When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive, to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.

–Marcus Aurelius–

Why is it so hard to do the things that are in line with our goals but not with our desires at that moment? How can we harness the power of our minds to create a steady fountain of self-discipline each day? Thomas Frank may help us understand how Marcus Aurelius envisioned human motivation in his classic work, Meditations.

Marcus Aurelius was a Roman Emperor who practiced the age-old tradition of Stoicism. His work, Meditations can be held as one of the foremost works in Stoic philosophy. Aurelius was also known as a Philosopher King, a lover of wisdom, who questioned and challenged the preconceived notions of those in his circle.

Thomas Frank is likely to be called…