The solution to worry must begin by understanding its cause and how it builds over time. Seneca grasped the nature of preoccupations better than most philosophers in history, but his recommendations need to be adapted to our century.
Seneca attributed mental strain to the human tendency to go too far, run too quickly, and expect too much. He viewed peace of mind as the major goal of philosophy, but acknowledged the difficulty of giving up the desires that prevent tranquillity.
We achieve tranquillity, Seneca argued, by becoming more realistic in our expectations. When we pursue a desirable goal, we work hard and expect to achieve it, but we should keep our expectations reasonable, especially if we are operating in harsh environments under tight constraints.
Socrates (470-399 BC) had been known for his remarkable ability to stay calm under pressure. According to Plato (427-347 BC), Socrates was able to keep a cool head in the face of dire adversity; he would remain clear-headed even when things had turned dramatically for the worse.
Seneca: tranquillity is the outcome of Stoic virtue
Why do so few individuals achieve tranquillity? Why does serenity remain elusive? Seneca rightly pointed out that people fail to attain tranquillity because of their reluctance to practise virtue. By “virtue,” Seneca was referring to Stoicism, that is, a combination of rationality, alertness, parsimony, contemplation and patience.
Tranquillity is the outcome of good emotional hygiene, not a mysterious gift of destiny or heredity. It comes from saying no to an unbalanced lifestyle and exaggerated reactions. It rests on our commitment to Seneca’s prescriptions.
Seneca’s formula for achieving tranquillity is similar to his formula for friendship: both formulas require full commitment in good and bad weather. We recognize true friends thanks to their loyalty during adversity. Similarly, we recognize effective thinkers in their ability to keep a cool head during a crisis.
In his 46th Letter to Lucilius, Seneca noted that true friends are rare and that it’s foolish to count mere acquaintances as true friends. Those who engage in jovial conversation during dinner may or may not possess the potential to become true friends.
I’m afraid that only time can tell if those acquaintances will become true friends or not. Seneca wisely observed that “fair-weather companions tend to vanish in times of hardship.”
Seneca’s observation applies with equal rigour to achieving tranquillity. It is easy to maintain our serenity when things are going well, but superficial serenity “tends to vanish in times of hardship.”
Seneca: the metaphor of the flowing river
If we want to achieve and maintain our tranquillity, we need to keep practising the Stoic virtues day in and day out, not only during fair weather. In particular, we will need to stay loyal to virtue during major crises, even in life-or-death situations.
Seneca implies in the 64th Letter to Lucilius that we should regard life as a path. I would point to the Taoist metaphor of a river flowing to the sea, a river that will occasionally traverse rough patches. Philosophy is a sturdy boat that enables us to navigate downstream with a minimum of trouble.
Tranquillity requires that we “periodically remove all weeds from our garden,” so that our mind can operate efficiently. We should stay away from “worthless gossip and distractions” that waste our time and undermine our resolve to practise virtue.
Seneca’s formula for achieving tranquillity does not require leading a pastoral life, far removed from competition, ambition and challenges. I personally lead a very active life and find the prescriptions from Seneca extremely useful. They help me stay calm and focus under pressure, and get things done smoothly.
Seneca’s insights and Isambard Brunel’s lifestyle
Amongst all historical examples of tranquillity, my personal favourite is the British engineer and project manager Isambard Kingdom Brunel (1806-1859). His extraordinarily busy career won’t reflect everybody’s lifestyle choice, but it shows us how much can be achieved by staying calm in all situations.
Curiously enough, Brunel never completed his studies at the university and never obtained an engineering degree. He began to work on engineering projects led by his father and gathered extensive experience in complex problem solving.
Eventually, Brunel decided that university classes would not add much to his knowledge and dropped out of the Royal Navy College. Although he would read voraciously on engineering, maths and railroads, he never returned to the university.
Brunel loved to work on projects that seemed impossible at first sight. When he was hired to build a tunnel under the River Thames, he designed a shield that enabled workers to excavate little by little without risk of being buried alive.
After excavating five meters, the workers lined up the walls with bricks and built an arched vault to reinforce the ceiling. If there was water filtration, Brunel’s shield would slow down the flooding, allowing them to safely pump out the water.
Brunel built in record time the railway connecting London to Bristol by designing the Maidenhead Railway Bridge with a series of flat arches (only eight-meter high), sufficiently strong to hold the weight, but easier and faster to construct.
Similarly, he designed and built large ships such as the SS Great Western, SS Great Britain, and SS Great Eastern relying on iron hulls that could be manufactured by sections, delivered to the peer, and then quickly assembled.
Seneca: tranquillity in today’s circumstances
Seneca would have marvelled at Brunel’s strenuous career, but high ambitions did not prevent Brunel from managing his projects with remarkable tranquillity. He took errors, accidents, and setbacks philosophically, as a master of Stoicism.
Brunel protected his tranquillity by protecting his time very strictly. He followed Seneca’s advice to the letter and “avoided wasting time,” for instance by preparing his lunch at home and taking it to work each day.
Seneca had equally warned against unnecessary luxury and accoutrements that burden our lives. Brunel also followed this piece of advice to the letter, and rode his horse back and forth between his home and the construction sites, instead of using a carriage.
My point is that Seneca’s formula for achieving tranquillity can be applied in today’s circumstances. We may need to tailor or fine-tune his recommendations, but the effort is worth it.
It’s interesting to ponder if high achievers like Brunel would have enjoyed a longer life (Brunel died at fifty-three) if they had followed Seneca’s formula more closely. I find it difficult to reply in general terms, but I am fairly sure that Brunel had a great time and would have refused to slow down.
If you are interested in putting rational ideas into practice in all kinds of situations, I recommend my book “The Philosophy of Builders.”
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