Proper Work of the Mind

Today’s daily stoic quotes Epictetus:

The proper work of the mind is the exercise of choice, refusal, yearning, repulsion, preparation, purpose, and assent. What then can pollute and clog the mind’s proper functioning? Nothing but its own corrupt decisions.

MECE

I imagine Epictetus observed a combination of his reason and direct experience to figure out what the mind does. All of his list is at least relatable to something we experience.

It once was popular to create lists like this in American business, what’s called a MECE list: Mutually Exclusive, Collectively Exhaustive. Think Chandler on Friends, collecting factors for an insurance company, that’s what that was for.

If this is all there is, that’s comforting. Just focus on preparation or purpose if the mind is not working properly. Most of us aren’t satisfied to just work harder if we aren’t thinking clearly. Instead, we’ll talk to a mental health professional.

CBT

A common psychological therapy today is Cognitive Behavior Therapy, or CBT. A new client relationship starts like a negotiation, the client and clinician find common terms that describe the client’s choices, desires, and purpose.

Then, a framework similar to Epictetus’ is applied. Thoughts proceed feelings and our reactions. Therefore, if we are dealing with negative or unrealistic thoughts, we can address the patterns of thought. The mind’s proper functioning is corrupted by its own decisions. We’re not victims, we’re participants in this experience.

Why This Matters

It’s common today to get experts involved in everything we do. We employ middlemen because they’ve been able to specialize. In a practical way though, delegating understanding about what works with my philosophy, what I can do, and what I should be able to figure out is healthy.

That’s what I’ve always liked about the stoics, the porch philosophers, ancient and modern, is they get involved in what we can do to improve our lives. I’ll take the best information I can get, whether it’s from a modern incarnation from psychology or its earlier versions that carry the same practical benefits in a ready-for-consumer package.

References