Stoicism - Ultimate Handbook To - Thomas Beckett PDF

Introduction
Chapter 1: History of Stoicism

Zeno’s Philosophical Approach
Stoics and God
Stoic Teachings
Chapter 2: Epistemology
Chapter 3: Core Philosophies
Control What You Can
Emotions Are Within
Your Responses Are Your Responsibility
Honesty Is a Virtue
Hope Springs Eternal
Knowledge Will Save You
Mindfulness is Important
Morals Not Awards
Letting God
Every Day Is a New Day
Chapter 4: Cardinal Virtues of Stoicism
Wisdom
Courage
Equanimity
Self-Control
Chapter 5: Keeping Calm – A Few Stoic Principles
● Self-Mastery
● Find a mentor
● Failure is just a step in the “cha cha cha” of life
● Read to educate yourself
● Be honest with yourself
● Be aware of what you spend your time on
● The phone is a tool
● Recognize what you can’t control
● Live a principled life
● You can’t control other people
Chapter 6: Stoicism Today
Stoicism’s Friends
Modernity’s Salve
The Universality of Stoicism
Stoicism in Religion
The Strength to Take on Life
Leading the Way
Chapter 7: Does Stoicism Matter Today?
An Overwrought, Oversharing World
The Global Village
Chapter 8: What Stoicism Helps You With
Stress
Judgment
Anger
Worry
Insecurity
Disappointment
Chapter 9: How to be a Stoic
Read
Greater Understanding
Company on the Journey
Way of Life
No Zealotry, Please
Join a Group
Everyday Practice
Meditation
Chapter 10: The Relevance of Stoicism in the Modern Day
The World is Still a Difficult Place to Live In
Stoicism Is Compatible with Modern Religion
The Universal Stoic Soldier
Stoicism is Designed to Help Leaders
Chapter 11: How Stoicism Can Help the Entrepreneur
Stoicism Allows You to Filter Your Thoughts
Stoicism Allows You to Start Each Day Fresh
Stoicism Allows You to Act with Purpose
Stoicism Gives You Patience
Stoicism Allows You to Enjoy the Present
Stoicism Helps You Remain Original
Stoicism Helps You Deal with the Possibility and Occurrence of Failure
Chapter 12: How Stoicism Can Make You Happy
Stoicism Allows You to Rationalize Death
Stoicism Helps You Deal with Suffering
Stoicism Allows You to See the Truth about Your Opinions
Stoicism Helps You Engage with the World
Stoicism Allows You to Enjoy What You Have
Stoicism Allows You to Be Virtuous
Stoicism Allows You to be Happy without Consuming
Stoicism Gives You Mental Fortitude
Stoicism Allows You to Block Out What Other People Think
Stoicism Allows You to Offload Bad Habits
Stoicism Allows You to Be Selfless
Stoicism Allows You to Practice Being Happy
Stoicism’s Answer to Childhood Trauma
Stoicism Allows You to Change Your Behavior
Stoicism Can Help You to Deal with Mental Illness
Chapter 13: Stoicism and Mental Health
1. Articulate Your Life’s Purpose
2. Maintain a Gratitude Record
3. Living with Boundaries
4. Disengage
5. Develop Resilience
6. Your Life Is “on loan”
Chapter 14: The Essence of Stoicism
Moral Development
Chapter 15: Reconsidering Stoicism
Chapter 16: Stoic Fundamentals
Chapter 17: Incorporating the Primitive Principles of Stoicism into Modern
Aspects of Contemporary Life
Chapter 18: 9 Ways to Stop Being Upset by Others!
Final Word
Positive Psychology and Stoicism
Key Highlights
Conclusion
Stoicism:
Ultimate Handbook to Stoic
Philosophy, Wisdom, and Way of Life
Thomas Beckett
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Contents
Introduction
Chapter 5: Keeping Calm – A Few Stoic Principles
Chapter 9: How to Be a Stoic
Chapter 10: The Relevance of Stoicism in the Modern Day
Chapter 11: How Stoicism Can Help the Entrepreneur
Final Word
Key Highlights
Conclusion
Introduction
It is no secret that our lives are what we make of them. While that is true, the
vagaries of life buffet us every step of the way, dislodging at least some of
what we choose and replacing it with misfortune. But we choose our response
to misfortune, also. How we respond to life’s twists and turns is what defines
its quality. How we choose to confront the many challenges we face each day
defines our quality as people.
This core philosophy of life is, however, not generally popular, as many
would prefer to blame external factors for the quality of their lives. While
there is much in life beyond our control, our response to factors we can’t
command is a vital component of our quality of life. There are those who
think their destiny has already been sealed and there is a higher power above
all of us that doles out our fates. But there has been a lot of criticism of this
theory, as not everybody believes in the existence of a higher power.
Ancient Greece is universally regarded as the cradle of philosophical thought.

The Ancient Greeks sought to answer the eternal questions of humanity,
trying to make sense of a turbulent universe and the place of human beings in
that universe. Their work forms the basis not only of modern philosophical
thought, but also of Christian theology. Strands of Greek philosophy are also
found in other world religions. In fact, the thinking of the Greek philosophers
can be heard as echoes in most contemporary religious thought, regardless of
the faith in question. The impact of Athens resonates also in political and
economic thinking and its reach is well beyond what any of the ancients
likely believed possible. Greek philosophy is most certainly the intellectual
foundation of Western civilization in many concrete ways.
The Greeks introduced the world to several philosophies about to life and
religion. They taught us so many things that human beings used in order to
evolve into mature individuals, capable of taking on the ways of the world
and coming out victorious when faced with adversities.
The Greeks did not just preach but also led by example. They showed the
world how a mere thought could help develop the answer to many questions
that burden the human mind. Heraclitus, from the metaphor of fire,
envisioned a universe in constant flux. Plato, from the allegory of a cave,
posited that introducing people to his philosophy of eternal forms would free
them to see beyond the vague shadows available to them without it. The
Ancient Greek philosophers and their contributions to human development
cannot be underestimated. They were giants and their philosophical writings
continue to be overwhelmingly current.
Stoicism is one of the gifts of ancient Athens. Stoicism continues to have a

philosophical draw for many, with its emphasis on the importance of
detaching from one’s emotions in order to live a life of virtue and to develop
one’s self as a moral being.
In the English language, the word “Stoicism” means to present a veneer of

unemotional detachment and acceptance of what life throws at us. Unlike
many ancient philosophical terms, this one is close to the meaning of the
original. Stoicism sought to rein in the emotions of its followers in order that
they might master them. This would free them to dedicate the energy they
expended on managing their emotions to the pursuit of virtuous living. In the
Greek context (as seen in Aristotle), virtue was believed to be an ultimate
social good. It was not necessarily concerned with sexual mores only, or with
doing good deeds.
Virtue, rather, was seen as the condition of competence toward fulfilling a

role in society which supported its success. At the center of Athenian society
was the family, which Aristotle saw as a microcosm of society, in which each
member modeled a particular type of virtue which benefited society as a
whole. The formation and development of personal virtue, in that context,
implied that each and every member of society contributed uniquely, via the
particular and well-developed virtue they were embodiments of. Virtue was
said to proceed from reason and reason was believed to be at the disposal of
all people, not only the intellectual elite. Aristotle, while often accused of
relegating women to a state outside the reach of reason, actually expressly
stated that they were able to develop virtue to their apprehension of reason.
This was a major departure from the thinking of his day and perhaps the
terms he couched these assertions in reflect the restrictions of his
contemporaries’ thinking in the matter.
In believing that virtue was the ultimate end of a life well-lived, the Stoic
school established a primary feature of Greek society (albeit via a
philosophical proposition which was not as potent a presence as the concept
of virtue and its role in Athenian society). The Stoics believed, essentially,
that errors in judgment caused our destructive emotions. They also believed
there was a dynamic relationship between freedom and cosmic determinism.
In other words, free will and fixed cosmic destiny were not entirely
incompatible, as other schools of thought suggested. Chrysippus, who
followed Zeno, posited a causal determinism that was rooted in the actions of
the individual.
The Stoics were focused on individual behavior as a determining factor in

destiny and the ability of individuals to arrive at the desired state of virtuous
living.
They focused mostly on how a person behaved, rather than nitpick through
what he said. Apart from Zeno, Seneca and Epictetus were the prime Stoics
of their time who emphasized the belief that being virtuous was enough for a
lifetime of happiness. Stoicism consisted mainly of subjects like logic, ethics,
morals, and monistic physics. But, of course, the most important element of
all these was ethics, which will be discussed in further detail in the
forthcoming chapters.
As a philosophy, Stoicism takes a hard look at destructive emotions. Stoics

feel that self-control and fortitude can help overcome the damaging and
detrimental effects of negative and/or intense emotions. Evolving into an
unbiased thinker, with the ability to detach from life in order to see it
objectively was at least part of the philosophical school’s goal. What
Stoicism aimed to achieve was improvement of the individual’s morals and
ethics as well as teaching followers to develop their innate tendency to virtue
as their primary goal in life. While adopting a deterministic perspective,
Stoicism looked to the individual as the driver of the quality of his life and
destiny.
Stoicism’s intent was to move followers toward leading a life that would
allow them to tap into their fullest potential. Freed of the intensity of human
passions and emotional attachment, Stoic teaching demanded that its
adherents look at the world around them in a detached manner, instead of
becoming victims of emotional responses to its unpredictability.
In this book, we look at the Stoic philosophy in detail and seek to understand
how it can help us in this day and age. We’ll explore how Stoicism can be
adapted to modern life and help us approach it with less anxiety, greater
detachment, and thus greater success at living in it.
I hope you enjoy reading this exploration of Stoicism and I thank you for
choosing this book.
Stoicism, as a discipline, was propounded by Zeno of Elea in 308 BC at

