【每日斯多葛】2026年7月6日

July 6th

RISE AND SHINE

"On those mornings you struggle with getting up, keep this thought in mind—I am awakening to the work of a human being. Why then am I annoyed that I am going to do what I'm made for, the very things for which I was put into this world? Or was I made for this, to snuggle under the covers and keep warm? It's so pleasurable. Were you then made for pleasure? In short, to be coddled or to exert yourself?"—MARCUS AURELIUS, MEDITATIONS, 5.1

It's comforting to think that even two thousand years ago the emperor of Rome, who was reportedly a bit of an insomniac, was giving himself a pep talk in order to summon up the willpower to throw the blankets off each morning and get out of bed. From the time we're first sent off to school until we retire, we're faced with that same struggle. It'd be nicer to shut our eyes and hit the snooze button a few more times. But we can't.

Because we have a job to do. Not only do we have the calling we've dedicated ourselves to, but we have the larger cause that the Stoics speak about: the greater good. We cannot be of service to ourselves, to other people, or to the world unless we get up and get working—the earlier the better. So c'mon. Get in the shower, have your coffee, and get going.

7月6日

起床吧，打起精神

“在那些你挣扎着不愿起床的早晨，请把这个想法放在心中——我正在醒来，去做人应做的工作。既然如此，我为什么要因为去做我生来就该做的事，去做我被放到这个世界上就是为了做的事，而感到烦恼呢？难道我被造出来，是为了蜷缩在被窝里取暖吗？那确实很舒服。那么，你是为享乐而生的吗？简而言之，你是为了被娇惯，还是为了奋力而为？”——马可·奥勒留，《沉思录》，5.1

想到两千年前，就连罗马皇帝——据说他还有点失眠——也需要每天早晨给自己打气，召唤意志力掀开被子、起床，这多少令人感到安慰。从我们第一次被送去上学，到我们退休为止，我们一直都面对着同样的挣扎。闭上眼睛，再按几次贪睡按钮，当然会更舒服。但我们不能这样。

因为我们有工作要做。我们不仅有自己已经献身其中的使命，也有斯多葛派所说的那个更大的事业：更大的善。除非我们起床并开始工作——而且越早越好——否则我们无法服务自己，无法服务他人，也无法服务这个世界。所以，来吧。去冲个澡，喝杯咖啡，然后开始行动。