Life-Changing Habit Techniques Taught by Stoic Philosophers: Overcoming Modern Stress with Ancient Wisdom
Conclusion: Goal setting that doesn't last can be improved with the Stoic philosophy habit technique of 'focusing on the process'.
Reason: By letting go of attachment to results and focusing on controllable actions, you eliminate feelings of frustration.
In this article, I will introduce ancient wisdom and three actions you can use right away.
Hello, I am Bunsho.
You vowed to 'change this year!' at the start of the year, but before you knew it, it was already the second half. The person reflected in the mirror hasn't changed at all from last year...
Are you falling into such self-loathing? I, too, was stuck in an infinite loop of setting goals every year only to forget them.
Like a gladiator begging for 'wait until tomorrow' even while covered in blood, we repeat the same days while making excuses like 'I'll do it tomorrow'.
What is the true nature of this never-ending battle? I found the answer in 2,000-year-old ancient philosophy.
About the Proponent
Ryan Holiday is an American bestselling author and thinker who has revived ancient Stoic philosophy as a modern life hack.
His activities are diverse, including providing advice to Google and NFL (professional American football league) teams.
Raised in a steady household with a police officer father and a principal mother, he sought guidance on how not to lose sight of 'what is truly important' in the chaotic modern society from a young age, and arrived at 2,000-year-old Stoic philosophy.
The habit techniques he proposes are based on the words of sages like Marcus Aurelius and Seneca, and they have the power to rewrite your life's OS, not just serve as mere techniques.
Why don't our resolutions last?
'Time flies (Tempus fugit).' As the ancient Romans said, time passes in the blink of an eye.
The problem is why only our resolution to 'change' gets left behind in time.
Mr. Holiday points out that the cause lies in 'being too obsessed with results.' The moment we set big goals like 'lose 10kg' or 'read 50 books,' we become overwhelmed by their enormity.
This is similar to the feeling of despair when facing a special-grade cursed spirit in Jujutsu Kaisen. Faced with such a powerful goal (=curse), our hearts lose the will to fight, thinking 'it's impossible anyway,' and we are defeated before we even take action.
Stoic philosophy teaches us an extremely practical way to break this curse.
3 Steps to Building 'Lasting Habits' with Ancient Wisdom
The core of Stoic philosophy is to distinguish between what you can control and what you cannot, and to focus only on the former.
Let's apply this way of thinking to habit-building techniques.
1. Focus on the process and forget the goal
First, translate the goals you have set from 'results' back into 'daily actions (processes)'.
Results include elements that are uncontrollable, like the weather, but actions can be controlled by your own will.
'Lose 10kg' -> 'Walk through the gym doors 3 times a week'
'Read 50 books' -> 'Open a book to one page every morning'
'Become fluent in English' -> 'Memorize just one English word every day'
The point is to lower the hurdle for the action to a level so ridiculously easy that it's like defeating a slime.
Consider it a success as long as you perform the action; don't worry about the result for that day. This small step eliminates resistance to change.
2. Design the friction
Next, design your environment so that 'good habits are easy to do, and bad habits are a hassle'.
Instead of relying on willpower, guide yourself with a system.
Reduce friction for good habits:
If it's a habit of going to the gym, put your workout clothes by your pillow the night before.
If it's a reading habit, leave books all over the house.
Increase the friction of bad habits:
If you want to stop staying up late, put your charger outside the bedroom.
If you eat too many snacks, don't keep them in the house in the first place. Mr. Holiday reportedly only has social media apps installed on his wife's smartphone.
This environmental design automatically guides your behavior in the desired direction.
3. Letting go of the "strongest bad habit": anxiety
What Stoic philosophy values most is the control of anxiety. The philosopher Seneca said:
"We suffer more in imagination than in reality." Anxiety is the most expensive habit that wastes our energy the most.
Be aware of your circle of control: When you feel anxious, ask yourself, "Is this something I can control?"
Write it down and sort it out: Write your worries on paper, and draw a line to separate them into "things you can do" and "things you cannot do anything about."
Focus only on "what you can do": Stop worrying about things you cannot control, such as the weather or other people's evaluations, and focus on actions you can take right now.
This training will free you from anxiety about the future and regret over the past, allowing you to focus on the "here and now."
Summary
What Ryan Holiday teaches us is the fact that the sages of 2,000 years ago were fighting against anxiety and laziness just like we are.
And they had discovered universal wisdom to win that battle. It is not to dream of big results, but to control small daily actions.
It is not to rely on willpower, but to design your environment. And it is to let go of the anxiety you cannot control.
Since I started practicing this philosophy myself, I have regained the feeling that I am "holding the rudder of my own life."
Of course, it is not perfect, but I have a sense that I am moving forward little by little, from yesterday to today, and from today to tomorrow.
Why don't you borrow some ancient wisdom and make 2025 your best year yet?
3 things you can do right now
1. Choose just one current goal and rewrite it into a "ridiculously small action you can do every day" (2 minutes)
2. Choose just one bad habit you want to quit and change your environment so that it takes an extra step to perform it (3 minutes)
3. Write down one anxiety you are currently feeling and ask yourself if it is something you can control (1 minute)
Thank you for reading until the end.
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References
Ryan Holiday: "The Secret To Better Habits In 2025" (https://ryanholiday.net/the-secret-to-better-habits-in-2025/)
Wikipedia: "Ryan Holiday" (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryan_Holiday)
Daily Stoic: "Who Is Marcus Aurelius? A Guide To The Stoic Emperor" (https://dailystoic.com/marcus-aurelius/)
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