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Meditations on Self-Discipline and Failure: Stoic Exercise for Mental Fitness by [William Ferraiolo]

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William Ferraiolo

Meditations on Self-Discipline and Failure: Stoic Exercise for Mental Fitness Kindle Edition

by William Ferraiolo (Author) Format: Kindle Edition

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A collection of meditations in the Stoic tradition. Meditations on Self-Discipline and Failure provides access to the ruminations, practices, and applications of ancient Stoic philosophy as deployed by a contemporary professional philosopher with twenty five years of experience teaching, researching, and publishing articles in academic journals. Each meditation is presented in the second person, encouraging the reader to examine their struggles and failures in the pursuit of self-improvement and enlightenment.

Print length

185 pages
Language

English
Publisher

O-Books
Publication date

October 27, 2017
File size

1347 KB
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Editorial Reviews

Review

Written in the spirit of Epictetus' Manual, Bill Ferraiolo's Meditations exposes the common human fallacies that lead to depression, anxiety, guilt, anger, and other toxic emotions. From the self-defeating desire to control the minds of others to the unrealistic demand that politicians tell the truth, Ferraiolo challenges the most insidious human tendencies to undermine one's own peace and solemnity. Read it, and always keep a copy close at hand. -- Elliot D. Cohen PhD, author of What Would Aristotle Do? Self-Control through the Power of Reason

Ferraiolo offers a provocative contemporary adaptation of his reading of the Stoic philosophers Marcus Aurelius and Epictetus and other ancient philosophers of similar minds. The book is well-organized and easy to read. It will be welcomed by anyone fascinated with or open to meditative philosophy of the Roman Stoic variety. An interesting and worthwhile read. -- Dr. Hugh Benson, author of Socratic Wisdom: The Model of Knowledge in Plato's Early Dialogues

In this wonderful book of bracing thoughts, questions, and guidance, William Ferraiolo provides a modern version of the challenges presented to us in the ancient past by such philosophers as Seneca, Epictetus, and Marcus Aurelius. You can read just a few pages at a time, and have much to ponder about your life, day-to-day. -- Tom Morris, bestselling author of If Aristotle Ran General Motors, The Stoic Art of Living, The Oasis Within

Meditations on Self-Discipline and Failure will make you pause and reflect, whether or not you agree with any or all of its contents. Written in the style of Marcus Aurelius' Meditations, and with a strong flavor of Epictetus, it confronts the reader with what happens if one looks at reality in the eyes and considers regulating his life accordingly. To do so takes both wisdom and courage, but Ferraiolo argues that it is well worth the effort. -- Massimo Pigliucci PhD, author of How to Be Stoic: Using Ancient Philosophy to Live a Modern Life --This text refers to the paperback edition.

About the Author

William Ferraiolo received a Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of Oklahoma in 1997. Since then, William has taught philosophy at San Joaquin Delta College in Stockton, California. He lives in Lodi, CA. --This text refers to the paperback edition.

Product details

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B075ZHCGKV
Publisher ‏ : ‎ O-Books (October 27, 2017)
Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 27, 2017
Language ‏ : ‎ English
File size ‏ : ‎ 1347 KB
Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
Print length ‏ : ‎ 185 pages
Lending ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled

Best Sellers Rank: #993,679 in Kindle Store (See Top 100 in Kindle Store)
- #1,293 in Cognitive Psychology (Kindle Store)
- #1,637 in Ethics & Morality
- #4,146 in Emotional Self Help

Customer Reviews:
100 ratings

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William Ferraiolo

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William Ferraiolo received a Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of Oklahoma in 1997. Since that time, he has been teaching philosophy at San Joaquin Delta College in Stockton, California. His books include: Cynical Maxims and Marginalia, Meditations on Self-Discipline and Failure: Stoic Exercise for Mental Fitness, A Life Worth Living: Meditations on God, Death and Stoicism, You Die at the End: Meditations on Mortality and the Human Condition, God Bless the Broken Bones: Meditations Over One Botched, Bungled and Beautiful Year, The Exile at Home: Meditations on the Passing Madness, American Exit: Your Personal Secession Manifesto, Fractured Observations: Notes on Odd Stuff from Coffee to Coffins, The Little Book of Mental Toughness: Endure What You Must, Accomplish What You Can, and Embrace the Struggle, and Slave and Stage: Remarks on the Stoic Handbook of Epictetus.

