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March 1 - March 2, 2024
The Stoic philosophy trains you in virtue: It sculpts your moral character into someone who is content, joyful, resilient, and able to take actions that make the world a better place.
Wisdom is virtue applied to your thought process. Courage is virtue applied to your emotional life. Justice is virtue in relationship with other people. Moderation is virtue as applied to our choices.
“Everywhere, at each moment, you have the option, to accept this event with humility, to treat this person as he should be treated, to approach this thought with care, so that nothing irrational creeps in.” —Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 7:54
To develop consistent happiness, you must train yourself to desire only what you can always have, and fear only what you can always avoid.
The Stoic mind-set involves understanding what you can control and what you cannot. You ask yourself—what desires can I always obtain, and what things can I always avoid? The Stoic answer is if you only desire to be your best (to live with virtue) and if you only avoid moral mistakes (called vice), then you can always succeed because these are things that you control.
“These two things must be cut away: fear of the future, and the memory of past sufferings. The latter no longer concerns me, and the future does not concern me yet.”
“Then remind yourself that past and future have no power over you. Only the present—and even that can be minimized. Just mark off its limits.” —Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 8:36
Stoicism taught me that other people’s reactions weren’t my direct responsibility.
“True happiness is to enjoy the present, without anxious dependence upon the future, not to amuse ourselves with either hopes or fears but to rest satisfied with what we have, which is sufficient, for he that is so wants nothing. The greatest blessings of humankind are within us and within our reach. A wise person is content with their lot, whatever it may be, without wishing for what they have not.” —Seneca, On the Happy Life
“Learn to ask of all actions, ‘Why are they doing that?’ Starting with your own.” —MARCUS AURELIUS, MEDITATIONS 10:37
Remember: The one thing you control is yourself. As you learn to seek out a good flow of life, look at your own choices first, before judging the actions of others.
Everything changes, everything is mortal, nothing goes on forever.
Accepting that nothing lasts forever will help you engage with things in the moment.
If you want lasting happiness, instead, properly arrange what’s inside you—not the things surrounding you. Not only can you experience joy, tranquility, goodwill, and so many other positive emotions: you can experience these states all the time.
thrive. If you focus your mind on virtue and remain properly disciplined, negative thoughts and feelings can’t easily take root, and your daily practice will help you weed out anything that sneaks through.
“People feel disturbed not by things, but by the views they take of them.” —Epictetus, Enchiridion 5
“Today I escaped from anxiety. Or no, I discarded it, because it was within me, in my own perceptions—not outside.” —Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 9:13
“As to what any man shall say or think about him, or do against him, he never even thinks of it, being himself contented with these two things: with acting justly in what he now does, and being satisfied with what is now assigned to him.”
“Don’t panic before the picture of your entire life. Don’t dwell on all the troubles you’ve faced or have yet to face, but instead ask yourself as each trouble comes, ‘what is so unbearable or unmanageable in this?’ Your reply will embarrass you. Then remind yourself that it’s not the future or the past that bears down on you, but only the present. Always the present, which becomes an even smaller thing when isolated in this way and when the mind that cannot bear up under so slender an object is chastened.” —Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 8:36
“At dawn, when you have trouble getting out of bed, tell yourself: ‘I have to go to work—as a human being. What do I have to complain of, if I’m going to do what I was born for—the things I was brought into the world to do? Or is this what I was created for? To huddle under the blankets and stay warm?’” —Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 5:1
“Whatever then, we shall discover to be at the same time affectionate and consistent with reason, this we confidently declare to be right and good.” —Epictetus, Discourses 1:11
“If you have been told that someone speaks ill of you, do not defend yourself: instead reply, ‘if they knew the rest of my faults they wouldn’t have mentioned only those.’” —Epictetus, Enchiridion 33
Another person’s opinion of you cannot tarnish your virtue.
“When any person treats you badly or speaks ill of you, remember that they do this because they think they must. It’s not possible for them to do what you think is right, but only what seems right to them . . . if you understand this you will have a milder temper with those who revile you because you can always say, ‘it seemed so to them.’” —Epictetus, Enchiridion 42
“When you do a thing because you have determined that it ought to be done, never avoid being seen doing it, even if the opinion of the multitude is going to condemn you. For if your action is wrong, then avoid doing it altogether, but if it is right, why do you fear those who will rebuke you wrongly?” —Epictetus, Enchiridion 35
Stoic courage is meant to make you active. Stoic control is meant to make you focused. Stoic indifference never leads to apathy; it develops fearlessness. You’re free to pursue excellence with all the energy you can muster, when you are no longer weighed down by anxiety concerning indifferents. The Stoic mind-set makes you an activist, in whatever way that applies to your life.
“Why all this guesswork? You can see what needs to be done. If you can see the road, follow it. Cheerfully, without turning back. If not, hold up and get the best advice that you can. If anything gets in the way, forge on ahead, making good use of what you have on hand, sticking to what seems right.” —Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 10:12
You can thrive in this life.
“Never call yourself a philosopher, or talk a great deal about your principles to the multitude, but act on your principles. For instance, at an entertainment, don’t talk about how people ought to eat, but eat as you ought.” —EPICTETUS, ENCHIRIDION 46
The Stoic ideal is to meet every moment in the same way—positive and resilient—while remaining in harmony with the world.
Always remember that you can try again. If you stumble in the moment, get up, refresh yourself, and start moving forward.
“Waste no more time thinking about what a good person should be, just be one.”
“Not to feel exasperated, or defeated, or despondent because your days aren’t packed with wise and moral actions. But to get back up when you fail, to celebrate behaving like a human—however imperfectly—and fully embrace the pursuit you’ve embarked on.” —Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 5:9
You have all that you need to lead a flourishing life. Go out and show your resilience, find your joy, and use your uniqueness to create a better world.
