Over the years, Thomas Jefferson’s developed a list of ten life rules he would share with his children, grandchildren, and friends looking for guidance on parenting their kids. Many of his maxims came from his readings of classical philosophers like the Stoics.
Stoicism is a school of philosophy that hails from ancient Greece and Rome in the early parts of the 3rd century, BC. It is a philosophy of life that maximizes positive emotions, reduces negative emotions and helps individuals to hone their virtues of character.
In an 1825 letter to John Spear Smith, Jefferson laid out his refined list of adages that he called his “Decalogue of Canons for observation in practical life.” The list made it out to the public and was republished in newspapers and magazines throughout the country in the 19th century.
While the advice is nearly 200 years old, it’s still applicable today
1. Never put off till tomorrow what you can do today.
2. Never trouble another for what you can do yourself.
3. Never spend your money before you have it.
4. Never buy what you do not want, because it is cheap; it will be dear to you.
5. Pride costs us more than hunger, thirst, and cold.
6. We never repent of having eaten too little.
7. Nothing is troublesome that we do willingly.
8. How much pain have cost us the evils which have never happened!
9. Take things always by their smooth handle.
10. When angry, count ten before you speak; if very angry, a hundred.