Letters from a stoic 35 is quite a short letter but an intriguing one. Seneca said to Lucilius that though they care for each other, they are not yet technically “friends”.
According to Seneca the only way they can be friends is that Lucilius has to keep improving himself. The friendship between two men is defined by the likeness of their wisdom. He told Lucilius to hasten his quest for self-improvement which he put so much emphasis on this letter. “Hasten to find me, but hasten to find yourself first. Make progress, and, before all else, endeavour to be consistent with yourself”
With the belief that the true good can only be found within, the Stoics have always place self-development above anything else. Seneca himself countlessly monitored Lucilius on his growth progress in his letters. In this process, will and consistency are the most important key components according to the wise man. “A shifting of the will indicates that the mind is at sea, heading in various directions, according to the course of the wind. But that which is settled and solid does not wander from its place. “
"Make progress, and, before all else, endeavour to be consistent with yourself”
***** Letters from a Stoic Key Takeaways is a collection of short key takeaways from the letters sent by Seneca to Lucilius. Read each letter’s key takeways here .
