Stoicism, Greece & ThoughtCounter

I’ve just finished reading Boris Becker’s book about his time in prison. In it, he describes attending Stoicism classes that had a profound impact on how he managed his thoughts during his time inside.

The class focused on core principles. From the book:

“The first thing we need to consider on the road to self-mastery is our thoughts. Thoughts become the first step towards action. If a thought we have is incorrect it is very likely that the action we take will also be wrong.”

The instructor taught them about the “chimp” – the part of the brain that takes control when we’re angry, hungry, frightened, or threatened:

“The Ancient Greeks and Romans understood that if our ‘chimps’ are not controlled they will cause havoc to our lives. The problems we face in life are almost always created by ourselves. If we learn how to control and manage our chimp we can live a happy and productive life.”

The core Stoic principle: you can’t control the situation, but you can control your response.

“Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth.” – Marcus Aurelius

Connection to Greece

The word “Stoic” comes from the Greek word for “porch.” This was what ancient Greeks sat under when they discussed life and how to live.

The practice was fundamentally about observing thoughts, recognising which ones are helpful, and choosing your response. Exactly what ThoughtCounter asks people to attempt to do.

I’m half Greek and I’ve been collecting Greek design references for years since I go back to the islands most summers now. I love the typography of the greek alphabet. Especially the clean lines and simplicity of the signage in the photo I took in Sifnos, above.

I’m wondering if ThoughtCounter’s identity should lean into this Greek heritage in some way.