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4 star		11%
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2 star		5%
1 star		3%

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Humanist Living

A Devil’s Advocate

Reviewed in the United States on February 7, 2018

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William Ferraiolo’s Meditations on Self-Discipline and Failure offers valuable challenges to common thinking that if taken seriously can help bring peace of mind and a more solid orientation toward many common problems. I’ve highlighted and reread many sections. But as Ferraiolo warns in the introduction, this book is not for children and the reader is advised to “think for yourself.” To uncritically accept all of Ferraiolo’s challenges could present risks.

For example, there are suggestions to ignore the law if convinced that the law is wrong, to respond with violence if threatened, to kill oneself if life seems too difficult, to ignore social conventions such as dressing up, to quit a job if the job is bothersome, to treat the opinions of others as irrelevant to success, to treat even libel as irrelevant, and to avoid being concerned about the impact that our words may have on others.

Although directed to the author, the book also contains cognitively distorted references to the reader as a “talking ape,” an “imbecile,” and “a malignacy upon this world that has no need of you,” being “of little use to the world,” and living in a society is “dying.” The rational, empirical approach of modern cognitive behavioral therapy which developed in part from Stoic thinking has documented the risks that this sort of labeling, minimizing the positive, and generalizing about the negative can have on a person’s experience of things.

The reader’s own experiences of suffering and those of others are to be met with indifference. Yet, indifference to one’s own experiences and those of others cuts off many opportunities to make a difference in life that a more mindful, compassionate approach might generate. Empathy can bring more to life than a way to predict what others might do.

I can recommend this book provided the reader is careful to treat Ferraiolo as a Devil’s advocate.

17 people found this helpful

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T P.

Well worth the effort

Reviewed in the United States on October 9, 2017

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This is a powerful work that is both inspiring and uncomfortable to read. It is uncomfortable, if you are really thinking about it, because it presents a brutally honest level of self examination and uncompromising standard for self improvement. Paradoxically sufficient exposure also, in my case, had a calming effect in that it feels embarrassing, even comedic, to get so worked up about stuff. I actually laughed out loud once or twice, mostly because I recognized the described numbskull as myself a couple times. The very first meditation is probably the most straightforward and concise summary of stoic philosophy that you are likely to find anywhere. You could probably skip the rest of the book if you could really understand and apply that one passage. My advice, however, is to get the book and extract as much attitude adjustment as you can from it.

18 people found this helpful

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Dan

A potent book--worth reading

Reviewed in the United States on April 8, 2018

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This is an extremely potent book. It helps to put things in perspective with a solid grounding in Stoic philosophy. I find this type of book to be extremely useful to read before bed, as a kind of salve, that helps to reduce needless worry about trivial goings on.
That said, I struggled to get past the first third or so, where the book seems to devolve into less coherent or repetitive passages.

Even so, the book is worth it's cost for the first few chapters without a doubt. I have shared passages of the book with my non philosopher friends, since they are so powerful.

After reading several Stoic pieces, I keep this book along Meditations by Marcus Aurelius, as well as an unlikely entry: Don't Sweat the Small Stuff at my bedside. These three readings can be seen as almost a spectrum from most to least hardline.

