Marcus Aurelius

Thinker
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The Philosopher King

Intro

Emperor by profession and philosopher by way of life, Marcus Aurelius was an influential figure in second-century Rome.1 Aurelius searched for answers for metaphysical and ethical questions, such as: how can we achieve happiness?; how can I be a good person?; what is my purpose?2

We have been able to gain insight into his reflections on these topics through his only - but incredibly well known - published text, Meditations. As Meditations is made up of compiled notes and personal ruminations, the text gives readers a direct insight into the brilliant mind of the ancient Roman philosopher. The quotes and passages that make up Meditations divulge his stoic philosophy and can help guide us down a path towards happiness and inner peace.

Sometimes referred to as the “most quotable philosopher” due to his eloquent writing style that sparked vivid imagery, and one-liners that sticks in people’s mind, Aurelius's philosophies continue to resonate with us today.1

Very little is needed to make a happy life; it is all within yourself in your way of thinking.


- Aurelius, in his published work Meditations.3

About the Authors

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Dan Pilat

Dan is a Co-Founder and Managing Director at The Decision Lab. He is a bestselling author of Intention - a book he wrote with Wiley on the mindful application of behavioral science in organizations. Dan has a background in organizational decision making, with a BComm in Decision & Information Systems from McGill University. He has worked on enterprise-level behavioral architecture at TD Securities and BMO Capital Markets, where he advised management on the implementation of systems processing billions of dollars per week. Driven by an appetite for the latest in technology, Dan created a course on business intelligence and lectured at McGill University, and has applied behavioral science to topics such as augmented and virtual reality.

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Dr. Sekoul Krastev

Sekoul is a Co-Founder and Managing Director at The Decision Lab. He is a bestselling author of Intention - a book he wrote with Wiley on the mindful application of behavioral science in organizations. A decision scientist with a PhD in Decision Neuroscience from McGill University, Sekoul's work has been featured in peer-reviewed journals and has been presented at conferences around the world. Sekoul previously advised management on innovation and engagement strategy at The Boston Consulting Group as well as on online media strategy at Google. He has a deep interest in the applications of behavioral science to new technology and has published on these topics in places such as the Huffington Post and Strategy & Business.

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I was blown away with their application and translation of behavioral science into practice. They took a very complex ecosystem and created a series of interventions using an innovative mix of the latest research and creative client co-creation. I was so impressed at the final product they created, which was hugely comprehensive despite the large scope of the client being of the world's most far-reaching and best known consumer brands. I'm excited to see what we can create together in the future.

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