Legal Literacy - Who doesn't know about the philosophy of Stoicism that is so viral? When you confide in a friend about life's problems, they say, "Try applying the principles of Stoicism." Yes, Stoicism is a philosophy that has been applied by many people and is believed to be effective as a bringer of peace and a guardian of sanity.
In the era of modernization, it turns out that the knowledge from this Stoic philosopher is still useful in helping humans respond to various problems that come their way in life. Moreover, this philosophy is used as the main ingredient in the best-selling book, Filosofi Teras, by Henry Manampiring. Now, one part of the teachings of Stoicism is the principle of the dichotomy of control. Let's discuss it further!
What is the dichotomy of control?
The dichotomy of control is one part of the principles contained in the philosophy of Stoicism. The dichotomy of control means an art of survival that suggests we only focus on things we can control and ignore things beyond our control. Ignoring here means you don't need to think about something whose presence we cannot avoid.
This is also agreed upon by the famous philosopher Epictetus. He stated that "My primary task in life is to recognize and separate external things that are not under my control, and those related to choices that I can truly control."
Applying the dichotomy of control to oneself in the current era is a necessity, because it can prevent us from excessive stress as a result of thinking about something that cannot be controlled. Sources of stress can come from anywhere, such as routine activities, the world of lectures, family pressure, friendship conflicts, toxic partners, fake co-workers, and other things whose presence around us we cannot avoid.
How do I apply it?
Let's take an example of a situation. Have you ever lost a competition? Now, the need to apply the dichotomy of control over this situation can reduce sadness and disappointment towards oneself. In reality, "the winner will celebrate, the loser will explain." Simply put, defeat is not easily accepted by some people. Often, they will explain the reason for the defeat by starting to look for loopholes to blame others, such as referees and judges. Instead of busying yourself with that, it's better to think about things that you can control by practicing even better in the next match and accepting today's results with an open heart. Because, the judge's assessment, the final result, even the weather during the match, are components that we cannot control!
By studying and practicing the principle of the dichotomy of control, you can get several benefits, including:
Staying calm in all situations
If you find yourself wanting to be upset and angry about an event, remember that this is merely part of life's dynamics that you cannot control. Stoics teach us to remain calm in all situations. Being calm does not mean we are defeated; rather, it appears dignified because we can control our emotions well. Consider that what happens is a natural law that we cannot control, such as failing in a competition despite our best efforts.
Maintaining Self-Sanity
People who study Stoicism, especially the dichotomy of control, will be better able to manage stress. This is because they do not dwell too much on things that are bound to happen; winning and losing are two things that are certain to occur in a competition, aren't they? So, just focus on what you can control and accept what is beyond your control as it is. That is the power of the dichotomy of control.
“We cannot control what happens and how things happen. What we can control is how we react to what happens.” (Ryan Holiday, a Stoicism practitioner and author of the book The Daily Stoic).
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