BRX Pro Tip: Stoicism in Business
Stone Payton: And we are back with Business RadioX Pro Tips. Lee Kantor and Stone Payton here with you. Lee, I know that you are a student of stoicism. When, where and how does it apply in the business world, man?
Lee Kantor: Yeah, I found stoicism a while ago, I guess through Ryan Holiday’s book, The Obstacle is the Way. That really opened my eyes to what stoicism is and some of the basic tenets of it in living a life where you believe and the things that we believe about personal accountability and controlling what you can control and things like that. But I see it really carry over into the business world as well. And I think that some of the key tenets that carry over from your personal life to your business life are, number one, focus on what you can control. And remember, you can only control your actions, you can’t control external outcomes. So, if you can focus on what you can control, you’re going to be better off in terms of mentally better off, and less frustrated, and less stressed.
Lee Kantor: Number two is master emotional resilience. Negative emotions come from our interpretation of events, not the events themselves. So, a lot of times when you’re angry or, frustrated, it’s just how you’re reacting to the situation. It isn’t the situation because, really, the situation doesn’t care about how you’re feeling. Anything you put on it is your own kind of neurosis.
Lee Kantor: Number three is it’s important to anticipate challenges. By preparing for obstacles ahead of time, you minimize surprises and you stay adaptable. So, that’s important as well.
Lee Kantor: Number four is to serve others, not your ego. Prioritize long-term trust over quick sales. That’s an important lesson for everybody in business that your trust and your reputation, you shouldn’t be sacrificing for a quick win. You shouldn’t do whatever it takes to get a sale. You should do whatever is right.
Lee Kantor: Number five, do more, think less. Overthinking leads to inaction. Clarity comes from movement. Something we say all the time is take action, you want to get real data, and you want to kind of weave that into what you’re thinking, so that you can get the outcome you desire. And I found that by incorporating some of these principles, you can build more resilient and more impactful and a more sustainable business.
