Socrates is one of the most influential thinkers in history. He was an ancient Greek philosopher, a boy who learned how to read very early and graduated from Athens’ Academy School two years before he turned 18 (which made him technically eligible).
Aristotle once wrote that Socrates’s mind “combines vigour with range; his knowledge extends beyond his lifetime”, which allowed for great progressiveness within philosophy as well as other disciplines like politics or ethics while still maintaining good judgement throughout.
In this blog post, we look at some life lessons from Socrates and how we can implement them in our own lives.
1. Know thyself
“The unexamined life is not worth living.” – Socrates.
One of the main principles in Socrates’s philosophy was that one should know oneself. He believed that if one did not understand what motivated him, he would never chart his course effectively throughout life. Just like how understanding your feelings is crucial for positive relationships, understanding why you make the decisions you make is crucial for living a life worth living.
2. The only thing we can control in this world is our attitude
“You can’t let your failures or success get to you, because then that will lead to a form of obsessive-compulsive disorder.” – Socrates.
Socrates believed that the only thing we can control in this world is our attitude. How you think about things will ultimately determine how you act and what kind of person you become. If you’re sick, do not spend time dwelling on your illness; instead, focus on getting better by taking care of yourself with the abundance of treatments available today. Don’t get down on yourself; instead, pick yourself up and try again.
You cannot control whether or not there’s rain today (though you can influence it by planting trees). You also cannot determine how others will respond to your actions; all you can do is react in the best way possible. Learning to be aware of what you can and cannot control in your life will help you develop the right attitude to live a happier, more fulfilling lifestyle.
3. Create value with what you have
“Your value does not decrease based upon someone’s inability to see your worth.” – Socrates.
Human beings are valuable no matter who they are or what they do; their intrinsic worth is not dependent on their job or what they have accomplished. For example, some people are doctors or lawyers but may feel diminished because society views them. They feel they aren’t seen as significant because someone else thinks they’re just doing a service for money with no real impact.
Of course, it takes time to find an idea or profession that allows for true value creation, but it’s important not to let the opinions of others prevent you from trying. On the other hand, don’t give up too easily! Developing your skills in a certain discipline is crucial to creating value with what you have.
4. Virtue is knowledge
“The good life is an examined life.” – Socrates.
Socrates believed that a virtuous life is the only path to true knowledge and fulfilment since a good life requires you to be fully aware of your strengths and weaknesses. While this may sound straightforward on paper, it’s much harder in practice because we have to overcome our natural desires; but Socrates was convinced that by striving for wisdom, he could find the best ways to lead a happy life.
To apply this idea to your own life, begin by looking at what you have accomplished so far and the areas where you need improvement. This will give you a better idea of spending your time and energy on more important things rather than wasting it on activities that don’t align with your goals.
5. It’s never too late to better yourself
“Do not be ashamed of your defects as long as you are willing to compensate for them.” – Socrates.
Socrates believed that it was never too late to improve yourself throughout life because no matter how old you are or what mistakes you have made, there’s always time to learn from your experiences. Socrates was an alcoholic; even though he drank himself to death, his life experiences still provided him with enough wisdom to serve as one of the greatest philosophers in history.
He also believed that it’s never too late to be a better person because your friends and family will always love you for who you are; try to make the most out of every situation without looking back with regret. Take the time to invest in your relationships, and they’ll appreciate you even more than before!
6. Be willing to listen
“The unreflective life is not worth living.” – Socrates.
Socrates believed it was important to question everything presented before you because everyone has a plan behind what they say and do. However, this doesn’t mean that you should fear listening to someone’s opinion; approach all conversations with an open mind and a willingness to learn.
Of course, everyone can’t be Socrates in their social interactions because there won’t always be time to listen and understand the perspective of others. But if any opportunity presents itself, take the time to listen and share your point of view in an understanding manner, even with strangers.
7. Know when to act
“Wisdom is knowing what you can’t control.” – Socrates.
Sometimes it takes more than just knowing to find success in life; you must also know when to act on your ideas. This isn’t always the easiest thing to do because it requires you to think on your feet and have some courage when pursuing your dreams. Since new ideas are often somewhat risky, you must know what you’re getting into before acting impulsively in any given situation.
Socrates believed that wisdom is knowing when to act and when not to; thus, he constantly asked his students questions to better understand their thoughts on a specific topic before making any major decisions. Whatever course of action you want to take in life, make sure that it’s based on knowledge and not blind faith!
8. Show no fear
“Courage is the greatest of all virtues.” – Socrates.
Socrates believed that courage was the most important virtue because it was required to overcome any fears you had in life. Therefore, he often asked his students what they feared so that he could help them find the source of their anxiety and courageously face their problems head-on.
By acting courageously, you can overcome your fears and nullify them because you’ll only be afraid of unknown consequences. Courage also gives you the strength to do what you believe is right instead of following the crowd and doing something because everyone else is too afraid to take a stand.
9. Learn from your mistakes
“The unexamined life is not worth living.” – Socrates.
Socrates believed that learning from all of his mistakes was important because they taught him valuable lessons. He compared his mistakes to a doctor curing an illness in that you still have the disease until it’s treated properly.
If there’s anything we can learn from Socrates, it’s that your mistakes don’t define you unless you allow them to control your thoughts and actions. So instead of letting your past failures hinder your growth as a person, learn from them and relentlessly move forward because only you can make yourself unhappy with your own decisions!
10. Be happy for others
“He who does not rejoice in another’s good is dead while he lives.” – Socrates.
Socrates believed that it was important to be happy for other people whenever they succeeded or experienced something life-changing because they were experiencing another important life lesson. He believed that being happy for other people was a sign of true ignorance because you refused to acknowledge the possibility of learning from their mistakes or hardships.
Being positive and optimistic is a great quality to have in life because it keeps you motivated through all of your challenges and constantly reminds you that there’s still good in the world. Instead of constantly comparing yourself to others, learn to be happy for others because their happiness is independent of yours!
11. Be kind to others
“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” – Socrates.
Socrates believed that it was important to treat other people with kindness and respect because they were all fighting their own battles in life. Therefore, he believed that there was no need to be cruel to anyone, even if someone had bullied you when you were younger or hurt you in some other way.
Instead of being mean-spirited towards other people, learn from Socrates and always treat people the same way you want to be treated yourself. Then, not only will you gain people’s admiration and respect, but your positive attitude can also help others through some of their toughest challenges!
12. Be honest with yourself and others
“The unexamined life is not worth living.” – Socrates.
Socrates believed that honesty was important because it reminded him that he could always be his best self. But, on the other hand, he didn’t like lying to himself or others because he believed it would make him less efficient as a thinker and teacher.
If you want to live the most fulfilling life possible, you need to be honest with yourself and others about who you are and your true feelings. You can’t have a positive self-image if you don’t even know who you are, so be honest with yourself about your strengths and weaknesses.