Check this out: Stoicism 101: A Practical Guide for Entrepreneurs
I’m not sure if anyone in class has background in philosophy, but I came across this interesting blog post by “productivity guru” and author Tim Ferriss. Ferriss looks to stoicism—essentially the belief that self-control can allow an individual to overcome “destructive” emotions and look more toward “reason”—as a useful way to approach entrepreneurship.
I try to structure my education, decisions, and lifework around the notion that there is (almost always) something to be salvaged from a thought/philosophy/event/situation. In the case of this article, I don’t agree with all of Ferriss’s points, but I do believe there is something really valuable to be salvaged from stoicism and entrepreneurship:
“The Stoics were writing honestly, often self-critically, about how they could become better people, be happier, and deal with the problems they faced. As an entrepreneur you can see how practicing misfortune makes you stronger in the face of adversity; how flipping an obstacle upside down turns problems into opportunities; and how remembering how small you are keeps your ego manageable and in perspective.
Ultimately, that’s what Stoicism is about. It’s not some systematic discussion of why or how the world exists. It is a series of reminders, tips and aids for living a good life.”
These are certainly valuable points. I wonder, though, if outright stoicism is possible in social entrepreneurship? The article does not focus on social entrepreneurship—at least not in my reading of it. So, were we to think of this within the context of our course, would we arrive at some of the same conclusions about the value of stoicism? Again, I appreciate the points made in the quote I pulled out, above. Certainly we can all benefit from the “reminders, tips and aids” that Ferriss points toward.
