The most powerful man in the world kept a private notebook. He wrote in it by lamplight, often in army camps along the Danube, far from Rome.
He used it to remind himself to be patient, to be kind and to get out of bed in the morning. Nearly two thousand years later, millions of us still read it before sunrise.
Welcome to Timeless Authors, our daily series on the writers whose words can change an ordinary day. It began with Emerson. Today we sit with an emperor.
Marcus Aurelius (121 to 180 CE)
Roman emperor, Stoic philosopher and author of the Meditations, a private journal of practical wisdom.
The Teaching of Marcus Aurelius
Marcus Aurelius taught that the quality of your life follows the quality of your thoughts. In the Meditations he reminds himself to look within, focus on what is his to choose, accept what comes with grace and live fully in the present. His notebook turns Stoic philosophy into a daily practice anyone can begin tomorrow morning.
Such as are thy habitual thoughts, such also will be the character of thy mind; for the soul is dyed by the thoughts.
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, Book V, trans. George Long
Every thought is a drop of dye. Repeat it enough and it becomes the color of your whole inner world.
In His Own Words, Favorite and Lesser Known Quotes
Marcus wrote in Greek, for himself, in short bursts. The lines below come from George Long’s 1862 translation, free to read online, grouped by theme with a note on each.
On Mornings and Purpose
I am rising to the work of a human being.
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, Book V, trans. George Long
He wrote this line for the mornings he wanted to stay in bed. It turns getting up into a small act of purpose. You rise because people and work are waiting for the best of you.
Confine thyself to the present.
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, Book VII, trans. George Long
Four words, and a whole philosophy of attention. The present moment is the only place where life can actually be lived.
On the Mind and Happiness
Look within. Within is the fountain of good, and it will ever bubble up, if thou wilt ever dig.
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, Book VII, trans. George Long
Marcus believed goodness is already in us, like water under the ground. Daily reflection is the digging.
Very little indeed is necessary for living a happy life.
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, Book VII, trans. George Long
An emperor with every luxury available chose this reminder. Joy lives in a clear mind and a good conscience far more than in possessions.
On Change and Acceptance
Everything is only for a day, both that which remembers and that which is remembered.
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, Book IV, trans. George Long
This can sound somber at first. Read it again and it becomes freeing. Today’s worry is temporary, and so is today’s applause, so you may as well live well right now.
In the same book he urges himself to accept everything which happens, even if it seem disagreeable, trusting that it belongs to the larger whole.
On People and Kindness
When thou wishest to delight thyself, think of the virtues of those who live with thee.
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, Book VI, trans. George Long
This is his simplest recipe for joy. Look at the people around you and notice what is good in them. Gratitude for others lifts your own spirit first.
He also told himself to love the people among whom he had received his portion, and to love them truly. The family, coworkers and neighbors in your life are your portion.
Who Was Marcus Aurelius?
Marcus Aurelius was born in 121 CE and became emperor of Rome in 161 CE, succeeding his adoptive father, Antoninus Pius, according to the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. He reigned until his death in 180 CE.
His years on the throne were difficult. He faced wars along the northern frontier, revolts and a devastating plague. At least part of the Meditations was written during those final years of campaigning.
He studied Stoicism with teachers he thanks by name in Book I, including Rusticus, who introduced him to the writings of Epictetus. That opening book is a long, tender list of gratitude to the people who shaped him.
The notebook was likely written for himself alone. The title Meditations came much later. An early reader called it simply the writings to himself.
What Stoicism Really Means
Stoic sounds like gritted teeth and hidden feelings. In Marcus’s hands it is something warmer.
Stoicism is the practice of focusing your energy on what is yours to choose, your thoughts, your effort and your character, while meeting everything else with acceptance and grace. It’s emotional strength paired with deep kindness.
So instead of asking why is this happening to me, try asking what is mine to choose in this moment.
That one question carries the whole philosophy. It also sits at the heart of Lead Yourself First and Extreme Ownership.
Why This Teaching Fits the Middle of a Busy Week
Midweek is where good intentions start to fray. Monday’s energy fades, Friday still feels far away, and the small frictions of work and family pile up.
Marcus wrote for exactly these days. He knew he would meet impatient, ungrateful and difficult people, and he prepared his mind in advance. A Wednesday morning is the perfect moment to rehearse the person you want to be by Friday.
Your Morning Practice, the Look Within Inventory
This takes about ten minutes. Do it before you open your phone.
- Rise to your work. Before your feet touch the floor, say it quietly. I am rising to the work of a human being.
- Sort the day. Write two short lists. What is mine to choose today. What I will meet with acceptance.
- Rehearse the hard moment. Picture one challenging person or task, then picture yourself meeting it with patience and warmth.
- Look within. Ask one question and answer in a sentence. What thought do I want to dye my mind with today.
- Thank someone. Name one person whose virtues you admire, the way Marcus filled Book I with gratitude.
To make it automatic, attach it to something you already do. If I pour my morning coffee, then I open my notebook. More on that in If Then Planning.
Essential Reading
- Meditations, trans. George Long (1862). Formal and lovely, free at MIT’s Internet Classics Archive.
- Meditations, trans. Gregory Hays (2002). The modern favorite, clear and plainspoken.
- The Inner Citadel by Pierre Hadot. A beautiful scholarly guide to how Marcus used writing as spiritual exercise.
- How to Think Like a Roman Emperor by Donald Robertson (2019). A warm blend of Marcus’s life and modern psychology.
Quick Answers About Marcus Aurelius
Who was Marcus Aurelius?
Marcus Aurelius was Roman emperor from 161 to 180 CE and a devoted Stoic philosopher. His private notebook, known today as the Meditations, is one of the most widely read books of practical wisdom ever written.
What is the main message of the Meditations?
Your life is shaped by your thoughts, so tend your mind with care. Focus on what is yours to choose, accept what comes with grace, treat people kindly and live fully in the present.
Was the Meditations written for publication?
Scholars generally agree Marcus wrote it for himself, as a private practice of moral self improvement. A tenth century bishop referred to it as the writings to himself.
Which translation of the Meditations should I read?
George Long’s Victorian translation is free online and beautifully formal. Gregory Hays’s 2002 Modern Library translation is the favorite modern choice for its clear, plain English.
How can I practice Stoicism every morning?
Spend ten minutes before your phone. Name what is yours to choose today, rehearse meeting difficulty with patience, and write one line of gratitude for someone in your life.
The Fountain Within
Marcus ruled an empire, and the work he cared about most was the quiet work of tending his own mind. That work is available to every one of us, every single morning.
Look within. Within is the fountain of good, and it will ever bubble up, if thou wilt ever dig.
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, Book VII, trans. George Long
What thought will you choose to dye your mind with today? Write it down before noon.
Start early. Start within. Start today.
Complement this with Emerson on Self-Reliance, Steven Pressfield Life Lessons and Make Friends With Your Fear.
Want a calm, intentional start every day? Hold Until Sunrise is our little app for mornings that matter.
For a little goodness in your inbox every Sunday, join us here.
With love, Paolo
Sources
- Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, trans. George Long, MIT Internet Classics Archive
- Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Marcus Aurelius
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Carry this into tomorrow morning
The practice in this post lives in an app we built, Hold Until Sunrise. Your alarm becomes a moment of stillness. You hold your phone, rest with one affirmation, and let the sunrise welcome you into the day. Begin tomorrow gently and on your own terms. Find it on the App Store here.