Some Simple Rules

The Daily Stoic for July 12th. “Some Simple Rules”.

“In your actions, don’t procrastinate. In your conversations, don’t confuse. In your thoughts, don’t wander. In your soul, don’t be passive or aggressive. In your life, don’t be all about business.”
—MARCUS AURELIUS, MEDITATIONS, 8.51

These may look like easy to follow rules, but I think they are not. As humans, we are all vulnerable to confusion, to letting our mind wander around, or let ourselves be carried away by strong emotions sometimes. While stoicism can help you to certain exempt, we are not perfect creatures.

However, in my view, the most difficult one for micropreneurs may be the last one.

Some Simple Rules?

In your life, don’t be all about business. That’s a difficult one to follow for me, and I guess the same is true for a lot of us.

That’s only natural. As a solopreneur, your business plays an important part in your life. Especially in its initial stages, you need to devote a lot of work and energy to make it work. During these periods, it’s easy to be absorbed into it. The excitement, all the effort required to get things running… In a way, you become your business.

I think we all can agree that has happened to all of us sometime.

That’s why I think today’s stoic meditation is a wise warning for all of us. We should separate our business from ourselves. We need to enjoy life, go for a walk, relax, meditate, have some drinks with our beloved ones… We can’t forget to live or postpone our lives until our business is up and running.

Conclusion

Today’s Daily Stoic, “Some Simple Rules”, advises us to follow some simple rules for our lives. I think the last one, “In your life, don’t be all about business” is the most relevant one for micropreneurs.