The Stoic Handbook with Jon Brooks

Meditation: End of the World Premeditation

Jon Brooks

Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.

0:00 | 11:53

Start here: If you want to build a consistent Stoic practice — not just listen to one — I made a free 7-day challenge. One short audio lesson per day, one practice to try. No fluff. stoicchallenge.co

---

The Stoics used a technique called “Premeditation of Adversity.” 

By reflecting on the possible misfortunes that await us, we benefit in three ways: 

  1. We are more prepared and therefore protect ourselves against misfortune 
  2. We practice virtue in the face of misfortune so it affects us less 
  3. We become more grateful because that misfortune is not here yet 

In today’s meditation, we imagine an apocalyptic scene to help us focus on our most important life values. 

Many of us waste time because we fall prey to the faulty belief that we will live forever. 

By reflecting on the shortness of life, we can gain motivation and gratitude to steer our lives in much more fruitful directions.