Meditations
Library · Purpose, time and philosophy
- Author: Marcus Aurelius
- FinSimLab editorial rating: 4/5
- Reading difficulty: Moderate
- Finance level: Beginner
- Topics: Philosophy and purpose, Psychology
- Published: 180
- Length: Short
FinSimLab's own rating, based on usefulness, clarity, rigour, how current it is and what it adds to your learning. It is not a reader review score.
A Roman emperor's private notes on how to act calmly in the face of what is not up to him.
What is it about?
Marcus Aurelius wrote these notes for himself, with no intention of publishing them, while ruling an empire at war. He keeps returning to the same Stoic ideas: telling apart what depends on you from what does not, accepting adversity, distrusting the ego and remembering that time is limited. It is not a finance book. Gregory Hays's translation (Modern Library) reads in plain modern English.
What does it give you?
- How to separate what you control from what you do not, a useful distinction when the market falls.
- How to watch your reactions before acting, instead of being carried away by haste or fear.
- How to put status and comparison with others in perspective.
Is it for you?
People who already have a plan for their money and need perspective and composure to stick to it when things get hard.
When to read it: Become a better investor. You already invest and want to decide better.
Where does it apply?
Universal. Its ideas do not depend on the laws, taxes or products of a particular country.
Concepts it covers
Stoicism, Biases, Use of time
What does it not give you?
- Anything about money, investing or wealth: you make the link to your finances.
- A method: these are short, repetitive reflections, best read in small doses.
How does it explain it?
Short, fragmentary notes written as personal exercises; this edition adds an introduction and notes. (Essay)
What does it add?
It is not a finance book: it is here because it trains the calm and self-control you need not to sell at the worst moment or spend to impress.
Already read something similar?
- It shares stoicism as a way to keep calm and disciplined with The Algebra of Wealth. If you have read The Algebra of Wealth, this one mainly adds the original text, with no financial application. The Algebra of Wealth
What can you read next?
Related Academy guides
- Panic Selling: Why We Sell at the Worst Possible Moment
- What is risk tolerance in investing and why it matters
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Descriptions written by FinSimLab for educational purposes. They do not summarise the books and are not investment advice.