Rule 1: discipline of judgement

I'd like to propose this reading scheme {{username}} for the following lessons: that of the three rules of life, three rules of practical behavior, a ternary model strongly present in Marcus Aurelius:

1_Discipline of Judgment (i.e. objectivity in the face of events)

2__Discipline of desire (consent to whatever happens to you because it's universal nature that wills it)

3___Discipline of action (be just and selfless, because it's your human nature)

This division into three domains—judgment, desire, and action—is not arbitrary: it stems from the three topoi, or fundamental fields of practice, defined by Epictetus himself. In the Discourses, he presents them as the three areas in which the philosopher must train with diligence. These three topoi ¹ form a complete mental map of Stoic training: right thinking, right desire, right action. Epictetus insists: it is by cultivating all three at once that we make progress on the path to wisdom.

Marcus Aurelius:

“What then is that about which a man ought to spend his pains?
This one thing:
— Right understanding, neighbourly behaviour, [3 – discipline of action],
— Speech which would never lie, [1 – discipline of judgement]
—And a disposition welcoming [2 – discipline of desire] all which comes to pass, as necessary, as familiar, as flowing from a source and fountain like itself.” ²

Let's talk today about the first discipline: judgment.

A famous quote from Marcus Aurelius is:

“Get rid of the judgement;
you are rid of the 'I am hurt'
get rid of the 'I am hurt', you are rid of the hurt itself.” ³

Any event that we perceive as a misfortune is an idea we have of that event that has no basis in reality.

This is an important lesson:
Our judgment,
our feelings,
usually have no basis in reality.

There is a difference between the event itself that you experience and the idea you have of it.

Epictetus put it beautifully in his famous saying: "It's not things that trouble us, but the judgment we make about things." ⁴

Here’s an example: you’re waiting for a promotion, but you don’t get it—someone else does. Is that, in itself, an unfortunate event? Not objectively. For the person who received the promotion, it’s a source of satisfaction. To an outside observer, it’s simply a neutral event. The disappointment you feel is the meaning you have attached to it.

You're disappointed,
the other person is satisfied.

Two opposite sentiments for the same event.

But you'll tell me:

— This is normal!

— Yes, it's a normal instinctive reaction, your “involuntary emotion” as we’ve seen, a kind of biological reaction. But you can choose not to allow it, to control it and make it go away.

Because it's your subjectivity that creates a negative/harmful interpretation of the event.

And you can tame that subjectivity. You have to tame it if you want to live better.

In such a situation, set aside the prism through which the event is interpreted—whether yours or the other person’s—and ask yourself these questions:

Is missing the promotion truly a misfortune?
Does it genuinely reflect on your personal abilities?
Does it overlook external factors beyond your control?

And most importantly, does it actually hinder the professional growth you aspire to achieve?

Did you do your best to get the promotion? If so, you did the right thing, and Universal Nature willed otherwise.

Because an even better opportunity may come along, and what looks like a setback today may be a blessing tomorrow. If you're a virtuous person, universal reason will work in your favor.

You see {{username}}, our judgment too often distorts reality by wrapping it in a distorting filter.
Try to counteract this phenomenon.
Suspend your judgment.
Take a step back.

Look at the event as a whole. If you look at it in the context of your life, you'll find that this event has no bearing on your happiness tomorrow; more than that, tomorrow doesn't even exist yet.

Yes, you can be sad for a moment,
but let that sadness subside at its own pace,
first because what just happened has nothing to do with you,
second, because objectively it may not be so bad; and
third, because it's the will of fate.
From the subjective to the objective.

This could be another way to define what is, genuinely, stoicism.

To conclude, {{username}}, the discipline of judgment is the foundation of a Stoic life. It teaches us to separate events from the narratives we create around them. By suspending our initial interpretations, we gain the clarity to see events as they truly are: neutral occurrences shaped by universal nature, not by our subjective preferences.

This practice is not about suppressing your emotions but about understanding their origins and questioning their validity. When you remove the "I am hurt" from an event, you strip away the false story that amplifies your suffering. Judgment, left unchecked, distorts reality; but judgment, disciplined and aligned with reason, allows you to navigate life with steadiness and strength.

Reflect on this principle in your daily life. Before you react to a situation, pause. Examine your interpretation. Ask yourself whether your judgment is serving you or simply feeding unnecessary distress. This is the essence of the discipline of judgment, and it is a skill that will shape not only how you see the world but also how you live within it.