Chapter 62
Choosing Your Inner Circle Wisely
1.We are deceived by those who would have us believe that a multitude of affairs blocks their pursuit of liberal studies; they make a pretence of their engagements, and multiply them, when their engagements are merely with themselves. As for me, Lucilius, my time is free; it is indeed free, and wherever I am, I am master of myself. For I do not surrender myself to my affairs, but loan myself to them, and I do not hunt out excuses for wasting my time. And wherever I am situated, I carry on my own meditations and ponder in my…
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Critical Thinking Exercise
Audit Your Chaos
Make two lists: everything you did yesterday that felt urgent or important, and everything you did that actually moved you toward a goal you care about. Look at the first list and mark which items you chose versus which were truly required. Notice the gap between what feels urgent and what actually matters.
Consider:
- •Be honest about which 'urgent' tasks you could have said no to
- •Notice if you fill time with busy work when facing something challenging
- •Consider whether your chaos serves as an excuse to avoid harder conversations or decisions
Journaling Prompt
Write about a time when you stayed extremely busy to avoid dealing with something important. What were you really avoiding, and what would have happened if you had faced it directly instead?
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