Mindset Matters
Lately, I’ve been reading Meditations by Marcus Aurelius. It’s one of the best books I’ve ever read. If you don’t know, Marcus Aurelius was a Roman Emperor and a Stoic. Stoics believed in virtue and are seen as very serious with an ability to endure pain and struggle with great patience.
The things you think about determine the quality of your mind. – Marcus Aurelius pg. 59
Often, we fail to consider the role of our mind in our health, outlook, and daily lives. We allow countless ideas, thoughts, voices, narratives, and views to enter our minds. We focus and fret on things that have no real value and or impact in our day-to-day lives. We are consumed with news, weather, sports, and even politics, when much of it has little effect on how we live.
I have one family member, who I love dearly (my niece’s husband Ben). He is an avid, might I say, rabid sports guy. He loves all things sports, but is consumed with college football. He often makes this statement as he prepares to watch Saturday football, “My mood for the next 48 hours is completely dependent on the athletic performance of a bunch of 18–20-year-olds.” While it’s a funny statement, most of us live in a world where things like sports or other happenings, of little or no consequence, influence how we live our lives, see the world, treat others, and even react to those we love the most.
Men like Marcus Aurelius remind us that our thoughts determine the quality of our minds. What you let in and what you focus on is up to you. You control and determine what you think about. For many Stoics, the key was in the ability to control the mind. It was critical to understand that your mindset shouldn’t be controlled by your circumstances or surroundings. In fact, Marcus Aurelius, said this,
“Stop letting your emotions override what your mind tells you, stop being hypocritical, self-centered, and irritable.” – Marcus Aurelius – Meditations – pg. 18
In other words, you need to control your mind. We need to learn the art and discipline of focusing and controlling our minds. When we learn to discipline our minds, we’re able to live more disciplined lives. We’re able to live into the best versions of ourselves.
Yet, you and I know that is easier said than done. Too often, we allow our emotions, circumstances, the news, sports, politics, our families, friends, health, and even strangers dictate our mindset. We fail to realize just how important it is for us to reign in our mind. Marcus goes on to say this as well,
“Stop allowing your mind to be a slave, to be jerked about by selfish impulses, to kick against fate and the present, and to mistrust the future.” – Marcus Aurelius – Meditations – pg. 17
When our mind is slave to our circumstances, it’s easy to feel dark about the future. It’s easy to find ourselves anxious and worried when we let our mind wander and aimlessly venture into the “what if’s” of life. Controlling our mind requires discipline, intentionality, and surrounding ourselves with the best people. If you live in a world where everyone and everything is negative, it is easy to move in the same direction, to see the world as hopeless and lost. Yet, choosing to surround ourselves with positive, uplifting people has the ability to move us in the same direction.
There are ways to control your mindset. There are disciplines and hacks that allow you to see the world in a different view. Choose the best for your mind. Choose to move past the emotional swings, fear, anxiety, and away from the negative people.
A healthy mind allows you to not just survive the obstacles of life, but enables you to overcome the most difficult moments.
Choose the BEST!!! – Marcus Aurelius