millennia later, Seneca's wisdom is perfectly transparent through his teachings and guidance.

Let’s learn five secrets to keep you going when time gets tough. Let’s get started.

1. Have a clear goal

Seneca believes we’re more frightened than hurt.

We often ask ourselves:

• What if this happens?
• What should I do?

Instead of reasoning, we start thinking of plan B, consistency plans, etc.

That’s not because we don’t trust ourselves but fail to consider each plan fully. As Seneca believes:

“No wind is favorable if one does not know to which port one is sailing.”

You must have a clear idea. Don’t be frightened by cake batter, gluten, or sugar when baking a birthday cake.

We’re frightened of the wrong things. Do you know why? Because we don’t have the right experience.

History always repeats itself. Karma always repeats itself. If you are lost, read books and follow historians because there’s a 90% chance that what you’re suffering right now is a solvable problem.

The least dead people (historians) can do right now is to help you! Take the benefit.

2. Think it through

Your problem was not a mistake:

• Your boyfriend leaving you was not a mistake
• You could never make it to the military was not a mistake

It was meant to be. Maybe you didn’t accept the signs before because you were too busy designing your own interpretation.

The sun, stars, and constellations are not your enemy — but your friend. These celestial bodies want to teach you and prepare you for good to come. As Seneca says:

“No man was ever wise by chance.”

Whatever happened was intentional. These outbursts prepare you for the wars in life.

Every time you’re on the ground -- hurt and injured, collect the bounty from the ground and start moving along the way. You have yet to cover life and make up for the wisdom you have in mind.

Many people aren’t even wise.

But you’re. Make some use of it.

3. Keep your bravery intact

We’re the descendants of the same beings who lived alongside multiple religions, were tribe/clan leaders, and were strong enough to let go of their family members because of some disease that wasn’t discovered until the 1900s — so much pain and hurt.

Scientists believe our abilities are fading since we’re not the same hunter-gatherer-nomadic humans who would climb a cliff to extract fruits or chew wild nuts like a pro-macho man.

Right now, humans are born with weaker jaws and short height.

The point remains: we’re descendants of those who fought until dawn to afford a glass of water.

According to them, Seneca believes:

“He who is brave is free.”

Earn your freedom.

Summon the courage to overcome the challenges of the trial. Life is never fair to anyone, and crying doesn’t help.

Always remember that people only reach the point of guiding people when they’re done fighting with their own shadows.

You can only help someone after you’ve helped yourself.

4. Nothing works unless you do

This quote is always a heated one:

“A sword never kills anybody; it is a tool in the killer’s hand.”

Hear me out: a sword is just one representation of a harmful tool. We have pocket knives, bottle openers, knives, and cutters, which are close to harming us too.

Objects like swords and knives do nothing except exist. Similarly is the opinion of others.

Their task is to exist. Affirm and move on when someone tells you, hurts you, or gives you bad suggestions.

You are the master of your brain — you have the key. Perhaps, don’t let evil thoughts or people enter it. In other words, allow your brain to become a filter to refine evil thoughts and, in turn, make them positive.

Remember that negative people’s thoughts do nothing except exist, so leave these thoughts on the doormat.

Don’t let anyone rent space in your head.

5. To evolve, change is a must

There’s no reason why:

• Someday we’d wake up and realize there’s a different alphabet included in A-Z.
• Or perhaps, an extra planet was introduced into the solar system.

The world is subject to change. Necessarily, as scientists and thinkers dig deeper into things, they make theories and propose environmental modifications.

These changes shouldn’t harm us. Though these changes may provide direction, we must adapt and continue to live no matter what. As Seneca said:

“As long as you live, keep learning how to live.”

There’s no bulletproof way to live your life. Living 101 is a lie. Living standards work out for everyone differently.

Find out what works for you. What do you want to be?

And if you can’t, stay on the right path through books, positivity, and exercise. The right will come to you.

Final thoughts:

Seneca wasn’t an ordinary “doer” — he talked the talk and walked the walk, says Eric Kim.

His strategies are proven, backed by his life experience.

Stoics weren’t famous because they were ordinary beings. This is because they lived the life of 1000s in a single lifetime. You and me, we don’t even live the life of 1.

Stoics resonate with millions. WE? I don’t think we’re anywhere near that number.

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