Athens, Greece. Zeno was born in 335 BC and came to Athens around the
time that he proposed the theory, already in his early forties. Referred to by
Aristotle as the founder of the dialectic, he is most widely remembered for his
paradoxes. While it’s rumored that Zeno was originally a follower of the
Cynical school of philosophy, this has been denied by later scholarship on the
issue.
The Stoa Poikile (the painted porch) became the locus for the teachings of
Zeno and a gathering place for his followers, also giving the philosophical
school – Stoicism – its name. From this location in the Athenian agora
(marketplace) Zeno taught his followers. As part of his teaching, he
expounded on Greek grammar (albeit in a scientific manner), vocabulary,
logic, physics, ethics, and theology. According to the core of Stoicism, it was
believed that the goal of life was virtue and high morals. All other things, like
emotion and feeling, were extraneous and a hindrance to the pursuit of a life
of virtue, in Zeno’s estimation. Emotions, he taught, were the offspring of
people’s thoughts. He believed that by changing the manner in which people
thought about life events, they could detach from negative and harmful
emotions, reducing suffering toward improving their lives. For Zeno, life was
not so much what people made of it as how they thought about it.
All human beings need something to believe in, which helps them progress in
life. If there was nothing in life but work, marriage, and child rearing, our
days would seem endlessly boring. So every day, we wake up in pursuit of
greater happiness and with the sole aim of having more than what we already
have. We look beyond the horizons of the mundane world for greater
meaning, asking ourselves “Is that all there is?”
In looking beyond those horizons, our inner lives come to the fore. We seek
answers to eternal questions, wrestling with them in the depths of our beings,
hoping to bring forth a reason for it all. Why are we here? Why do we die?
What is the purpose of this life? Sometimes the answers we come up with fail
to satisfy. That’s usually the case, in fact.
Since the human animal developed the power of introspection, it has sought
answers to these questions. Each challenge we face in our finite lives – the
death of loved ones, the birth and rearing of children, illness, adversity –
leads us to ponder the whys and wherefores. Philosophical thought is a
natural outgrowth of the questioning nature of the human being, a systematic
means of apprehending the world around us and how it works. Philosophy is
a means of exploring the nature of the universe and our place in it, toward
putting our finger on the point of it all. As questioning, thinking, speaking
beings, humans have always sought to find meaning in the midst of an
uncertain life.
The philosophical impulse has been part of us since the moment we were able
to take time out from the business of survival and stare into the hearth,
pondering our lives. Our reaching for innate purpose and how it impacts our
understanding of life was studied by Zeno of Citium, a philosopher in the
Hellenistic period of ancient Athens. What he taught his followers was
essentially a means of controlling their responses to life in order to become
vessels of exemplary virtue.
Zeno’s Philosophical Approach
Zeno’s philosophies had a profound impact on the theory of movement, but
these were not to really take root until the Renaissance, in mathematics. His
most enduring legacy, though, is in his assertion that human emotional life
was a profound challenge to living a life of virtue, due to the destructive
impact of human passions on objective thought. In Athenian society, there
was a widespread taboo against those who preached their ideals in public, but
Zeno broke that taboo and decided to preach about his philosophies at public
gatherings, so that more and more people could listen and avail themselves of
the benefits of Stoicism. This democratization of philosophical thought is
another of Zeno’s lasting legacies. Zeno brought private intellectualism in the
public square, quite literally.
Zeno believed that human beings could be so obsessed by and stuck in their
own modes of thinking that they allowed this tendency to manifest in out-of-
control emotions, like envy and jealousy. Although it was not Zeno’s
intention to forbid his followers an emotional life, he believed that it was
possible for people to control their emotions through their thoughts.
His fundamental proposition was that “man conquers the world by

conquering himself.” Rooted in another word that readers will find familiar,
“apatheia,” or the idea of self-mastery, was at the center of his teachings and
was expressive of the belief that emotional detachment should be the goal of
all virtuous people. An “absence of passion” (which he considered to be a
threat to a life of virtue, achieved through rational thought) was the end goal
for followers of Stoicism. Unlike the modern incarnation of the Greek in
English (apathy), the original word points to a rejection of the subjective
nature of emotional influence. An absence of passion, in Zeno’s thinking,
could be a void through which a life of rational and objective thought could
provide followers with access to a higher understanding of the moral universe
and ultimately, superior virtue. By breaking the emotional habits of a
lifetime, the followers of Stoicism were freed from them and the negative
results they generated in their lives. We’ve all done it – spent hours, even
days, brooding about a problem in our lives we had no power to change.
Crying over spilled milk and shutting the barn door after the horse is long
gone are all too familiar features of human thinking patterns. Zeno believed
that it was in everyone’s power to get rid of destructive, time- and energy-
wasting emotional habits.
In mastering one’s emotions and physical demands, Zeno taught that wisdom
could properly be developed by claiming its rightful place in the mind of the
Stoic practitioner. Pain and pleasure could be mastered in meditative practice,
and the influence of emotions arising from these psycho-physical phenomena
could be quelled. In this assertion, Zeno saw limitless potential for the ability
of human beings to rationally reflect on the nature of the world they lived in
and attain superior wisdom and, thus, virtue.
“Kathekon” (which may be loosely translated as “fitting or righteous

action”) is also attributable to Zeno. Unlike the term “orthopraxy” (right
action or practice, as the outgrowth of religious indoctrination), first used in
1851 as a way of describing a similar effect, Kathekon refers to fitting action
as parallel to the laws of nature, determined through observation as an
outgrowth of the practice of apatheia (see above).
Zeno also believed that the universe was an integral totality, which was
comparable to God, but that does not signify God, essentially. The school of
Elea advanced the viewpoint that the nature of the universe was unchanging
(in contrast to Heraclitus, who posited a universe of eternal flux) and static in
nature. Its central claim was “all is one.”
Zeno suggested that two powers were in play at any given time, being the
active realm and the passive realm and that these two powers existed in a
dynamic tension that held the whole together. The passive realm consisted of
all those items that lie passive until provoked into action, only when they are
pressed to do so. The active realm, on the other hand, consists of all those
things that operate automatically, and run their own, natural course unless
provoked and modified to run a different course. Both powers were the result
of immanent (indwelling) Divinity, in which and by which the universe
existed and operated.
So, all human beings are products of both these realms, working in dynamic
tension with each other, forming an immutable whole, which is Zeno’s static
and fixed universal model.
Zeno also believed that all happiness lay within the individual and preached
this philosophy specifically to those who sought joy in external sources. He
believed that Stoicism would help people realize genuine happiness and that
its propositions would end unnecessary anxiety and uncertainty, bringing
followers peace.
Cleanthes, a disciple of Zeno, went on to further develop the tenets of

Stoicism and refined its philosophical propositions to appeal to a wider
audience. This made the philosophy more accessible and more easily applied
by a greater number of people. In essence, Cleanthes further popularized and
diffused Zeno’s Stoic model.
Cleanthes of Assos succeeded Zeno (following his death) as one of the

founding fathers (scholarchs) of Stoicism, around 262 BC. He took Zeno’s
work forward and developed Zeno’s worldview in a more populist direction,
creating of it a more religiously-informed ideology. In so doing, Cleanthes
made a very interesting comparison - he likened the universe to a human
being, and the stars to the human soul. Cleanthes proposed that both the
universe and the human soul were concentrations of spirit and that both were
deemed worthy of worship. Apart from the development of Stoicism,
Cleanthes was also highly praised and renowned for a hymn dedicated to
Zeus, which described his comparison theory beautifully in verse and further
popularized Stoicism.
Cleanthes’ soaring ode to a universal, omnipotent god (in the person of Zeus)
pre-figures concepts and wording found in Christianity and its father,
Judaism. It’s particularly reminiscent, in tone of address, to the Christian
Lord’s Prayer. For example, Zeus is referred to as the “King of Kings,”
bringing order to a chaotic universe (as is seen in the first two books of
Genesis). There is also a reference to Zeus making “the crooked straight,”
which pre-figures the person of John the Baptist as the herald of the Christ, in
the incarnational figure of Jesus of Nazareth.
And the parallels don’t end there. In the heart of Stoicism are early echoes of
later Christian thinking, particularly t the Church father, Augustine.
Augustine’s entreaty to Christian practitioners in his Confessions, to “treat
food as medicine” and to forego sexual pleasure, is strong parallels to the
Stoic exhortation to subdue the passions in the practice of apatheia. We will
discuss more about these fascinating similarities between the Stoic
philosophy and other religious systems later in the book.
As time progressed, more and more people adopted the Stoic philosophy,
making it their way of life.
Moving along in the Stoic philosophical evolution, we arrive at Chrysippus

