The document discusses the philosophy of Stoicism and how its principles can help one deal with challenges and implement change. Some key Stoic concepts discussed include distinguishing what one can control (responses) from what one cannot control (external events), minimizing negative emotions, practicing virtue, and accepting circumstances as they are. The document provides tips for Stoic change agents, such as choosing a philosophy of life, embracing one's current situation, and celebrating demonstrations of self-control.

1. Down But
Never Out
Bringing Change
When Change Is
Hard

2. Todd Charron
Twitter: @toddcharron
Email: todd@toddcharron.com
Agile Coach, Improvisor
Mentor: Lean Startup Machine
Founder: Follow Your Fear Day

4. What is the
meaning of life?

5. Do you have
a philosophy
of life?

6. Without a
philosophy of
life, we risk
living a life
that is less
fulfilling
than it could
be

7. You can
practice by
yourself!

19. Stoicism is a
philosophy
of life

20. Philosophy
is not
religion

22. The pursuit of
tranquility
and living a
virtuous life
Act in
accordance
with nature

24. Feel emotion
but choose
your response

25. Minimize
negative
emotions

26. 1. Perception
2. Action
3. Will

27. Perception

29. Dichotomy of
control

30. Things you can
control
Things you
cannot control

31. We cannot
change the
past
There is no
value in being
anxious about
the future

32. Two elements must
therefore be rooted out
once for all, - the fear of
future suffering, and the
recollection of past
suffering; since the latter
no longer concerns me,
and the former concerns
me not yet.
- Seneca

33. Practice
objectivity
See things as
they are

34. We can control
how we
respond

35. Choose not to be
harmed & you won’t
feel harmed.
Don’t feel harmed &
you haven’t been.
Marcus Aurelius

36. We choose to
be miserable
when we can
choose to be
content

37. This is not
awful. This is a
chance to
practice our
response to
awful things

38. Exercise:
Write down a challenge/failure/obstacle
you are facing
Pass it to everyone at the table and they
add a positive perspective to it

39. Action

40. Respond rather
than react

41. Reactions:
Fear,
frustration,
confusion,
helplessness,
depression,
anger

42. Respond:
Patience,
courage,
humility,
resourcefulness,
reason,
justice,
creativity

43. Will

44. Accept things as
they are

45. Not “be positive”,
but be ceaselessly
creative and
opportunistic.
Not this is bad
but
I can make this
good
- Ryan Holiday

46. See things for what
they are.
Do what we can
and endure & bear
what we must
- Ryan Holiday

47. Antifragility

48. Anger

49. Anger as anti-joy

50. Anger is brief
insanity
- Seneca

51. Anger is a waste
of time

52. As we are
angered by
others, they too
are angered by
us.
We must go
easy on each
other

53. Perpetual anger is tragic. Life is too short to
stay angry.
An angry person is a torment to those around
them.
Why not become a person who is loved while
alive and missed when gone? Anger is anti-joy,
why be anti-joy when it is within your power to
experience joy?

54. Other people

55. Human beings
are rational
thinking,
reasoning
creatures

56. We are all just
trying to do our
best

57. Annoying
people

58. People act in
accordance with
their nature
(and systems
that drive their
behaviour)

59. Complainer
culture

60. Seek sorrower:
One who
contrives to give
himself vexation
- Samuel
Johnson

61. Take personal
responsibility
for your
unhappiness.
Re-frame or
respond

62. Complaint
sessions

63. Improve
yourself before
trying to
improve those
things external
to you

64. All men die
Not all men die
whiners
- Michael Sugrue

65. Reframing exercise:
Think of a time you were blocked.
How did you overcome it?
How did you grow as a result?

66. Being a change
agent

67. Overcoming
obstacles IS the
job
Obstacles and
challenges
should not come
as a surprise

68. Stoic Joy
It is enough to
be happy that
you did the
right thing

69. Stoic Practices

70. Negative
Visualization

71. Voluntary
Discomfort

72. Cold Showers

75. 10 (+1) Tips for
the stoic change
agent

76. 1.

77. Choose a
philosophy of
life in order to
live an
intentional life

78. 2.

79. Act in
accordance with
nature
(notice how we
feel when we
don’t)

80. 3.

81. Be Virtuous

82. 4.

83. Embrace the life
you are living
and not be
jealous of the
lives of others

84. 5.

85. Understand
what you can
and cannot
control

86. 6.

87. Respond rather
than react

88. 7.

89. Internalize
goals

90. 8.

91. Replace
judgement with
curiosity

92. 9.

93. Be a farmer
planting seeds.
Some will grow,
some will grow
later, some not
at all

94. 10.

95. Celebrate when
you demonstrate
self control

96. 11.

97. Remember, we
have it in us to
try

98. We don’t control
the barriers or the
people who put
them there. But
we control
ourselves-and
that is sufficient
- Ryan Holiday

99. So what will
YOU do when
change is hard?

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