Could stoicism be the key to growing your professional value?

We all know that life, inevitably, gets in the way of our work from time to time. The key to navigating these complex moments while continuing to offer value to our employers, could be found in the wisdom of the ancients.

Stoicism is an obscure, ancient philosophy known for its values of being calm under pressure, seeing obstacles as opportunities, and mastering your own perceptions.

Although in some ways it can seem out of date, with the importance of communicating openly and seeing vulnerability as a strength all part of the valuable interplay between cultural evolution and professional communication, where appropriate, there can be some important lessons taken where there is capacity to dig deep and push on. So how do you do that when your hormones are out of control and your kids are crying? Joking not joking.

Of course there are times when you need to call it, have a pyjama day and order something greasy, but sometimes, stretching yourself a little can teach you a lot about yourself, and help you to grow as a professional.

Being ‘stoic’, of course, is a term taken directly from the school. Marcus Aurelius is perhaps the most famous of the stoics. He was a Roman Emperor and despite his privilege and wealth had to face many difficulties, such as leading a war moments after being made Emperor.

In his famous book Meditations, he wrote:

“You have power over your mind – not outside events. Realise this and you will find strength.”

So if you’ve got a deadline, housework and a personal commitment all at once? Take heed. Mind over matter might just see you through.

Train your perceptions

Training your perceptions was one of the foundational principles the stoics worked towards mastering.

By focusing on mastery of your professional discipline as a personal value, it will make achieving great results professionally easier when outside influences, such as personal responsibilities or a super busy calendar start to get in the way.

“Characteristics of the rational soul. Self-perception, self-examination and the power to make itself whatever it wants.

“It reaps its own harvest. It reaches its intended goal, no matter where the limit of its life is set.

“No matter which task to pick, it has fulfilled its mission, done its work completely. So that it can say, ‘I have what I came for’,” Meditations reads.

View obstacles as opportunities

If you are pushing to improve a skill, or find a workload too much, before giving up, try to see it as a growth opportunity.

The stoics would.

If you see a new project, for example, as an opportunity to grow as an individual, to see it as an opportunity for yourself, then it might just flip the switch on your perception of it and make it easier to accomplish.

Once it is done, your superior will be impressed, and some might say, more importantly, you will have impressed yourself.

And that of course, builds confidence.

Some would call these simple mind games or mental tricks, but nonetheless, individuals have been using them for millenia to succeed when success seemed impossible. 

Try some stoic principles and see if you can’t improve your work game, and you might just improve your personal game while you’re at it.