Stillness is the Key

 

I recently read the book Stillness is the Key by Ryan Holiday. It is a great book by the author who continues writing about stoic philosophy.  In this fast paced world, where technology changes by the minute, we find ourselves hoping from one distraction to the next. Ryan Holiday advocates for moments of quiet or stillness, where you can step back, reflect , analyze before moving forward. You can grab the book by clicking this link Buy Stillness is the Key. Otherwise, below are some of the insights I gathered while reading the book.

Summum Bonum

The stoics believe virtue is the highest good i.e the summum bonum. Summum bonum is a Latin expression meaning the highest or ultimate good, which was introduced by the Roman philosopher Cicero to denote the fundamental principle on which some system of ethics is based — that is, the aim of actions, which, if consistently pursued, will lead to the best possible life.

We must hold ourselves accountable and have a strong moral code that we will die for. As it is often said, you either stand up for something or fall for everything. By having a strong moral code, you have a standard that you must uphold in your daily life no matter will be thrown at you. With a strong moral code, living a life of virtue will be much easier.

Beware desire

“Only the disciplined ones are free in life. If you aren't disciplined, you are a slave to your moods. You are a slave to your passions. That's a fact.” Eliud Kipchoge

A person who is a slave to his urges is not free says the author. Most desires at their core , irrational emotions hence the need for stillness. If wanting something makes you miserable when you don't have it, doesn't that diminish the value of the reward?

Enough.

"History relates no instance in which a conqueror has been surfeited with conquests" - Stefan Zweig

The best moment of your life is when you realize you have enough and stop chasing achievements, material possessions etc. There is no stillness in the chasing but there is when you're satisfied with what you have. This often very hard to do especially if you have worked very hard for it and you get caught up in the process of achieving more and more.

There is something that I learnt in business when I was in high school and that is, Human wants can never be satisfied. I think at the core, this is what fuels capitalism.

Enter Relationships

Find a partner who you can share your struggles, wins, trauma etc. A partner can help you where you are lacking. After all, no human is an island as we are all social creatures. In this day and age, even though we are more connected than ever and the world is a global village, most of us are still lonely. We miss that personal connection that you cannot get through social media. Corona has made that even worse with the social distancing for the single folk. As for some of the married folks I know, it has led to deepening of their bonds.

Conquer your Anger

"He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty,

And he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city." - Proverbs 16:32 

This hearkens back to controlling your emotions. A person who has mastery of his emotions including anger, is a free man. At the insertion points( the gap between stimulus and response), we must think of what we are about to do and the consequences that follow our actions. Often, the actions we do after we are angry leads to trouble down the road and creates bad blood between people.

Taking a pause at the insertion and reflecting on what you feel and are about to do can prevent a lot of silly problems later on. At the insertion point, we must realize that you're feeling angry and the action you are to do will be regretful.

Say No

You have to stop and think before you act. Most problems can be easily solved if we are just patient with ourselves, stop and think about the problem. This moment of thinking or void allows a moment of stillness. At this point, you are relaxed and can think clearly about solving a given problem.

The author says that our best and most lasting works comes from when we take things slow. When we pick our shots and wait for the right pitches.

Build A Routine

"A master is in control. A master has a system. A master turns the ordinary into the sacred. And so must we" - Ryan Holiday

A good routine is the bedrock for a successful life. The routine will enable you do what you have to do almost on autopilot. A routine provides structure in this chaotic world. Actually, routine gives you freedom and peace of mind as you know you are doing this that will propel you forward.

"When the body is busy with the familiar, the mind can relax" - Ryan Holiday

To build effective routines, I recommend the books The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg and The 5 AM Club by Robin Sharma.

Thank you for reading all the way to end. I hope this review adds value to your life. If you have any comments or suggestions, please let me know in the comment section below.