In researching the author, I found it interesting that he holds strong pro-gun views that even border on paranoia about gun control.
Initially, I found these strong right-wing views to be antithetical to stoicism. I had associated stoic philosophy towards a centric view of politics. However, upon further reflection, it's less clear; there needn't be a connection between philosophy and politics, particularly in the unfortunate and divisive hyper-partisan atmosphere of today

11 people found this helpful

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Roger E. Breisch

The Unexamined Life is Not Worth Living

Reviewed in the United States on July 8, 2018

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If you find Socrates’ exhortation to have any validity, Ferraiolo’s work is an excellent place to begin the examination. In 300 powerful, yet blunt, essays, the author demands that I, the reader, reflect with unvarnished, brutally honesty, my meager attempts to progress as a human being. All the while reminding me I am insignificant, and that my influence will fade shortly after I die. He reminds me that homo sapiens are not far removed from other species, so any hope we are something more is vain and futile. I love the reminder of the importance of humility, and the necessity for constant striving for self-discipline. I have a long way to go, but, with effort and determination I can make some progress every day. These essays give me encouragement and hope. I highly recommend this book.

2 people found this helpful

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Julian Talbot

This is like grabbing yourself a can of mental 'Harden up'

Reviewed in the United States on April 25, 2018

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I'm a fan of the stoics. Common sense, courage, and a healthy dose of reality. This book is somewhat the mental equivalent of reaching out into the back of the fridge for a can of 'harden up' albeit in a friendly approachable fashion. It's easy to read in the sense that it's well written, but if you haven't thought about a lot of these ideas already, you may find it somewhat challenging.

Not that there is any complex theory presented here for you to absorb, ponder, and then try to apply to your own life in some step-by-step fashion. Just ideas for you to reflect upon. Equally, you won't be extolled to join any organization, or club, or religious cult, or organization that sends newsletters. You will just find meditations in the form of thought provoking essays such as we find in a lot of Western philosophy.

2 people found this helpful

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Top reviews from other countries

Patrick

Makes You Sit Up And Take Notice

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on August 16, 2018

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When something comes along that makes you re-evaluate your current understanding of Stoicism and makes you go even further into the original texts of yesteryear you know you are onto something special. I read some unkind reviews, written by certain respected Stoic authors but I feel they missed the point of William Ferraiolo's book, which is intended to take us out of our comfort zone and sit up and take notice. If you need your hand held, and want the more cosy side of Stoicism then this book may not be for you, but if you're ready for a dose of reality, it can be found within the pages of this refreshingly honest and thought-provoking book.

4 people found this helpful

Amazon Customer

A life changing book.

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 29, 2018

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My Uncle put me on to this book, we both read the classics and share our lessons with each other. This is a hard read, in that it strips you bare and leaves no where to hide. Like many of these books you take what you need, not everything will relate. BUT, when they do ... they shake you to your core.

My conclusion from being on my own journey of discovery is that as a culture we have become addicted to comfort ... the Ego has left our own sense of self in the shadow, and without consistent work we will live our life on the conveyer belt of capitalism, and lose the opportunity to achieve clarity.

For what it's worth ... I've chased pleasure my whole life. Sex, drugs, money ... career ... and only through meditation, exercise and reading have I become a whole person. I thank stoic philosophy for a large part of that progress. I take these lessons into my consciousness... and as if these are the words from a father to a son.

Namaste.

Mike.

2 people found this helpful

Graeme H.

Amazing!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on November 2, 2017

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Brilliantly written and brutally honest. Buy it and read it on a daily basis. It will change your life. The author basically read my mind in the intro section of the book and I want to know how he did that. Amazing.

2 people found this helpful

Myrian Lazo

This is a hard hitting book that punches you to the core!

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 20, 2018

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Not for the faint of heart or mind. This is a hard hitting book that punches you to the core. If you are tired of the status quo and are searching for something pragmatic - this may be for you! As well as being piercingly and brutally truthful, this book softens the punches with a little humour. It has further increased my curiosity in Stoicism. Thank you.

2 people found this helpful

Kevin Brown

Great Book

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 11, 2018

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A great book to reflect on and often gives you difficult questions, be honest and it'll be a great read

One person found this helpful

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