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February    3rd

THE SOURCE  OF  YOUR    ANXIETY

“When   I   see an  anxious person, I   ask myself, what    do  they    want?   For if  a   person  wasn’t  wanting

something   outside of  their   own control,    why would   they    be  stricken    by  anxiety?”

—EPICTETUS, DISCOURSES, 2.13.1

he anxious father, worried about his children. What does he want? A world that is always safe. A
frenzied traveler—what does she want? For the weather to hold and for traffic to part so she can
make her flight. A nervous investor? That the market will turn around and an investment will pay off.
All of these scenarios hold the same thing in common. As Epictetus says, it’s wanting something
outside our control. Getting worked up, getting excited, nervously pacing—these intense, pained, and
anxious moments show us at our most futile and servile. Staring at the clock, at the ticker, at the next
checkout lane over, at the sky—it’s as if we all belong to a religious cult that believes the gods of fate
will only give us what we want if we sacrifice our peace of mind.
Today, when you find yourself getting anxious, ask yourself: Why are my insides twisted into knots?
Am I in control here or is my anxiety? And most important: Is my anxiety doing me any good?