If you find yourself rocked by setbacks or feeling worse about your creative stumbles and dry spells than you should be, you might need a dose of stoicism. In a post on the Stage 32 blog, Meghan Thompson says the principles of stoicism can help you through the creative hard times. “You can’t fall apart every time you have an audition, a pitch, or you hear criticism of your work. It’s not always beneficial to get over-excited when the good news rolls in, either,” Thompson says. “Instead, the stoics would have you ride through any storm, for better or worse, with an even keel.”
The stoic principles include:
- The Obstacle Is the Way. View problems from a new angle to find the opportunity. “When something is blocking you from achieving your goals, try changing your perspective to see how the problem may actually steer you in the direction you need to go,” Thompson writes. “Overcoming an obstacle helps you become the person you’re meant to be.”
- 2. “There is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so.” William Shakespeare. “Truth is perception,” Thompson writes. “We take in the facts of any given situation, interpret them and create a version of reality for ourselves over which we have control.”
- 3. Strength, Perseverance and Self-Control. “Stoicism is largely about developing a new relationship between your mind, your emotions and your actions,” Thompson says. “It’s about getting your ego and emotions out of the way so you can make the most of life’s adventures.”
