Anxiety comes from the desire to control what is beyond our reach, serenity from the understanding of philosophy.
Stoicism tells us that we should never fear the judgment of others, because the judgement of others is something that we do not own, something which is external to us.
This is the foundation of our Stoic thinking.
In this text, Epictetus explores the roots of anxiety, revealing that your worry is primarily fueled by your desire to control what is beyond your control: the judgment of others. But, if you master your subject, why fear what others might think of you?
Would they do better than you?
Have they even put themselves out there as you have?
Epictetus illustrates this idea with the example of a musician who is serene when playing alone but becomes anxious on stage, where he longs for the audience's applause, an unpredictable external element. This anxiety, according to Epictetus , arises from the gap between the skills you master and the unexplored areas of your life, notably your thirst for external approval and recognition, things you should not desire because they are out of your control.
He tells us
that true
peace of mind
comes from understanding and accepting what you have direct power over: mastering your subject (your actions), rather than the perceptions and behaviors of those around you. And to achieve this serenity, Epictetus says it's up to you to educate yourself: that is, to understand and internalize the dichotomy of this world: there is what depends on you, and what does not.