T

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.