There are those times in life that you read something and it just speaks to you.\u00a0 You have every intention of changing, to implement what you have learned, only to find out how hard it is to change.\u00a0 Life is full of good intentions that never get done.\u00a0 Today\u2019s stoic reading is one of those items for me.\u00a0 A girl in high school put the following quote in the yearbook by her photo, \u201cit is better to not speak and let the world think you are an idiot than to speak and remove all doubt.\u201d\u00a0 I feel the following excerpt verifies this fact.
\nCato practiced the kind of public speech capable of moving the masses, believing proper political philosophy takes care like any great city to maintain the warlike element. But he was never seen practicing in front of others, and no one ever heard him rehearse a speech. When he was told that people blamed him for his silence, he replied, \u2018Better they not blame my life. I begin to speak only when I\u2019m certain what I\u2019ll say isn\u2019t better left unsaid.\u2019\u201d
\n\u2014PLUTARCH, CATO THE YOUNGER, 4
\nIt\u2019s easy to act\u2014to just dive in. It\u2019s harder to stop, to pause, to think: No, I\u2019m not sure I need to do that yet. I\u2019m not sure I am ready. As Cato entered politics, many expected swift and great things from him\u2014stirring speeches, roaring condemnations, wise analyses. He was aware of this pressure\u2014a pressure that exists on all of us at all times\u2014and resisted. It\u2019s easy to pander to the mob (and to our ego).
\nInstead, he waited and prepared. He parsed his own thoughts, made sure he was not reacting emotionally, selfishly, ignorantly, or prematurely. Only then would he speak\u2014when he was confident that his words were worthy of being heard.
\nTo do this requires awareness. It requires us to stop and evaluate ourselves honestly. Can you do that?
\nRyan Holiday & Stephen Hanselman. \u201cThe Daily Stoic.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
There are those times in life that you read something and it just speaks to you.\u00a0 You have every intention of changing, to implement what you have learned, only to find out how hard it is to change.\u00a0 Life is full of good intentions that never get done.\u00a0 Today\u2019s stoic reading is one of those …<\/p>\n