Marcus Aurelius, was a stoic philosopher and Roman Emperor from the second half of the Second Century AD. He was the last of what is known as the Five Good Emperors.
On April 26, 121 AD, Marcus Aurelius was born in Rome to an aristocratic family. His name at birth was Marcus Annius Verus. He started his career in one of the Roman legions, but soon he was noticed by Emperor Hadrian, who raised him to the rank of senator.
When Emperor Antonius Pius died in 161 AD, Marcus Aurelius was adopted and named Caesar – heir to the throne. However, he had to wait for another ten years before his accession due to Hadrian’s desire that both Lucius Verus (Marcus Aurelius’s brother) and Marcus Aurelius should succeed Antonius Pius. However, in 169 AD Lucius Verus suddenly died, which meant that Marcus Aurelius became the emperor at 40.
His reign lasted until 180 AD, when he died in Vienna on March 17th, after 25 years on the throne.
In this blog post, we look at some life lessons from Marcus Aurelius and how we can implement them in our own lives too.
1. Life is short
Marcus Aurelius himself witnessed the assassination of Emperor Antonius Pius (the predecessor of Marcus Aurelius on the throne) and the subsequent civil wars that ensued after his death. He realized that all men are mortal, which means that death can strike at any time, whether through assassination or natural causes.
By realizing that life is short, Marcus Aurelius understood that he must make the best of it by developing his character and understanding the nature of things.
2. Accept life as it comes
Life does not always go according to plan – we might want a certain job, but if we don’t get it, we have to accept that there is a reason for this, and we should move on.
Marcus Aurelius did not always get what he wanted and had to deal with many hardships in his life, such as wars, forced labour and even the death of his children. But, finally, he realized that these things happen for a reason – it might be part of the bigger plan, which we do not know yet.
3. Focus on what you control
Marcus Aurelius knew that he could not possibly control everything that happened around him. He realized that going crazy by trying to change things that cannot be changed is the fastest way to misery and unhappiness.
He kept his focus where it matters – what he could do to make a positive impact in the world and on the lives of those around him.
4. Practice endurance
It is not always easy to do difficult things, especially if they are painful or make us uncomfortable. However, Marcus Aurelius knew that experiencing pain and discomfort was just one more exercise in practising his endurance – he had nothing to lose by trying it out.
5. Do your best and forget the rest
For Marcus Aurelius, doing his best meant trying to behave in the best way possible – he didn’t need recognition or approval.
He knew that our actions are judged based on their intentions rather than their outcomes and that it is enough if we do what we think is right.
6. Be kind to others
Marcus Aurelius was known as a kind and gentle person who had patience with everyone, even rude ones.
Marcus Aurelius made himself happy by being kind to others as feelings of resentment or anger did not burden him. He also knew that kindness towards others would bring him good karma too!
7. Find something virtuous and praise it
Marcus Aurelius believed that when we find something virtuous, we should praise and emulate it – this can be a small thing or a huge thing.
By doing so, we learn what is good and practice it in our lives too. He believed that emulation is a form of encouragement and that we should encourage even the smallest forms of goodness.
8. We must be prepared for everything
People are people, which means they cannot always be trusted – there will always be those who take advantage of us and try to harm if we don’t protect ourselves from them.
Marcus Aurelius was prepared for the worst and did not trust anyone completely. This meant that he was never disappointed by someone’s actions and never trusted people just because.
9. Practice self-control
Marcus Aurelius knew that having self-control was the key to happiness and that we should take control of our feelings and desires.
He believed that emotions such as anger can be very damaging and practised not expressing them in ways that will harm himself or others.
10. Be your critic
Marcus Aurelius was a strong believer in the power of self-knowledge – he knew that by knowing yourself, you can be your own worst critic and that the more we focus on our flaws, the more we can change them.
He was not afraid to admit his shortcomings and saw them as an opportunity for growth and improvement.
11. Think about others instead of yourself
When you think about other people, you realize how unimportant some of your problems and concerns are.
By considering others and thinking about their feelings, you avoid unnecessary arguments and misunderstandings that only cause stress and negativity in your life.
12. Practice equality of mind
Marcus Aurelius believed that we should be our masters and not allow ourselves to get pushed around by anyone – this is what it means to be free.
He thought that equality is the result of an equal relationship between people and that our ability to be kind, just and fair towards others was a sign of inner strength.
Marcus Aurelius died on March 17th, 180 AD, at 58. He had a successful reign and left behind a legacy as one of Rome’s most respected emperors.
His philosophy has endured to this day, and many people still find inspiration from the words he left behind. The fact that over 1,000 years after his death, Marcus Aurelius is still considered one of history’s most influential minds shows that he truly did have a unique understanding of life and how to live it.