Stoic Morning Practice: Start Before You Feel Ready

Marcus Aurelius wrote a note to himself about this exact problem.

He was emperor.

He had every reason to get up, and still at dawn, he had to argue with himself to leave the bed.

His note went something like this.

At dawn, when you have trouble getting out of bed, tell yourself that you have to go to work as a human being.

Then he asks himself a question that does a lot of work.

Were you made for this, he says, or for pleasure? Is this really what you were put here for, to lie warm under blankets? Notice what he does not do.

He does not tell himself the day will be enjoyable.

He does not manufacture enthusiasm.

He just reminds himself what he is for.

That is the Stoic move.

Motivation is a feeling and feelings come and go.

Purpose is a decision and it holds when the feeling does not.

So let's find yours.

Not a grand one, but something that is true, that is real.

Bring to mind something in your life that would be worse if you did nothing today.

Maybe it is work you are building slowly and today is one more brick.

Maybe it is a person, someone who is easier for having you around.

Maybe it is simply that you have decided what kind of person you are trying to become and that person gets up.

Whatever came to mind, just hold it there for a second.

Notice it is not exciting and it does not need to be.

This is what the Stoics meant by living according to nature.

Not communing with forests, but doing the thing you are made for.