💀 Dying Every Day
Dying Every Day (Stoicism in a Year) is a podcast by the Perennial Leader Project. Each episode turns a selected passage from Stoic philosophy into a guided meditation designed to help you (and me) learn how to live.
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Marcus Aurelius on doing the right thing
Welcome to another episode of Dying Every Day (Stoicism in a Year). We’ve reached Day 106.
Marcus Aurelius ruled the Roman Empire, but he constantly returned to the idea that peace isn’t found in power, wealth, or reputation—it’s found in aligning your mind and actions with reason and virtue.
In Meditations, he wrote to himself:
You can lead an untroubled life provided you can grow, think, and act systematically. There are two characteristics shared by gods and men (and every rational creature):
(1) Not to let others hold you back.
(2) To locate goodness in thinking and doing the right thing, and to limit your desires to that.+Adapted from Meditations, 5.34
To lead an untroubled life, you don’t have to control everything around you—just think clearly and act intentionally. That’s all. An “untroubled life” doesn't mean a life without difficulties, but a life without confusion, chaos, or inner turmoil.
In today’s passage, Marcus highlights two divine qualities common to rational beings. The first is freedom from interference: avoiding letting others—or your fear of their opinions—control your decisions. We are not meant to live someone else’s life but to live our own with clarity and conviction.
The second approach is more internal: to find goodness in one’s thoughts and actions rather than in seeking pleasure, praise, or possessions. In essence, if you learn to desire only what is right—and not what is comfortable, easy, or impressive—you will lead a good life. This approach makes us resistant to manipulation because our values (or principles) are no longer negotiable.
In his essay Self-Reliance, the American philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson stressed a similar idea:
Nothing can bring you peace but yourself. Nothing can bring you peace but the triumph of principles.
Like Marcus, Emerson recognized that lasting peace doesn’t come from circumstances—it comes from your philosophy. When you live by your values, think and act deliberately, and aim only to do what’s right.
And how do we do this? Through reflection, practice, and experience.
In a world full of distractions, this serves as a gentle reminder to reconnect with what truly matters. Remember, you don’t need to fix everything to live an untroubled life. And seeking everyone's approval isn't necessary to live a good life. Just focus on thinking and doing the right thing. Again and again.
Reflection Prompt
Consider reflecting or journaling on how you think about the project of living well. You could ask yourself, “What would your life look like if you focused only on thinking and doing the right thing?” And/or “Where are you allowing others to hold you back from living your highest good?”
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Thank you for reading/listening; I hope you found something useful.
Until next time, be wise and be well.
J.W.
P.S. Feel free to catch up on the previous episodes of “Dying Every Day” below:
