Swipe for reflection: Marcus Aurelius on calm in the chaos

 

The payments industry will never be free of turbulence. But those who find calm in the chaos will be the ones to shape the future of finance.

Why listen to modern-day gurus when you can listen to philosophers who have centuries of proven track records on clarity of mind? All the challenges we face have not changed: insecurity, fear, anger, ambition, and desire. Listen as they speak to us as if it were yesterday. Today you may discover, as Marcus Aurelius did, that freedom and peace were in your control all along.

Picture Marcus Aurelius, commander of armies, emperor of Rome, sitting with a wax tablet in the dead of night. He is surrounded by wars on the frontier, political intrigues at home, and the endless noise of an empire demanding his attention. Yet what does he write in  - to be very precise – his Meditations 7.15?

That the storms of life do not come from outside us. They come from within — from the judgments we attach to events. External shocks are neutral. It is our interpretation of them, the stories we tell ourselves, that disturb our peace.

“External things,” he literally wrote over two thousand years ago,  “do not trouble you, but the judgments you make about them. Remove the judgment, and you will be free.”

For a man considering himself at the top of the known world (and we all know a few today), this is a humbling reminder: even an emperor cannot control the future. He can only control his mind, and by doing so, highlights the core essence of the Stoic philosophy

Fast forward to our own battlefield: the payments industry.

It’s a space defined by constant change, external forces and sources keep our minds switched on 24/7. The unrelenting pace of regulation, fraudsters that often appear to adapt faster than our systems, clients wanting ‘instant everything’ and new currencies, rails and infrastructures being built.

For all of us working in fintech, PSPs, and banks, it often feels like drinking from a firehose. The temptation is to blame the external: the regulator, the market, the client, the competitor, the macroeconomy and most of all politicians around the world. Hardly ever do we cut the noise to pause and reflect before we point, blame and cancel. Do we feel better? Does it make us feel victor or victim?
But Aurelius reminds us: the noise itself isn’t the problem — it’s how we judge the noise.

What happens if we apply Aurelius’ lens to the payments world?

Frame a Monday morning, and a flood of disputes arrives on your desk. Judgment would be:  “We’re failing, this is chaos.” Take a Stoic view: Disputes are part of the system

Another favourite from the tech squad to the supervisory board: Regulatory curveballs. Reams of pages of new rules on strong customer authentication. Natural instant judgment dictates: “This is impossible, we’ll never comply in time.” The more stoic view will expand your view into: “Rules are neutral. We choose to frame them as a burden or as an opportunity to innovate and differentiate for our clients”.

And one that, as a longstanding fintecher, I have observed upclose, the failed product launch that underdelivers (to say the least) after intense teamwork. A very real felt judgement then often is: “This is a disaster, my career is at risk.”. Take a step back – and here is a great role for the team leadership – “This event is feedback, not fate. The real test is how we respond and what we learn”.

In all these cases, the stress doesn’t come from the facts themselves. It comes from the story in our head. And stories, unlike market and industry events, are within our control.

For all of us from Gen Z analysts, product managers, and engineers to (non) executive leadership — this mindset is powerful. The industry is fast, competitive, and unpredictable. But Stoicism offers tools:

• Pause before judgment. A late payment or a harsh email is not ‘the end’. It just is. The value judgment is optional and can drive you to new solutions and better outcomes. Blame gets you nowhere.
• Control your controllables. You can’t change how a client reacts, but you can change how you prepare for that meeting.
• Redefine setbacks. Every failed pitch, every bug in the code, every compliance review is raw material for growth — if you choose to see it that way. And that is just speaking about business; this works in private life too.

Now, why “Swipe for Reflection”? Because our professional lives are dominated by swipes: screens, apps, approvals, transactions. The rhythm is instant. Decisions are taken in seconds. Attention spans are short.

But reflection takes time. A moment to stop and reframe. To say: “This thing in front of me — is it truly good or bad, or is it just data?”

Aurelius trained himself to take that pause before judgment. That pause is where wisdom enters. And in a world of real-time payments and instant alerts, cultivating even a small space for reflection is a radical act.

There’s something liberating in the thought that Marcus Aurelius, who carried the weight of the Roman Empire, faced the same inner struggle as a junior compliance officer today. He couldn’t control the frontier tribes. You can’t control PSD3 timelines. He couldn’t stop the Senate from plotting. You can’t stop a client from changing scope at the last minute.

But both he and you can control one thing: your response.

Let me leave you with three questions inspired by Aurelius 7.15. Next time you face turbulence at work, ask:

1. Is this truly in my control? If not, release it.
2. What is the smallest constructive step I can take right now? Shift from worry to action, however small.
3. What action aligns with my values? Do the next right thing, calmly, decisively, without drama.

We all work in a sector that underpins vast global commerce. Billions of people rely on us to keep systems stable, secure, and fair. It is high-stakes, high-stress work.
Aurelius’ stoic edge isn’t about becoming passive or detached. It’s about clarity. Calm minds make better decisions under pressure. And in a world where trust is everything, clients and colleagues gravitate toward those who stay steady when the storm hits.

Marcus Aurelius didn’t write his Meditations to publish a bestseller. He wrote them as private notes — reminders to himself, in the trenches of his life, of what really matters. That makes them raw, human, and deeply practical.

In payments, we may not lead armies, but we face our own battles: market volatility, fraud, competition, and regulation. Aurelius whispers across the centuries: The events themselves are not your enemy. Your judgment is. Change your judgment, and you change everything.

Two thousand years ago, the world was a rough place; it was so in the 20th century when I was born, and it certainly is a tough place to navigate today. Resilience is what is called for in systems, and in people, then and now..

Resilience is not inherited; it’s a muscle you can build, a habit you can embrace.  

About the author

Conny Dorrestijn is a Fintech Mentor and Non-Executive Director at Augmentum Fintech, Singer Capital Markets, and Worldpay BV. Named one of the ‘2021 Top Ten Voices in European Fintech,’ Conny Dorrestijn is a trusted advisor to payments and fintech firms looking to scale or reposition internationally. With a career dedicated to innovation in financial technology, she also champions empowerment, mentoring through Women in Payments, Money2020’s Rise Up program, and the Global Give Back Circle. A frequent international speaker (EBA, Money2020, Citi, Techleap, and more), she brings a unique mix of experience and curiosity, having introduced Europe’s first internet banking tech, driven a payments hub to successful exit, and advised on positioning and strategy across the industry. She is known for combining clear business focus with an inclusive, future-driven voice.