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April 16th

OBSERVE CAUSE AND EFFECT

“Pay close attention in conversation to what is being said, and to

what follows from any action. In the action, immediately look for

the target, in words, listen closely to what’s being signaled.”

—MARCUS AURELIUS, MEDITATIONS, 7.4

hrough the work of the psychologist Albert Ellis, Stoicism has reached
millions of people through what’s known as cognitive-behavioral
therapy (CBT). As a form of a therapy, CBT helps patients identify
destructive patterns in their thoughts and behavior so they can, over time,
direct and influence them in a more positive direction.
Of course, Marcus Aurelius had no formal training in psychology, but
his words here are as important as any doctor’s. He’s asking you to become
an observer of your own thoughts and the actions those thoughts provoke.
Where do they come from? What biases do they contain? Are they
constructive or destructive? Do they cause you to make mistakes or engage
in behavior you later regret? Look for patterns; find where cause meets
effect.
Only when this is done can negative behavior patterns be broken; only
then can real life improvements be made.