In our last +1, we talked about how to give advice Seneca-style. Recall that he didn’t do it from a soapbox. He did with the humility of a friend in the hospital bed next to you.
(Pop quiz: You practice that approach yesterday in any potential advice-giving?)
Continuing our Stoics-in-a-hospital theme, how about a parallel idea from Epictetus?
Recall that Epictetus was a former slave turned philosopher-teacher to Rome’s elite young noblemen. He had a great teaching style. Super intense. Funny. No nonsense.
In The Discourses, he tells us (via one of his students who did the actual writing; thank you, Arrian) that his lectures should feel more like a trip to the HOSPITAL than a trip to the SPA. (Laughing.)
In other words, Epictetus considered effective philosophy (and certainly effective teaching of Stoic philosophy) to feel more than a little uncomfortable.
We need to be willing to cut through the stuff that isn’t working. And, sometimes that feels more like surgery than a massage.
So, Today’s +1.
Anything in your life that could use a little surgical removal?
Awesome.
I’m over here in a matching gown wishing you luck with your procedure as I engage in mine!
(Let’s do this!!)
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