121–180 CE · Stoicism
Marcus Aurelius on overthinking
Marcus held that you are never obliged to entertain a thought. He reminded himself he had the power to hold no opinion at all, and so keep his mind unshaken by the endless stories it offered him.
You have the power to hold no opinion about a thing and not let it upset your state of mind.
Marcus Aurelius — Meditations, Book 6
Try this
- Treat thoughts as offers you are free to decline.
- Drop the opinion and the rumination loses its fuel.
Questions
What did Marcus Aurelius say about overthinking?
Marcus held that you are never obliged to entertain a thought. He reminded himself he had the power to hold no opinion at all, and so keep his mind unshaken by the endless stories it offered him.
Where did Marcus Aurelius write about overthinking?
In Meditations, Book 6.
Ask Marcus about your overthinking
Put your own situation to Marcus Aurelius and hear the answer in their own words.
Talk to Marcus