of Soli, who, following the death of Cleanthes, succeeded him as scholarch
of Stoicism in 230 BC. He did not strictly follow the philosophical trajectory
of his predecessor, choosing to highlight the work of Homer and Hesiod. He
was instrumental in bringing a semblance of academic order to the study of
Stoicism, providing it with a structural foundation. He absorbed the theory
and teachings of his masters seamlessly and added his own expertise to the
subject.
The logical expertise of this second founder of Stoicism (as he is known,

although he was actually the third scholarch) was realized in his command of
the disciplines of ethics and physics. His systematic approach resulted in the
first system of propositional logic, which sought to more fully understand
humanity’s role in the universe. The Stoic dedication to determinism
continues in Chrysippus, as does the appeal to free will operating within that
universal structure of pre-ordained fate. Chrysippus further developed the
rejection of destructive emotions and the Stoic practice of apatheia as central
to the philosophy by systemizing a therapeutic solution to them, drawing
followers toward a mastery of their passions in logical and achievable
sequence. It was the second founder of Stoicism who caused the philosophy
to become one of the most influential of its time, for centuries to come,
throughout Greece and the Roman Empire.
In 185 BC, Panaetius of Rhodes wrote extensively about Stoicism, creating of

it a popular philosophy that the elites of the day took a great interest in.
Panaetius was responsible for introducing the philosophy of Stoicism to
Rome, where he lived and wrote until 129 BC, when he returned to Athens.
The renowned Roman, Cicero, is known to have drawn heavily from
Panaetius’s best-known work, On Duties, as his primary reference in the
production of writings under the same title.
Panaetius’ philosophical departure from proto-Stoicism resides in his

apprehension and (at least partial) rejection of the practice of apatheia. In
contrast to the earlier Stoics, he regarded some emotions as being well in
keeping with natural law and even commanded by it. He placed a certain
value on pleasurable emotions and physical sensations, which was probably
one of the more appealing elements of popularized Stoic philosophy among
the elite classes of the day. The evolution of the central Stoic proposition
(that the emotions were better harnessed in the service of virtue) was softened
by Panaetius. The reduced rigidity of the philosophy made of it a
contemporary “pop psychology” version of its former self and thus, an object
of popular infatuation for a moneyed class seeking novelty.
We now encounter two later Stoics Panaetius (185-109 BC) and Posidonius
(135-50 BC). The later Stoa period includes teachers such as Seneca and
Epictetus. Seneca’s theories were peppered with the eclecticism that had
originated in the writing and teaching of Panaetius of Rhodes.
Born a slave in what is now Turkey, Epictetus represented a return to the

classical teachings of Stoicism. His unwavering determinism supported his
embrace of early Stoic apatheia and its abandonment of human passions in
the conduct of life. He returned to the detachment advanced by Zeno and
upheld Stoicism as a way of life guided by philosophy. Epictetus also held up
personal responsibility as a cornerstone of an ethical, virtuous life. This
return to the classical precepts of Stoicism had a reinvigorating effect on the
philosophy.
Would it surprise you to learn than Marcus Aurelius was also a Stoic? In fact,
the Roman emperor was the last of the Stoic teachers. In 4 BC, Seneca and
Marcus Aurelius took up the subject and conducted extensive research on it.
This was also a period when Stoicism was slowly fading as a popular fashion,
mainly because of its popularity. It was a victim of its own success, in
essence. Stoic philosophy became common property among the masses and
was eventually absorbed by Neoplatonism. This effect had already been
hinted at in Panaetius of Rhodes, considered in his day indistinguishable from
any of the contemporary Platonic thinkers.
It was Marcus Aurelius and Seneca who gave the world contemporary, late
Stoicism, which was an extremely refined version of the original philosophy.
It was possible for all people to adopt it, not just the elites. Both Marcus
Aurelius and Seneca lived as they thought – with great self-mastery and
emotional control. The Emperor kept a daily account of his personal
development in the philosophy of Stoicism. Seneca famously thought only of
his wife and children and how they would be affected by his death, when
Emperor Nero called for his suicide.
Seneca also believed in the active practice of misfortune and taught that
followers should set aside several days each month for the purpose of
experiencing poverty. In deliberate self-denial, Seneca believed it was
possible to neutralize the emotional dread of it and thus master the anxiety
most people have of reduced fortunes.
Marcus Aurelius wrote that in choosing not to feel as though you’ve been
harmed, you wouldn’t have been harmed. His understanding of Stoicism as a
philosophical guide to life is evidenced in his daily writings. That was an
extraordinary undertaking for a man who, at the time, was arguably the most
powerful man in the world. With access to the riches of the Empire, untold
power, and deified status (Roman emperors were considered gods), it’s quite
striking that Marcus Aurelius would pursue such a practice, at all. That he did
this each and every day is difficult to believe, but a historical fact,
nonetheless.
Stoicism’s influence in the ancient world ended decisively in the 6th Century.
It was at this time that the Holy Roman Emperor, Justinian I, closed all the
empire’s philosophical schools. As the Roman Empire had, by this time,
adopted Christianity as its state religion (under Theodosius in the 4th
Century), Justinian feared the influence of the schools as rivals to the
established religion of Rome.
In the mid-1500s, Neo-Stoicism arose in Europe. Founded by the Flemish

humanist, Justus Lipsius, Neo-Stoicism was a syncretic philosophical
ideology which melded Christianity with Stoic philosophical precepts. This
was a new school of thought, which built on proto-Stoicism’s central thesis:
that obtaining a mastery of one’s emotions and controlling them was the key
to virtuous and fully-realized living. It went as far as to suggest that instead
of focusing on one’ emotions, it was ultimately more advantageous to focus
on God. The Neo-Stoicism of Lipsius advanced the notion that human beings
should submit to God in order to adequately subdue their passions and gain
mastery over their physical urgings.
Socrates, the great Greek philosopher, is said to have been one of the most
potent influences on the development of Stoicism. In fact, observing him
keenly is at least part of what led Zeno to formulate proto-Stoicism. Socrates,
as we know, was a very calm person who did not allow the ways of the world
to affect him negatively. He remained calm, even in extreme adversity. This
is what prompted Zeno to begin formulating the basis for Stoicism.
Today, modern Stoicism boasts thousands of followers and their numbers

continue to grow. People who follow the philosophies of Stoicism claim that
this practice improves their lives immeasurably. There are many people who
vouch for its ability to not only help followers navigate unfortunate
circumstances calmly, but also to improve the quality and focus of their lives.
It’s important to understand that it’s not a miracle drug or silver bullet.
Stoicism demands concerted effort and focus from its followers in the
application of its teachings in order for them to impact their lives positively.
This book will help you understand the Stoic philosophy and presents it as a
possible framework for the kind of life you’re hoping to live.
Stoics and God
The Athenian Stoics believed in a universal, omnipotent God. Although the
very basic philosophies and virtues of the Stoic religion do not actively
mention God, it is assumed that praying to God on a daily basis can help a
person adopt the Stoic religion with ease. The very basic philosophies and
virtues of the Stoic religion do not expressly mention God as monotheism
perhaps understands Divinity. But the notion of all being one in early
Stoicism, as well as currents of thought throughout its development (in
particular, the personification of Zeus as omnipotent God in the hymn of
Cleanthes), point to a core acceptance of the Divine machination of the
universe. They also point to is the notion of Divine immanence, which may
indicate a panentheistic (all is in God) understanding of Divinity.
A further indication is the notion that meditation on a daily basis is

prescribed. A God inherent in the natural order, which is the source of the
law Stoics believed was to be followed in the pursuit of virtue, has led
experts to believe that Stoicism adhered to a panentheistic worldview. But
there is no consensus on this assertion, with a rival school of thought
ascribing a naturalist pantheism (God is in all and immanent in the natural
world by way of the material, natural world).
In common with Christianity, Stoicism claims that the universe has at its
center a Divine reason. In Greek the word for this is “logos”. In the Christian
Scriptures, God in Christ is referred to as the logos. Marcus Aurelius, in
particular, brought forward the view that humanity is God’s ultimate
incarnational reality (an interesting parallel to the Christian claim of God
incarnate in the person of Jesus of Nazareth). Aurelius claimed that the
“logos spermatikos” (or “seed of Divine reason”) was indwelling all human
life, as only human beings possessed its three attributes – life, desire, and
reason. To the Philosopher King, all humans were “fragments of God” for
this reason. This statement hints at a more panentheistic understanding of
Divine immanence. If humans are “fragments of God,” then the universe
resides in God as the greater reality, as opposed to God residing in all things
via material agency.
The parallels to Christianity (and perhaps making Christianity’s debt to

Stoicism all the more evident) are numerous, but Stoicism actually makes an
appearance in the Christian Scriptures, themselves. In the Acts of the
Apostles (17:28), the Apostle Paul quotes the Stoic philosopher, Epimenedes
the Cretan, writing of a God in whom “we live and move and have our
being.” This is a baldly panentheistic construct which is not only shared
between Christianity and Stoicism philosophically, but explicitly, in the
quotation cited. The incarnational aspects in Aurelius serve as undeniable
parallels to the Christian idea of God incarnate in the person of Jesus, as
Christ.
Stoic Teachings
Early Stoic theory focused on the materialism of the Monist school of
philosophy. In Monism, the created order (and God’s immanence), was
realized in the material (pantheism). Emotions were also materialized, as they
manifested as physical reactions like blushing, smiling, laughing, crying,
grimacing, etc.
The early views of Stoicism may well have been described as pantheistic by
virtue of their materialism, which means that a Divine or otherworldly
presence indwelled the material, animating it. A reflection of the
philosophical constructs of the day, it’s not difficult to see how early
Stoicism’s apprehension of the Divine presence evolved through time to
arrive at reasonably well articulated panentheism – even in the pages of
Christian Scripture.
There were two kinds of matter, according to the Stoics: That which can be
seen and touched, and the finer matter, which cannot be seen, but only
sensed. This was more like a breath or spirit or a Divine entity whose
presence could only be felt and imagined and which held everything together.
These types of matter were also given different names to go with their
properties: logos (Divine reason), pneuma (Divine breath), and pronoia
(Divine providence). The Stoic philosophers turned to mythology and ancient
texts, and also to allegorical interpretations of sayings and theories to fine-
tune their new and emerging Stoic philosophy. Of course, their naming of
God followed the Pagan construct of the day, as a means of acculturating and
adhering to the philosophy to its social context. For instance, Hera (ERA)
becomes air (AER) and GEMETER (Earth) is derived from DEMETER. So
successful was this naming convention that even early Church Fathers, like
Clement and Origen, adopted it for their theological purposes.
According to Stoicism, human nature harbors both types of matter described
above. The soul was believed to consist of eight distinct parts, comprising the
five senses and two types of power - generative and leading. But this is not to
say that Stoic principles negated free will. Free will has always been
associated with higher intelligence and a higher form of cognition. Stoic
wisdom took into account this extremely vital aspect of a functional human
mind, along with its tenets of happiness and inner peace, adhering at its
earliest layer to the notion of free will, even in the face of cosmic
determinism.
All said and done, Stoicism stood for happiness. That was its major goal then
and remains its major goal now. Stoics firmly believed that happiness is the
result of inner peace and a lifelong formation of virtues and values. Since
they negated extraneous thoughts, feelings, and emotions, they theorized that
virtue was intrinsic, or ontological; that it can’t be taken away from someone
because it is an essential feature of their humanity. Thus, if someone lived in
accordance with nature, caused no harm to others, led a quiet, peaceful life,
reasonably and with full passion and commitment with regard to his work,
family, and social context, that person was sure to attain happiness and
contentment; the ultimate goal of Stoicism. And the beauty of this tenet is
that, once someone started walking on this righteous path, he almost never
strayed from it. Anyone can embrace this philosophy at any age and from any
walk of life. Its beauty lies in its simplicity.
Let’s get back to Zeno and Cleanthes for a minute. Zeno, as we know, was
the founder of this school of thought. He and his disciple, Cleanthes, tried to
formulate fundamental principles of this new and exciting theory. They
focused on the active and energetic nature of the mind. When Chrysippus
appeared on the scene, he polished the theory further by stating that the soul
was akin to pneuma, a fire-like substance, constantly burning brightly and
illuminating other matter around it. Pneuma was also associated with higher
mental processes and cognition. To take the theory to another level
altogether, pneuma was likened to Zeus, the ultimate God in Greek
mythology.
God occupied a very special place back then, as now. But God was accorded
the status of an artistic and beautiful fire, which could create as well as
destroy. The fire was considered pure and sacred, which enveloped the entire
cosmos and our beings. As mentioned earlier in this book, the philosopher,
Heraclitus, employed the metaphor of fire to describe a universe in constant
flux, stating that its ontology was not subject to change, as its matter
encountered flux. From a spark came flame. From the flame came ash and
smoke. The ash returned to earth, with the process repeating eternally, never
changing the essential nature of fire. The Stoics, on the other hand, posited a
fixed and immutable universe; unchanging through eternity and fire of Divine
nature.
The Stoics might have lived in ancient times, but their thoughts were
definitely modern. They viewed the world as one big living organism. Just as
God was a pure pneuma, the human soul was equated with a magical mixture
of air and fire. They referred to it as “refined fire” or “aether.” This dual-
quality fire was said to envelop humans as well, and was viewed as a part of
the soul, which was seeking benediction from heaven, from Zeus, and the
cosmos. Ultimately, according to Stoicism, the human soul would merge into
the cosmos. Stoic beliefs also taught people that the soul was a part of God,
residing within human bodies, and showering intelligence and wealth upon
us. The four elements of nature - fire, air, water, and earth - were properly
explained in the philosophy as well. Earth and water were supposed to be
heavy, dense and entirely in the vice of passivity. Air and fire were thought
of as light, transient elements, with a deep connection to science, arts, and
anything to do with intelligence and activity. The Stoics held the belief that
both sets of elements were needed to nourish the soul and make it bloom.
Still confused as to the real meaning of this philosophy? Well, it’s rather
simple, if you think about it. Stoicism advocated the idea that thorough
reasoning was the key to attain knowledge. Reason, the Stoics believed, was
the avenue to the Stoicism’s longed-for virtue, the key to happiness.
The human brain is an amazing organ. It has the innate ability to ascertain
whether an impression is correct or incorrect, and whether or not we should
approve of or reject it. This also enables it to distinguish between
representations of reality from those which are fallacious or fanciful. Of
course, the degree to which this is accomplished varies from experience to
experience, but it is an established fact that clear comprehension and
conviction are attained only by verification of the judgment.
Many books and treaties have been published on the subject, one of them
being A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy. It reiterates the
basic principle of Stoicism. Stoicism has been around since ancient times,
and is just as relevant today as it was back then. It propounds a list of
techniques and guidelines that allow people to slowly decrease, diminish,
lessen, and ultimately eradicate everything negative about their lives.
Emotions such as anger, jealousy, fear, hatred, and dissatisfaction are all
slowly eliminated from one’s being through sound reasoning and logic,
paving the way for positive and uplifting emotions like joy, love, happiness,
contentment, etc., thus bringing total peace and equanimity to society as a
whole.
The core belief upon which Stoicism lays its foundation is simple: having a
meaningful life by overcoming discontent, desire, and unbridled human
passions.
What does this even mean? People everywhere have wants and desires. They
fulfill one, and go on to the next one. They believe that, by fulfilling their
desires, happiness will be theirs. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Each satisfied desire brings with it the next one, in a seemingly unending and
insatiable chain of desire and longing. There is no end to this. People
continue to chase the elusive perceptions of what constitutes happiness all
their lives, and end up no better off than when they began. This is an
unfortunate waste of the goodness of life. So, what’s the trick here? How do
we begin to find happiness within ourselves and our surroundings, without
depending on material things in life? We can do this by overcoming our
passions. Ask yourself; is what you seek a want or is it a need? What we need
and what we desire are two different matters.
Some things in life can be controlled, and some cannot. Worrying endlessly
about the many variables and exigencies of life beyond our control will only
cause untold misery, tension, and anxiety. Why worry when something is not
in your hands? Stoicism teaches us to do a thorough and complete job of the
situation or thing or activity we can control, like doing our job or taking care
of our parents and children or building or creating something. A tornado is
not in our hands, nor is the result of the next election. By learning to separate
desire from need and what’s within our control from what’s not, we can take
a vital step toward inner peace and happiness.
Another activity that will raise your happiness quotient is interaction with
other humans. The Stoic school of thought firmly advocates that, as social
animals, we need and crave each other’s company while limiting the
interactions to playful, fun activities that engage the mind and body. Refrain
from envying the status and fame of others around you. This can result from
constantly seeking the company of other people. It’s been said that familiarity
breeds contempt and so it is with social life.
And what to do when you encounter ill thoughts and insults from those
around you? Detaching yourself from the slight and examining its importance
in the great scheme of things is a good way to start, but there are two ways in
which you can proceed: If the insult or comment is true, you have a chance of
making yourself a better person. Thus, an objective reading of the perceived
slight is in order, even before you arrive at a judgment about its validity. If
it’s false, you don’t lose anything and can go about your daily business,
because it doesn’t matter to you. Your response is entirely within your hands
and the Stoic’s response is no response at all. This defuses the sting of the
insult. Calm, rational examination of the importance of the slights, gossip,
and insults that others can’t help but fling at us, casts them as what they are –
completely uninteresting to us.
Thinking stoically means not allowing the little annoyances in life to set you
back. While some become frustrated with taking one step forward and two
back, Stoics will think of this as the “cha cha cha” of life: a dance. Your
response to the world around you is within your control. By not permitting
your response to events, personalities and challenges to dominate your
thinking and by not allowing your emotions to rule you, you claim the peace
that Stoicism promises.
This represents a fundamental shift in the manner in which many of us think.

