The Daily Stoic - Everything is Figureoutable

Episode Date: January 20, 2020

We all have problems. We have an employee we can’t figure out how to motivate. We have a kid with behavioral issues. We have a job we want to leave, or a couch we want to get up a complicated flight of stairs. We have clients who ask for things that seem impossible and we have trouble fitting an exercise regimen into our busy lives.What do we do with all this? How do we handle it?We must repeat to ourselves a beautiful mantra from the writer and entrepreneur Marie Forleo: Everything is Figureoutable. Everything is Figureoutable. Everything is Figureoutable. Because it’s true. The Stoics knew it was. Marcus Aurelius’s Meditations is filled with constant reminders that if he just slowed down and put his mind to it, he could figure just about anything out. Take it action by action, he wrote, no one can stop you from that. “Are there brambles in the path?” he asked, then go around. If it’s humanly possible, he said, then know that it’s possible for you. Think about Epictetus exhorting us to put each impression—each fear or worry—up to the test. It’s the same thing. Slow down, really look at it, figure out what to do next. Nearly every problem has a solution. It’s just a fact. It might not be the solution you want, but there is a solution. In fact, that’s the essence of the idea that the obstacle is the way. Each problem presents you an opportunity to move forward, to improve. No one said this would be easy, or even that it would be fun, but it is a fact that there is always something you can do. The question is only whether you will do it or not. Are there some utterly unsolvable problems in life? Like death? Or pi? Yes, sure, but Marcus Aurelius has that figured out too. As he said, those problems mark the end of all your other problems, too. So don’t worry about that. In the meantime, get to solving what you can.Everything is figureoutable.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hey, prime members, you can listen to the Daily Stoke podcast early and add free on Amazon music. Download the app today. Welcome to the Daily Stoke. For each day, we read a short passage designed to help you cultivate the strength, insight, wisdom necessary for living good life. insight, wisdom necessary for living good life. Each one of these passages is based on the 2000-year-old philosophy that has guided some of history's greatest men and women. For more, you can visit us at dailystoic.com. Everything is figure outable. We all have problems. We have an employee. We can't figure out how to motivate. We have a kid with behavioral issues. We have a job we we can't figure out how to motivate, we have a kid with behavioral issues, we have a job we want to leave, or couch we want to get up a complicated flight of stairs. We have clients who ask for things that seem impossible and we have trouble fitting in and exercise

regimen into our busy lives. What do we do with all this? How do we handle it? We must repeat to ourselves a beautiful mantra from the writer and entrepreneur Marie Forleo. Everything is figure outable. Everything is figure outable. Everything is figure outable. Because it's true. The Stoic's knew that it was. Marcus Aurelius' Meditations is filled with constant reminders that if he just slowed down and put his mind to it, he could figure out just about anything. Take it action by action he wrote, no one can stop you from that. Are there brambles in the path he asked, then go around. If it's humanly possible, he said, then know that it is possible for you.

Think of Epic Titus saying to put each impression, each worry or fear up to the test. It's the same thing. Slow down, really look at it, figure out what to do next. Every problem has a solution. It's just a fact. It might not be the solution you want, but there is a solution. In fact, that's the essence of the idea that the obstacle is the way. Each problem presents you an opportunity to move forward, to improve. No one said this would be easy, or even that it would be fun, but it is a fact that there is some solution to each problem. The question is only whether you will take it or not. Are there some utterly unsolvable problems in life, like death, like cancer? Yes, sure. But Marcus Arelius has that figured out too. Those problems

mark the end of all your other problems, he said. So don't worry about that. In the mean time, get to solving what you can, because everything is figure outable. If you're liking this podcast, we would love for you to subscribe. Please leave us a review on iTunes or any of your favorite podcasts, listening apps. It really helps and tell a friend. Hey, Prime Members, you can listen to the Daily Stoic early and ad-free on Amazon Music, download the Amazon Music app today, or you can listen early and ad-free with Wondery Plus in Apple Podcasts. Raising kids can be one of the greatest rewards of a parent's life.

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And the next time you step on yet another stray Lego in the middle of the night, you'll feel less alone. So if you like to laugh with us as we talk about the hardest job in the world, listen to, I love my kid, but wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen ad-free on the Amazon Music or Wondery app. Ah, the Bahamas. What if you could live in a penthouse above the crystal clear ocean working during the day

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