Some Career Tips from Caesar Marcus Aurelius

For those of us who toil on the battlefields of the financial markets, where corporate combat is a way of life, we've been known to gather strategies and tactics from the ancient masters and philosophers and store them like arrows in the quivers of our careers. Who among us hasn't rummaged through Art of War by Sun Tzu, or glanced at Ben Franklin's laws of character development? Thanks to George Mentz, international lawyer, author and profession, we can now add Roman Emperor Caesar Marcus Auerlius to the list.

As you may or may not know, Aurelius, known as the philosopher king, was to some the last great Caesar of the Roman empire, which began to fall under the unsteady rule of his son. Before he died in 180 AD, Aurelius wrote the 12 books of the Meditations as a source for his own guidance and self-improvement. George went through the warrior-general's writings and pulled out some strategies designed to help you with your career and your job search. Here are 10 of them. 

• You are unique and talented, and your unique gifts are needed in many places.
• Lifelong scholarship - Give thyself time to learn something new and good, and cease to be whirled around.
• Attitude and gratitude - If you can't have the job you love, love the job you have.
• Impermanence - Change and adaptation are features of existence. Change is inevitable and should be embraced.
• Our greatest power is our choice and ability to control our thought. Choose not to be harmed and operate beyond the basic senses.
• Live your purpose and focus upon engaging your purpose.
• Be aware of the power within you and nurture it through exercise, diet, rest, empowerment and learning.
• Projects can be broken down to tasks and achieved one at a time, finishing each part with excellence.
• Carpe diem - seize the day and live life as though today's actions will be recorded and you only have one day left.
• Do your job with diligence, energy, focus and patience, and seek excellence in everything you do.

George came up with 25 strategies. For the complete list, click here.