The Fundamental Rule: Understanding what you can and can't control

Stoic philosophy emphasizes the fundamental principle of understanding what is within our control and what is not. By recognizing this distinction, we can achieve inner tranquility and outer effectiveness. Trying to control things outside of our control often leads to negative emotions such as anger, depression, and worry. The stoics stress this principle because they have rationalized that the most negative emotions arise from trying to control what we cannot and neglecting what we can. In essence, the only things we can truly control are our thoughts and the actions we take based on those thoughts.