“The art of living is more like wrestling than dancing.”
- April 26, 121 – March 17, 180
- Roman Empire
- Roman Emperor
- Influenced by Stoic philosophy, he wrote “Meditations” and practiced ideal governance as a philosophical leader, and was later praised as one of the Five Good Emperors.
Quote
“The art of living is more like wrestling than dancing.”
Explanation
In this quote, Marcus Aurelius compares life to wrestling rather than dancing to highlight the challenges and struggles we face in life. Wrestling requires strength, resilience, and the ability to adapt to unpredictable circumstances. It is not a graceful or effortless pursuit, but one that demands endurance, focus, and the ability to respond to challenges with determination and self-control. Life, according to Aurelius, is less about flowing gracefully from one pleasant moment to the next, like a dance, and more about engaging with difficult and unpredictable situations, much like a wrestler engaged in combat.
Aurelius, who lived through many challenges as both a philosopher and emperor, understood that virtue and inner peace are forged through life’s difficulties, not by avoiding them. This perspective aligns with the Stoic belief that we cannot control external events, but we can control how we respond to them. Life requires effort and perseverance, much like wrestling, where every move requires intention, strength, and resilience. This is in contrast to the illusion that life should be effortless or easy, which is often seen in more romanticized notions of existence.
In practical terms, this quote reminds us that life will often present us with challenges and hardships, and the key to living well is facing them with strength and adaptability. For example, when facing a difficult project at work, a personal crisis, or any kind of adversity, we should not expect things to be easy or smooth. Instead, we can embrace the struggle, knowing that perseverance and resilience are essential to overcoming obstacles and finding growth in the process. Just as a wrestler does not win by dancing around the challenge but by grappling with it directly, we too can approach life’s difficulties with strength, discipline, and a calm mind.