We don’t think, if the truth be told. We react. We fly off the handle. We cry.
We worry. We flip the bird to the driver who cut us off.
But there’s a better way to live. We can master our passions. We can choose
to walk away from conflict, to ignore negative voices around us and to
transcend the challenges we face in life with determined calm. This is the
way of the Stoic and that way is available to all who are willing to work on
changing the manner in which they respond to life and its bumps and grinds.
Stoicism features several philosophical cornerstones. These core ideas are the
very basis of the philosophy and are intended to help you understand what it
takes to walk in the way of the Stoics. It’s a way of life and not something
you should take casually (unless you’re just a tourist in the land of Stoicism,
which is fine, too). In this chapter, we explore some of the core teachings of
this philosophy.
Control What You Can
The very first proposition is that you come to an understanding about what is
in your control and what is not. Not everything in the world is within your
ability to change, improve, or control. Some things, you have to accept, are
part of a greater reality in which you exist, but which is not subject to your
will. Say, for example, that your anger is in your control but external forces
provoking it are out of your control. You need to understand that your
response to whatever it is that has provoked your anger is within your
control. It’s your choice how you answer that. Your response can’t be blamed
on your circumstances. It’s your personal responsibility to manage your
reactions. That’s because your emotions are the product of your own
thoughts. Your thoughts are your own, regardless of what’s occurred in the
world around you. You are their master and you are responsible for them.
Emotions Are Within
This is one of the most important philosophies of Stoicism. The Stoics
believe that emotions are to be detached from externals and are solely created
by our own thoughts and feelings. Most people believe that their emotions are
the result of what they see and hear from the outside world. But how can the
world create your personal emotions? It can only create thoughts, which can
stir emotions. But if you control your thoughts (in response to external
stimuli), then you can control your emotions. It’s incumbent on you to look
inside yourself, in an effort to examine the emotions that arise from your
thoughts in response to what’s going on around you. What’s within you is
yours to control and the world may not be blamed for your personal passions.
Your Responses Are Your Responsibility
Your responses (actions arising from emotional responses) are also your
responsibility. This means that the emotions arising from your thoughts that
give rise to your actions (for better or worse) are all linked and dependent on
one another. It is all within your control, regardless of the event that has
precipitated the thought-emotion-action.
Life is full of ups and downs. There’s no question of that. But your responses
can either lift you up or pull you down. Too often, our passions rule us,
precipitating inappropriately out-of-proportion responses that make us look
overly emotional. Self-control is the mother of the kind of life you are hoping
to live. When you have a command of the thoughts that give rise to
inappropriate emotions and the actions they are capable of producing, you
will also become the master of your destiny. This is the free will aspect of
Stoic determinism. Life is going to happen, but how it happens is somewhat
up to you, relying as it does on your actions in response to difficult situations.
Honesty Is a Virtue
Although you are free to choose the virtues you wish to base your life on, it’s
best to treat honesty as your life’s primary virtue. Honesty brings out the best
in you. Lying fills you with the dread of discovery. It forces you to
desperately try to remember what story you’ve told various people and if
those stories match. It brings worry and invites catastrophe into your life.
Choosing honesty as a primary virtue permits you to release worry and to
replace it with the knowledge that you have chosen the path of virtue in a
world of deceit.
It’s important that you maintain a consistent and close relationship with
someone who is just as trustworthy and honest as you are and that you
nurture this supportive relationship over time. Having a reliable sounding
board will provide you with a means to gauge your ethical soundness and
provide you with support when dishonest or less than honest alternatives
present themselves as more facile than the path you’re pursuing. The buddy
system is an excellent way to enhance your journey toward reduced
attachment to negative thinking and the emotions and acts that can result
from it. A second opinion is always of great value and provides you with an
objective voice when you’re in doubt.
Hope Springs Eternal
Hope is a virtue, as it’s an eternal spring you can drink from and also share
with others. Hope is a virtue that leads you on in life, even leading you
through those times that challenge and can even break you. The hope that life
will get better, or even just continue, leads you through those times. We all
have episodes in our lives when hope seems elusive. Fostering hope as a
virtue is one way to build internal resilience to the vagaries of an
unpredictable life and to nurture detachment from its mutable nature.
The Stoic philosophy teaches that in knowing the worst, you may better
appreciate the best. Building on that knowledge reminds you that life is ever-
changing and that it’s full of mountains, as well as deep valleys. Walking
through all these highs and lows at the same pace is a Stoic virtue. Being less
attached to outcomes and more attached to how you react to life, as a whole,
builds you up and makes you less vulnerable to unexpected contingencies.
You have to hope for the best and keep going. It is not important to analyze
all the fine details of your losses, because they matter so much less in the face
of the hope you have. Hope tells you that change being the nature of the
world is acceptable, because if the nature of the world is change, then
challenge can turn to triumph overnight. Triumph and challenge are
essentially the same creature. They are two sides of the same coin – life and
thus[1], have the same value to you.
Knowledge Will Save You
Knowledge is your salvation. Read as much as you can and spend time in the
company of those who are wise and who know more than you do. Gather as
much knowledge and information as you can from the wide variety of
sources that are available to you, and go through them in detail to refresh and
update your memory from time to time. Turn off your television and turn on
your mind. The time you spend watching television is wasted. It’s much
better spent on nurturing your mind. Your knowledge and reasoning skills
will help you increase your self-worth. You’ll begin to appreciate the role of
knowledge in your life as something to be turned to in times you’d least
expect it might serve you. Knowledge will improve the overall quality of
your life and relationships. Fill your mind with it.
Mindfulness is Important
The Stoic philosophy stresses that you must remain indifferent to the various
situations in life, but that mindfulness and living fully in the moment are of
paramount importance. Mindfulness refers to being completely present in
each moment and understanding what’s happening around you. Even if
you’re presented with a negative situation, you need to remain indifferent but
mindful and fully aware. You can’t be ignorant of circumstance, as this will
cause you to become a passive bystander. It is well and good if a bad
situation has passed you by without your knowledge of it, but you need to be
as aware of life going on around you as possible. Mindfulness is a window to
understanding the world objectively, seeing it for what it is, and making the
decision not to allow it to impact your way forward. It’s a practice that
demands you be fully aware of all that is positive, as well as all that is
negative, in order to be able to fully detach yourself from outcomes. You are
an observer and processor of information, whether that information suits you
or not.
Morals Not Awards
Stoicism teaches that life is to be measured through the application of virtues,
morals, and right action. These are an end in themselves; you are not seeking
a reward for practicing them. They are the reward and the purpose of your
life. Rewards are only temporary and will not help you remain happy forever.
You need to count the number of virtues and morals you’ve dedicated your
life to and question your adherence to them as your measure of life’s value.
By living a virtuous life, freed from the oppression of emotions and
attachments, you are living your reward. Virtue is its own reward.
Letting God
At any time in life, if you feel someone has emotionally parted from you, it’s
important that you accept this is as the “new normal” and choose not to brood
over the departure, analyze it, or give in to despair. Once someone starts to
show signs of not being emotionally invested in a relationship with you,
accepting that decision and not clinging to the relationship, or questioning the
motives of the departing person, is another value that detachment from
negative emotions has for you. You are spared unnecessary suffering. Even if
the departing person tries to hurt you, you must be completely in command of
your emotions and as indifferent as possible. You must tell yourself that
nothing they do can affect you and that you will only listen to your objective
thoughts on the matter, refusing to give in to negative thoughts that feed
unwelcome emotions that lead to suffering.
Every Day Is a New Day
Each morning, you start fresh. You literally hit the refresh button in your
head and start all over on the new day. Don’t dwell on the possibility of a
negative or unpleasant situation repeating itself. Even if it does, you will have
the knowledge to deal with it. But be on the lookout for opportunities that
will help you increase your knowledge base. Don’t hold on to anything for
the next day and forget about it as soon as it’s resolved. Once you’ve
objectively unpacked it, put it away. You must be optimistic and move
beyond negativity and misfortune, doing your best to be as rational and
indifferent as possible.
These form the core concepts of Stoic philosophy, translated to a modern

understanding of the original intent. Clearly, these are practical ideas and,
while they’re a challenge to our emotionally driven understanding of the
world, it’s obvious to me how embracing them could change lives and reduce
suffering.
We’ve discussed some of classical Stoicism’s similarities to Christianity, but

if you’ve read through the concepts outlined above carefully, you’ll also see
some key elements of Buddhism peeking out at you. Detachment and the
resulting reduction of suffering is a clear parallel to Zen Buddhist practice,
for example. The benefits in terms of peace and happiness must be the
commonality between Stoicism and these two great World faiths. For me, this
only underlines the efficacy of the philosophy as a guide to living.
Zeno, as we’ve discussed earlier in this book, introduced Stoicism to ancient

Athens. In those times, there were some core virtues considered by the
Greeks to be indispensable to the order of a successful society. These virtues
were instilled as the cardinal virtues of proto-Stoicism and Zeno propounded
them as the pillars of Stoic philosophy.
Following is an account of proto-Stoicism’s four cardinal virtues.

