How can we grow in effectiveness and happiness? Is there a proven method we can use to improve our station in life? Can we rely on advice given by philosophers in previous centuries?
Seneca was already aware of those questions when he wrote his Letters to Lucilius. His answers are concrete and coherent, and have been proven true in countless cases.
In contrast to today’s self-development gurus, Seneca didn’t call for intense effort and dedication. Why not? Because he had learned from experience that personal growth depends more on constancy than on exorbitant efforts.
I’m not saying that Seneca denied the importance of reading or studying. He regarded them as advisable, but not as the sole source of wisdom. In fact, he viewed reading as insufficient for sustained personal growth.
Seneca’s dialogue “On Idleness”
Seneca’s essay “On Idleness” complements the teachings of Plato (427-347 BC) on the acquisition of wisdom. It invites readers to slow down, and devote time to meditation.
Without regular periods of idleness, Seneca explained, we will become physically and mentally exhausted. The demands of daily life, if they are not paused from time to time, will eat all our energy, and leave us “empty and disenchanted.”
Seneca regarded personal growth as the automatic outcome of exercising reason, having clear priorities and pursuing them assiduously. The presence of those elements (reason, priorities, constancy) marks the difference between true personal growth and simple progress in one’s career, business or social life.
Why does Seneca view regular periods of idleness as crucial for personal growth? Because those periods help us refocus, recalibrate and rebalance our priorities. They enable us to let go of the trivial and concentrate ourselves on the essential.
Seneca is assuming that idleness periods would remain brief and spaced out. We are talking about a few weeks per year, not about a life devoted to idleness. Extended leisure would prove noxious, he explains, but so would prove relentless work.
Seneca: stress caused by overload
Although the term “stress” didn’t yet exist in Ancient Greece and Rome, Seneca was aware of the human tendency to pile up more and more tasks until the situation becomes untenable. At the end of the process, chances are that our health will suffer.
Seneca pointed out that, if we don’t refocus our priorities at regular intervals, they’ll drift and expand, filling our days with meaningless activities. In the short term, we may feel proud of being extremely busy, but later, the negative consequences will become apparent.
I must underline that Seneca views idleness positively only when it is coupled with solitude or semi-solitude. For pursuing personal growth, noisy parties and banquets are as useless as excessive work. They will simply consume our energies, make us tired, and numb our desire to improve our life.
Why did Seneca praise personal growth? Because it “makes the human lifespan longer,” in the sense that it helps people use their days more effectively. Instead of wasting our energies on secondary matters, we will be able to focus on top priorities.
Seneca recommends us to protect our leisure periods even if doing so will diminish our earning capacity. He places personal growth well above extra income, extra comfort, or popularity. I couldn’t agree more, but we still need to add a few clues before we can solve the puzzle of personal growth.
Seneca: personal growth and mortality
In the 77th Letter to Lucilius, Seneca brings forward a major aspect in personal growth, namely, the acceptance of our own mortality. I would add the desire to make the best of each day.
Seneca regards death as a constituent part of the organic life cycle. Philosophically minded individuals, he argues, are able to face death serenely when their moment comes because they have made the best of each day of their lives.
Personal growth plays a determinant role in the Stoic recipe for living a good life. Self-development enables us to make better decisions and enjoy life to a full extent. If we proceed in this way, Seneca explains, we can regard our life as “complete and fulfilled,” irrespective of its length.
In addition Seneca names “reason” as an enabler of personal growth. If we guide ourselves solely by the senses, he explains, we will render ourselves blind to the long-term consequences of our acts.
Seneca rightly points out that the senses can only prompt us to seek pleasure in the short term even at the cost of destroying our life. They will drive us to drink too much wine, overeating, and reckless spending, just to name a few examples.
Seneca: persistence and personal growth
Finally, I must mention persistence or pluckiness as a vital ingredient of personal growth; if we want philosophy to deliver its benefits, Seneca explains, we need to practise it daily, also during bad times.
I regard the biography of Saint Patrick of Ireland (385-461 AD) as a salient illustration of personal growth, according to the formula established by Seneca.
Born in Britain, Patrick was made prisoner by Irish raiders when he was in his early teens. They took him to Ireland and forced him to work as a slave, but after six years of misery, he managed to escape and return to Britain.
What followed was a remarkable story of personal growth. Upon his return to Britain, Patrick joined the Church, studied the Bible, learned public speaking, and returned to Ireland with the goal of converting its population to Christianity.
Patrick’s adventures in Ireland incorporate all the elements of personal growth that Seneca had identified. Patrick is said to have converted Irish pagans by means of reason and through his own exemplary behaviour.
Despite having no financial means, Patrick travelled across the country, converting the Irish population to Christianity. In addition, he founded numerous churches and monasteries with financial resources contributed by the locals.
The remarkable persistence deployed by Patrick beats Seneca at his own game. Seneca loved to present himself as someone living a simple lifestyle, but he possessed immense wealth. In contrast, Patrick called himself “a simple country boy” and led a life of true modesty.
Seneca’s insights on personal growth become practical and workable only when we witness someone like Patrick put them into practice.
It took him six years to escape his captors and return to Britain, but instead of falling prey to hatred, Patrick engaged in accelerated personal growth. Seneca’s philosophy and Patrick’s pluckiness are conveying lessons that we should not forget.
If you are interested in putting rational ideas into practice in all kinds of situations, I recommend my book “Against all odds: How to achieve great victories in desperate times.”
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