"Where is the good? In the will. Where is the evil? In the will. Where is neither of them? In the things outside our control."
Sylvester Stallone was completely broke. He had a pregnant wife and almost no money. He wrote a script about an underdog boxer named Rocky. The movie studios loved the script, and offered him over three hundred thousand dollars for the rights. But they wanted a major star to play the lead.
Stallone said no. He refused to sell it unless he got to star in the movie. The studios told him he was crazy. He was an unknown actor. He didn't care. He walked away from the life-changing money. He eventually took a massive pay cut to make the movie his way. He bet his entire future on his own action.
Epictetus tells us exactly where to find the good in life. You won't find it in a bank account. You won't find it in a studio contract. The good is only found in your own will to act.
Stallone understood this. He knew that if he sold the script, he was selling his agency. He traded external comfort for the chance to step into the ring. You face the same choice. You can take the safe path and let someone else do the hard work, or you can bet entirely on yourself.
Errors & Corrections
- Don't sell your agency. People will offer you comfort in exchange for your control. They'll pay you to step aside. Don't take the deal. Keep your hands on the steering wheel.
- Don't overvalue the external. The money is just an indifferent thing. It comes and goes. Your will is the only thing you actually own. Protect it.
- Don't listen to the experts. The studios knew the math. They knew unknown actors don't sell tickets. They only looked at the history. You're creating the future. Trust your own will over their math.
Applications to Modern Life
Work
You have a great idea for a new product. You could just hand it off to the engineering team and take a bonus. Don't do it. Ask to lead the development team. Bet on your ability to execute the vision.
Leadership
A major problem hits your department. It's easy to hire a consultant to fix it. You avoid the blame if things go wrong. But you also lose your leadership. Fix the problem yourself. Bet on your own team.
Athleticism & Sport
You can't buy fitness. You can buy the best shoes and the best coaching. But you still have to wake up and do the reps. Your physical capability is tied entirely to your own will to act.
Politics
You hate the local zoning laws. You complain about the city council. Complaining outsources your agency. Stop complaining. Run for a seat on the council. Bet on your own ability to govern.
Social Media
You can hire someone to write your posts. You can use an algorithm to generate your content. You might get more views. But you lose your voice. Write your own words.
Interpersonal Relationships
You have to break bad news to a friend. You think about sending a text. It's easier. It avoids the immediate pain. Don't take the easy way out. Go to their house. Look them in the eye. Handle the hard moment yourself.
Maxims
- The good is in the will.
- Bet on yourself.
- Keep your agency.
In-depth Concepts
Prohairesis (Moral Choice)
This is the absolute core of Epictetus's teaching. It's your faculty of choice. It's the only thing in the universe that's truly yours. You can't control the studios. You can only control your prohairesis.
Adiaphora (Indifferent Things)
Wealth, fame, and comfort fall into this category. They aren't inherently good or bad. They're just materials. The Stoic doesn't chase them. The Stoic only chases right action.