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The Stoics tell us that without a plan, we are unable to make clear decisions and know whether we should say yes or no to an action. The Stoics call this oiesis or false conceptions.

Seneca writes, “Let all your efforts be directed to something, let it keep that end in view. It’s not activity that disturbs people, but false conceptions of things that drive them mad.” [On Tranquility of Mind, 12.5]

Other examples of this are from Robert Greene in his book, “The 48 Laws of Power” or Steven Covey’s book, “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People”.

Marcus Aurelius tells us that there are three big disciplines of Stoicism. There are others as well, but we could spend days listing and talking about them.

In his personal journal, Marcus tells us, “All you need are these: certainty of judgement in the present moment; action for the common good in the present moment; and an attitude of gratitude in the present moment for anything that comes your way.” [Meditations 9.6]

We should take the following parts of Stoicism with us every day into every decision we make:

• control our perception
• direct our actions properly
• willingly accept what’s outside our control

That is all we need to do.

One thing that the Stoics are known for is saying ‘no’ to the the things that don not matter to us. It is a hard but very important thing to do.

Seneca tells us via On the brevity of life about people who “have laid waste to your life when you weren’t aware of what you were losing, how much was wasted in pointless grief, foolish joy, greedy desire, and social amusements – how little of your own was left to you.” [3.3b]

So what does saying ‘no’ do? It allows us to say ‘yes’ to the things that really matter to let us live and enjoy life, and live the life that we want to live.

Knowledge — self-knowledge in particular — is freedom.

So what is the reason I am learning Stoicism in 2026? Well I want to learn about being free, free of the the things holding me back from life.

So what do the Stoics say about freedom and learning? Epictetus says “we should not trust the masses who say only the free can be educated, but rather the lovers of wisdom who say that only the educated are free.” [Discourses 2.1.21-23a]

So why am I learning Stoicism? Well I’m looking to be educated in a way that allows me to experience freedom. So while I think that watching a television show or movie can be freedom, a better use of my time and achieving freedom is reading or studying philosophy.

Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

The most important practice in Stoicism is being able to recognise the difference between things we have power over and those we do not. What we have influence over and what we do not.

As Epictetus tells us from Discourses, our chief task is “to identify and separate matters so that I can say clearly to myself which are externals not under my control, and which have to do with the choices I actually control.” [2.5.4-5]

A good reminder of this Stoic practice is the Serenity Prayer. So this is a good opportunity to take it on board as we learn Stoicism throughout 2026.