The Stoics imagined an ideal sage to guide their choices. Brian Johnson suggests picking your own hero—Emerson, Campbell, or anyone whose wisdom matters to you—and asking what they'd do when you're stuck. It's a mental compass for decisions.
for the Stoics was to imagine their ideal sage. First of all, they knew no one was perfect, but who was an ideal sage for them? They would imagine that individual watching them throughout the day, and they'd want to basically make them proud. And they'd also think about— and Tom encourages us to think about— well, what would your ideal sage, what would your role model, what would your hero do in any given moment? You're facing those challenges. What would this person you admire do? Think about that. I've got my heroes on my office and studio wall. I've got Ralph Waldo Emerson, Joseph Campbell, Epictetus, I've got Abraham Maslow, and I have another dear friend of mine that inspires me deeply. I think about these guys. They're looking at me all day, every day, and they're whispering to me certain pieces of wisdom. So I encourage you to consider who you are.