Wisdom
Wisdom is the first cardinal virtue of Stoicism. Wisdom, as we know, is a
crucial virtue for everyone to pursue and something that can help increase our
understanding of life, its beauty, and our place in it. Wisdom is regarded as a
cardinal virtue because it can help people lead a better life, by helping them
make the right choices for themselves and those around them. A wise person
will look at all factors in any given situation, analyzing it through different
lenses. He will then form an opinion about it and remain detached from the
outcome. Action informed by wisdom is measured and appropriate.
There are many stages to pursuing the virtue of wisdom. The first stage is
self-knowledge. You have to know yourself well enough before you can
begin to develop wisdom. You must understand your own learning capacity
before you embark on the profound project of growing the “sophia”
(wisdom) which already resides in you, longing for nurture. Once you are
well acquainted with your own learning style, you can begin training yourself
in the apprehension of wisdom. Wisdom is more than knowledge. Wisdom is
understanding and experience.
Experience will make you wise, but only if you allow it to seep into your
consciousness as learning. Most of us subconsciously make many decisions,
but it’s important that we help our conscious minds and our subconscious
minds unite. Once they reach the same plane, we are given the precious
opportunity to make better decisions based on a more unified consciousness.
Our wisdom will shine through and help us make the right choices at the right
times; choices that are informed by our experience, processed by
understanding all our lives as learning.
There is no limit to how much knowledge you can obtain in your life. Every
day should be a learning day and you must try and learn as much as you can
from each and every experience. You must then filter out unnecessary
information and allow only what’s important to remain with you. With time,
you will know exactly how to do this. The habit of filtering your knowledge
will help you understand how to categorize what’s going on around you,
arriving at the kernel of importance in all that occurs in your life and the
world around you, without dwelling on peripherals that don’t concern you.
Courage
The second cardinal virtue of Stoicism is courage. Courage is a virtue that
increases your resilience for those times when the winds of life buffet you.
Courage is a virtue that manifests both physically and intellectually.
Physical courage is your body’s ability to withstand challenges that demand a

physical response. By maintaining your health mindfully and intentionally,
you will be prepared for whatever life throws at you. Challenges can range
from dealing with physical pain and disability to undergoing surgery, or even
a natural disaster in which you have to fend for yourself. No human being is
perfect, but knowing that is a byproduct of courage. Acknowledging our
weaknesses and working to build them up is a big part of developing the
virtue of courage. Struggling through with determination is courage made
manifest, whether the challenge is physical, intellectual, or spiritual. Working
toward optimum health is a challenge in itself and there is great virtue in both
the effort and the result, which is physical readiness to meet all challenges
with resolve.
The next form of courage is mental, or intellectual, courage. The strength of

your will is your ability to control your thoughts and the emotions and actions
that result from them. Nothing in life is permanent and knowing that is
courageous. Knowing that flux is inevitable prepares you for the change that
will come, regardless of how stable we believe our world is. Nothing remains
constant and everything changes, in due season. This is the law of nature and
of life. The Stoic approach to that reality is employing the virtue of courage
as a means of being prepared for what comes when things change. What you
have today might not be available tomorrow, including those you love and
your material belongings. This is why Stoicism teaches that attachment is the
root of suffering, just as Buddhism does. By understanding the temporal
nature of life, you have become a more courageous and resilient person,
detached from a clinging relationship that brings unhappiness, even misery,
into your life.
Equanimity
Equanimity is emotional balance and the ability to maintain composure
through even the most difficult situations. An outgrowth of self-control,
equanimity is born of dedicated practice. It permits the detachment of the self
from the temporal nature of life, allowing it to live in the world you’re
creating, the world of virtue and the acceptance of life’s unpredictability.
In Stoicism, the Greek word apatheia is used to describe this state of being,
whereas the Roman word is closer to the modern English word,
aequanimitas. Both describe a natural state of balance resulting from a
concerted effort and practice to manage thoughts and emotions that result in
the ability to face all circumstances with a similar attitude – for all
circumstances have a similar value. Marcus Aurelius’s model for equanimity
was the natural world, which the Stoics believed to be the model for human
life. The natural world is, above all, cyclical. In understanding the cycles of
nature, we can better apply ourselves to understanding the nature of life itself,
with its cycles, (both fallow and fruitful) and its laws, which are neither good,
bad, nor indifferent.
Self-Control
Temperance is the ability to maintain balance in your life and person and that
involves self-control. This is a cardinal virtue, as self-mastery is one of
Stoicism’s primary goals and teachings. Balance in your life creates balance
in your world and this is achieved through the mastery of excessive passions.
Tempering your thoughts and emotions will temper your actions and the
result will be peace and equilibrium.
Self-control also involves abstaining from bad habits. Stay away from
substances, situations, people, and actions that have the potential to affect
you negatively. Leading a temperate life is a reward in itself, as it’s better for
you all around. Excising the negative means excising habits that do you only
harm.
The cardinal virtues form a strong foundation for the practice of

philosophical Stoicism as a way of life. By embracing them, the positive
changes in your life will be apparent. Modeling the best version of you is
possible through the mindful practice of Stoicism’s cardinal virtues. This will
also set an example for those around you which will resonate strongly as the
kind of life they may want to lead. If everyone in the world would concern
themselves with the conscious living out of virtue, it’s undeniable that the
world would be infinitely more livable.
Chapter 5: Keeping Calm – A Few Stoic
Principles
What good is all the philosophy in the world if it can’t teach us how to live
practically? What do humans all over the world want?
How to live fulfilling lives, with peace, happiness, and love?[2]

How to keep improving ourselves, so we become better and better?
Do Stoic principles teach us how to do these things? I believe they
do. Let’s read how that is.
● Self-Mastery
In mastering ourselves, our thoughts, and our emotions, we take
control of what we believe are external factors, but which are really
the result of negative thoughts and the emotions they drive. By
actively working to master our intellectual responses to events
around us, we become able to detach from them. This is not to imply
that we become apathetic (in the modern and not the Stoic sense of
apatheia). Rather, we choose to become more analytical about life
and its mutability, and become less attached to outcomes. This is a
life improvement which supports increased happiness and peace.
● Find a mentor
Everyone needs someone to look up to, seek advice from and share
thoughts and ideas with. This could be a neighbor or coworker, a
parent, friend, or superior. Anyone, really, can serve as a mentor.
Choose someone with similar interests in the pursuit of virtue and
self-mastery; someone with a spiritual wisdom you aspire to
yourself. This person can be a valuable guide as you build your
virtue and learn to master yourself.
● Failure is just a step in the “cha cha cha” of life
It’s natural to feel lousy about failure, but as a Stoic, you know it’s
going to happen, right? By understanding that failure is just another
learning experience and by becoming less attached to outcomes, you
will understand that failure is not half the catastrophe you once
thought it was. Without failure, you will never know yourself as a
person or the stuff you’re made of. Treat failure as just another step
in the “cha cha cha” of life and it will seem like exactly what it is –
just a part of the whole from which you can learn and grow. The
Stoic practitioner isn’t attached to outcomes and permits failure to
have as welcome a place in his life as success does.
● Read to educate yourself
Read books about great leaders in world affairs, politics, and
spirituality who changed the world by being in it. Educate yourself
about their achievements. Read also about world religions and
spiritual movements. Nourish yourself with knowledge and seek to
glean from what you learn those things that will support you on your
own quest for virtuous living.
● Be honest with yourself
Many a time, we hide behind a veneer of artificiality and delusions,
especially when confronted with decisions we don’t want to make, or
people and emotions we’d rather not tackle. Be honest with yourself.
Challenge your thoughts, dissect the emotions that flow from them,
and know yourself better. Examine yourself daily to ensure that
you’re growing and not going backwards. Jesus of Nazareth said
“know thyself” for good reason.
● Be aware of what you spend your time on
When you have “spare” time, what are you doing with it? Video
games? Social networking sites? Mindless internet surfing?
Television viewing? In order to develop yourself, prioritize your
activities. Be aware of the time you’re spending in pursuits which
aren’t moving you closer toward your goals of self-mastery and
virtuous living. Self-awareness and time management are aspects of
virtue you need to pay close attention to. Wasting time represents a
deficit in self-mastery.
● The phone is a tool
Let’s face it, we all spend way too much time on our phones. People
can’t seem to tear themselves away from their smart phones, as if
their life depended on checking out the latest app and the latest feed
every ten minutes. Put it away for a while. Don’t let it distract you
while you’re working or having dinner with your family, or spending
time with friends. People are more precious than machines. Machines
are meant to be used. People are meant to be loved. You don’t need
to be a Stoic to figure this one out.
● Recognize what you can’t control
As mentioned earlier, some things are beyond our ability to control.
Don’t be anxious about these things. Don’t worry about them. Why?
They’re beyond your control. Stoicism is about creating and reaching
a profound level of inner peace and happiness. To achieve this, keep
a firm leash on your emotions when dealing with the unexpected and
unwanted. Your happiness does not depend on external sources. Find
it within yourself and accept those things that you can’t change as
what they are – external.
● Live a principled life
Of course, living in this big, shiny, distracting world, surrounded by
untold wealth and temptation, it’s easy to stray from the path of right
action. But living a life led by ethics, principles, and values is richer
and more fulfilling than a life filled with stuff and money. You can’t
take it with you. When you die, your values and your principles will
be talked about more than your wealth or your position on the
Fortune 500 list.
● You can’t control other people
Other people’s rudeness and misbehavior isn’t your concern. People
who can’t keep a leash on their less pleasant side are to be pitied –
they know not what they do. But you do. A person who follows the
Stoic path will never react emotionally to a negative action or word.
He knows that the other person’s behavior is not in their hands. He
can’t control the other person’s speech or actions. So there’s no point
worrying about them. They’re external matters that have no impact
on the happiness of a Stoic.
Far from being a dead philosophical stream, Stoicism is a relevant, modern

