Previous Stoicism

GOOD HABITS DRIVE OUT BAD HABITS

“Since habit is such a powerful influence, and we’re used to pursuing our impulses to gain and avoid outside our own choice, we should set a contrary habit against that, and where appearances are really slippery, use the counterforce of our training.”

- EPICTETUS, DISCOURSES

Summary:
Epictetus emphasizes the strength of habits in shaping our behavior. He suggests that because we are often driven by our impulses to seek pleasure and avoid discomfort without thoughtful choice, we must counter these habits by cultivating opposing ones. Through disciplined training and conscious effort, we can develop better habits to replace the ones that lead us astray.

Interpretation:
In daily life, it’s easy to fall into negative habits, like procrastination or unhealthy eating, because they provide immediate satisfaction. Epictetus is advising us to consciously build positive habits that counter these tendencies. For instance, if someone often avoids exercise due to laziness, they should make an effort to start small, regularly exercising, and eventually the positive habit will replace the negative one. This idea can be applied to any area where we want to improve ourselves by actively cultivating habits that lead to better outcomes.

 

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