How to Stay Motivated According to the Ancient Stoics

Decrease resistance and make your life simpler

The Roman Emperor and philosopher Marcus Aurelius talked about the difficulty of getting up every morning — a challenge that most people can relate to in modern day life. In Meditations, he wrote:

“At dawn, when you have trouble getting out of bed, tell yourself: “I have to go to work — as a human being. What do I have to complain of, if I’m going to do what I was born for — the things I was brought into the world to do? Or is this what I was created for? To huddle under the blankets and stay warm?”

With those notes to himself, he motivated himself to take action. It just shows that the challenge of motivation is not something new. Even a person like the emperor of Rome had trouble getting out of bed.

If you lack motivation, you don’t only experience it in the morning, but throughout the day. You sit on your desk and you just don’t feel like working. Or you’re midway through a workout and you suddenly find yourself lacking the willpower to continue.