system for living philosophically that benefits people who adhere to its
tenets, all over the world. Its answers to the modern problems of stress and
professional burnout, for example, have been beneficial for many seeking to
live happier, more peaceful lives. Stoicism’s rejection of emotional responses
as the answer to the world’s challenges is also a discipline that many have
found worthy of undertaking, discovering that psychological detachment
from matters beyond their control promotes greater wellbeing.
In this chapter, we look at how Stoicism is easily applicable in today’s day

and age and why it may be the life solution you’re seeking.
Stoicism’s Friends
Each year, the University of Exeter in England hosts Stoic Week. This
popular event draws thousands of Stoics and those curious about Stoicism to
explore the ancient philosophy’s applications to modern life. The conference
also examines data collected from participants in order to determine if
Stoicism actually improves the quality of their lives. Statistics gathered at the
most recent Stoic Week indicate that participants reported a 9% increase in
positivity and an even higher decrease in negativity – 11%. The data also
revealed that, after only one week of intentional Stoic philosophical practice,
participants experienced a 14% increase in overall wellbeing and happiness.
Fully 54% of respondents polled by Stoic Week believed they had become
more virtuous by following Stoic principles.
That’s more than half!
Stoic Week events are spreading like wild fire. Grand Valley State University
held its first Stoic Week recently and other academic institutions are involved
in examining Stoicism’s claims against modern life and how they might
impact those who live it. And Stoicism is showing up in some pretty unlikely
sectors, with some pretty unlikely adherents.
LL Cool J? Check. Former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger?

Check. The NFL? Really? Yes, really. Ryan Holiday’s book, The Obstacle Is
the Way, has sold 100,000 copies and has been translated into 17 languages.
For an Ancient Greek philosophical school that started in a marketplace
porch in Athens, that’s not bad.
In the world of sports, each game is a new game. Players focus on what they
can control in the context of the game. Factors that are beyond their control
are ignored. They endure pain and injury without complaint, powering
through their circumstances with one thought in mind – getting back on the
field and trying again. Sound familiar? That’s because all these features of
the sporting mind are rooted in Stoicism.
Holiday’s book (and its title) is based on a quote by Marcus Aurelius,

expounding the obstacle as the way (as opposed to in the way). The message
is that obstacles form us. They make of us who we are and also that, as stated
earlier in this book, failure is our teacher and just as great a friend to us on
our journeys as success is.
The huge popularity of Holiday’s book in the NHL is no surprise. That world
is populated by people who accept defeat as a learning experience; who don’t
obsess about what’s beyond their power to control. There is a natural
Stoicism in the world of football that has responded to Holiday’s book with
great enthusiasm. Only those unaware of the parallels between the sport and
the tenets of Stoicism should be surprised by this.
Stoicism, even over the past several years, has grown as an area of interest all
over the world. There’s even a large, online community called the New Stoa
(after that long-ago porch in the Athenian agora). Somehow, its ancient
philosophical propositions are resonating with people in the 21st Century. In a
world spun out of control, it provides a philosophical approach to life that
quells the fevered chaos around us. Stoicism’s time would seem to be right
about now, for that reason.
Philosopher Massimo Pigliucci recently wrote a blog post about Stoicism that
he’s now developing into yet another book on the subject (I told you it was
having a revival). His blog, entitled "How to Be a Stoic," struck such a chord
with readers that it went viral. Pigliucci warns that modern Stoicism might
become yet another handy self-help pseudo-fix. He sees Stoicism for what it
is: a way to manage the uncertainty of life and our responses to it. Further,
Pigliucci sought out Stoicism for its approach to the inevitability of death.
We will all die. That truth doesn’t mean we should seek ways out of it. There
is no way out of it! Hoping for some magical eternal life after death is
unhealthy and fails to acknowledge our role in the quality of our lives.
Rather, the inevitability of death is an invitation to live our lives more fully
and above all, more mindfully. Impending death is our invitation to a richer
life and all it offers, through the acceptance that it will come and that we’re
called to make the most and best of the time we have on this earth.
Modernity’s Salve
It is no secret that life has become so hectic and harried these days that
people don’t even have the time to breathe properly. But why is everyone so
busy? Well, to make more money! People try and amass as much money as
they can, in order to immunize themselves from the vicissitudes of life. They
work day and night to gather as much wealth as possible and forget that
they’re just human beings. In a world of rampant consumerism, it’s pretty
easy to get caught up in it; to sacrifice the quality of our lives to the fruitless
pursuit of a security that doesn’t really exist.
The Stoic philosophy is a salve for modernity. Applied with serious intent, it
can make anyone who chooses to do so more mentally and spiritually strong.
Stoics don’t look to the outside world for happiness or validation. They
understand that these effects are internal and dependent on their own
apprehension of the world.
Stoicism’s rise took place in a very different world. Before the industrial age,
before the 24/7 news cycle, television, the internet, the telephone, or
widespread literacy. But now it resonates much more deeply in our world, in
which we’re continually being given sources of anxiety, as the television
blares.
Stoicism’s teachings – pointing out the value of virtue over all other values –
is an answer to consumerism and its excesses. By looking within for what we
need to answer the world’s challenges and learning to detach from outcomes,
we can much more effectively navigate the turbulent waters of the 21st
Century. Our focus is easily shaken loose in confrontation of climate change,
the mass displacement of people, famine, and perpetual war. We can’t do
anything to stop any of these realities, but we can master our reactions to
them. We can do what we can in our own lives to contribute to solutions. We
can detach sufficiently to look at the world objectively and with the eyes of
wisdom and not panic, dread, or fear.
The Universality of Stoicism
Stoicism has a global appeal that makes sense in any number of cultural
contexts. Its undeniable universalism makes it applicable in any time and any
place, to any person. Because it specifically addresses the individual’s
relationship with the greater world, it speaks to all people in all times. Its
loose panentheism also presents a viewpoint of Divinity which divorces it
from monotheistic, prescriptive religious practice in a manner that makes it
attractive to people who might otherwise reject a systematic philosophy
toward more fruitful living. Stoicism is even compatible with religious
practice, as an auxiliary lens through which to look at the world, and it can
enhance the practitioner’s understanding of the tenets of whatever faith he
practices.
All people yearn to find a better way of living in an uncertain world. Some
look to a life after this one as a means of doing that; hoping that their
suffering in this world will be rewarded by an eternal life free of it in the
next. What Stoicism offers is a way of living in the present time, with virtue
being the eternal reward. That virtue, being attained through self-mastery,
fulfills the question of how we might live with change – even catastrophic
change. Stoicism provides us with the tools we need to accept external
factors, for better or worse, by detaching from undesirable and damaging
emotions, in favor of acceptance. Acceptance is not resignation. Acceptance
is understanding that we are unable to change anything but ourselves and our
response to ever-changing circumstances.
That focus on the internal evolution of the practitioner is Stoicism’s greatest

