WE HAVE SEEN, the ancient Stoics weren’t opposed to the experience of positive emotions, such as delight and even joy. They cautioned, though, against allowing ourselves to become overjoyed, since doing so increases our chances of being miserable when we are ultimately set back. We should instead take good fortune in stride, the way, ideally, we take bad fortune. Do things right, and other people will be unaware of our fortune, whether it be good or bad.