appeal. It promotes peace through individual change. As it’s often said,
people want change, but they don’t want to change themselves. It seems like
such an impossible project to take on in the midst of our busy lives. But
Stoicism offers a way to do this that develops the self and makes life
genuinely more livable for us and those around us.
In whatever corner of the world we live, Stoicism can speak to our universal
need for balance and temperance in our lives, bringing contentment and a
respite from the anxiety that plagues so many of us.
Stoicism in Religion
As discussed earlier, the parallels between Stoicism and Christianity, as well
as Buddhism, are striking. The ideas of Marcus Aurelius, as we’ve shown,
can even be found in the pages of the Christian Scriptures. But in fact,
Stoicism is compatible with and its tenets can be found embedded in most of
the world’s religions.
Like Stoicism, most religions emphasize the need for people to detach
themselves as much as possible from worldly pleasures and to look inside
themselves for happiness. You may currently be a member of a faith group.
Consider that you’re already practicing at least some of the teachings of
Stoicism as part of that faith. Consider that many of the ideas put forward by
Stoic philosophy form a part of your religious practice. The ancient world
was a melting pot of cultures and religions, so it’s inevitable that the ideals of
the Greek world and its philosophers would continue to be heard in the
canons of our various faith traditions in various ways. This is particularly true
of Stoic philosophy. Stoicism is uniquely compatible with faith practice, due
to its philosophic emphasis on self-mastery and examination and the jaded
eye it casts on an emotional attachment to the temporal. This world will pass
away, but the words of Stoic philosophy will not pass away (to paraphrase
Jesus of Nazareth).
With the rise of Christianity and the subsequent decline of Greek Stoicism
via the actions of Justinian I, Stoic ideals found a home in that faith tradition.
Today, Alcoholics Anonymous (a quasi-religious organization founded on
Christian ideas), employs a prayer which rather starkly and succinctly sums
up Stoicism in a few brief lines:
“God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, to change
the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference”.
The Serenity Prayer so efficiently encompasses the message of Stoicism, that
it might have been engraved over that porch in the agora by Zeno himself!
It’s notable that the Stoics were, essentially, monotheists in their

interpretation of Divinity, in the tradition of Heraclitus. While, unlike
Heraclitus, the Stoics believed that the universe was of an immutable nature
and not typified by constant flux, it’s clear their concept of God was a unified
one. Employing the pantheon of their time, their philosophy included the
belief in Divine reason (logos) at the center of the universe. The Stoic
universe was dependent upon that Divine reason and existed through its
immanence. This belief also exists in the three great monotheistic faiths born
in the ancient Near East: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
What’s interesting about Stoicism, though, is that God has no competition.

There is no demi-urge, yetzer hara, or force of evil in its philosophies. There
is only the logos and its benevolent ordering of all that is, in immanent
presence. In contrast, Christianity’s “Devil” and Judaism’s Ha-Satan (carried
over to Islam as Shaytan/Ibli) seems to be a holdover from henotheism – the
belief in a personal God greater than other, competing gods. Even the concept
of the Trinity in Christianity seems something of a challenge to the
monotheistic concept of God. Stoicism, it might be argued, is thus more
fundamentally monotheistic as a philosophy than the three major
monotheistic faiths. But that’s a big argument about something we can’t
change, so in true Stoic fashion – we’ll elect to leave it at that!
Similarities between Zen Buddhism and Stoicism are also quite striking. For
example, the emphasis on mindfulness (being in the present moment) is a
central feature in both systems, as well as detachment toward the elimination
of the suffering caused by anxiety, grief, fear, and worry. Both Stoicism and
Buddhism posit an increase of virtue through meditation and subsequent
analysis. Essentially, these systems are strikingly similar and a detailed
exploration of their equivalencies would serve as a useful exercise to increase
your knowledge and understanding of Stoicism’s aims.
The prescription for equanimity or balance is common in most faith practices

in the world, in one way or another. Yoga, Hinduism, and Judaism all hold up
balance as something to be strived for, as the hoped for end of disciplined
self-examination and the mastery of emotions.
Searching for Stoicism’s influence in the religions of the world is a

fascinating area of study that can illuminate systems of belief for us, as we
journey toward increased virtue. Knowing where it’s been and how it’s
evolved and left traces of itself behind, is one way of seeing its universal
nature and positive influence on the world, as a whole.
The Strength to Take on Life
We can all be weakened by life’s ups and downs, but that effect depends on
our way of viewing challenge and change, as Stoicism teaches. A moment of
weakness can deteriorate into a lifetime of regret, if we allow it to. But by
applying Stoic ideals to the conduct of our daily lives, we can reduce or
eliminate the ability of change and failure to impact us the way it does people
who believe life is a battle to be waged and not a journey to be enjoyed.
The mental and physical strength developed by combat soldiers depends on

many Stoic principles. Focus on the possible, the calling on of inner
resources and courage all make it possible for these men and women to
approach the field of battle without fear. Life needn’t be a battle field, but
some of what soldiers draw on in order to engage in combat is what you need
to live life without anxiety and fear. Part of that is remaining hopeful, while
understanding that outcomes can’t always be controlled. All we can control is
the input and that input should always be everything we have to offer. We
can only offer everything when we’re not distracted by worry and an
inappropriate focus on external factors we can’t change.
Leading the Way
With its focus on individual responsibility and the attainment of virtue,
Stoicism lends itself particularly well to being a way of living for those who
hope to lead in their communities and workplaces. By developing your ability
to remain calm and detached in the eye of the storm and to analyze what’s
going on around you with Stoic equanimity, you will model key leadership
qualities.
Through your life and the way you live it, others will see you as someone
worthy of trust and emulation. By modeling the Stoic philosophy, you will
draw others toward its benefits and in so doing, increase the practice of
personal accountability and the increase of virtue through mindful
detachment from temporal affairs.
In a society obsessed with money and the accumulation of goods, as well as

relentless competition, Stoicism offers hope to those suffering in the midst of
this dysfunctional culture. It offers a way of living with it, while remaining
somewhat apart from it. Although we’re all creatures of the society and
culture we live in, it’s not incumbent on any of us to participate in the
excesses that attach. In fact, those of us who are courageous enough to step
back from our attachment to temporal matters and things, provide a
lighthouse of reason by which others might find their way to a less attached
and thus happier, more peaceful way of living.
A Stoic leader, it should be noted, stands with and not above those he leads.
Leadership is, above all, servanthood and servanthood is an ontology of
sacrifice to others. It’s not authority. Authority is bowed to. Leadership is
lived out in equality and radical community which acknowledges the
personal accountability of each person. Leadership is humble, willing, and
available to help point the way forward, but never by fiat or coercion.
Leadership is exemplary and suggestive. It shows others what a well-formed
human being consists of and how that human being behaves when placed in a
leadership position. Stoic leadership, then, is dedicated to the betterment of
others by way of the demonstration of the value of virtue as the goal of a life
well-lived.
Stoicism was wrought in the crucible of Alexander the Great’s sweeping

conquests. His sudden death threw the ancient world of the Stoics into
turmoil. What could be a more fertile ground for the introduction of a
philosophy that offered a means to find inner peace in the eye of a social and
political hurricane?
For the ancient Athenians, Stoicism’s promise lay in its prescriptions for
living through the turbulent times in which they found themselves. It didn’t
promise “pie in the sky when you die.” Rather, it taught followers that their
quality of life was in their hands, despite all the turbulence around them.
The similarities of those times for Athens and our times are more than
obvious. The world is increasingly unstable, threatened as it is with
catastrophic weather occasioned by climate change, terrorism (both domestic
and foreign), and food insecurity for billions of people, all over the world.
The world of Athens may have been smaller and not gifted (or burdened, in
the alternative view) with the technological wonders of the world that we live
in now. It’s undeniable, though, that events immediately preceding the rise of
Stoicism were instrumental in its diffusion and eventual popularity, well
beyond Athens.
Many of us feel helpless in the face of current events. We know we can’t
change them. But do we know we can change ourselves in order to make
more sense of them? Do we know that our inner life is our responsibility and
that its quality determines the quality of the fullness of our lives, even in
confusing times? Stoicism teaches us that we can aspire to this, just as it
taught the ancient Athenians the same. The appeal of this philosophy lies in
exactly the same features that attracted Zeno’s followers to that porch in the
agora: a way to live without fear, by developing our inner lives in
relationship with the world around us. Not against it. In relationship with it.
It's the quality of that relationship and its potential to help us make sense of
life that appeals to people today as much as it did to followers in Zeno’s time.
By recognizing the temporal world for what it is—unpredictable and even
hostile, at times—we serve ourselves by detaching from the need for control
that gives rise to fear and anxiety. We can lose it all and yet still have access
to the rich internal life we’re enabled to build by following the tenets of
Stoicism.
An Overwrought, Oversharing World
How many people share Facebook status updates telling anyone who cares to
read them what they ate for lunch? How they’re feeling in any giving
moment? Rants of a highly personal nature appear on Facebook as people
vent their negative emotions. Those emotions have to go somewhere, so why
not Facebook – in front of millions of people!
Stoicism offers us a way out of our self-obsessed, fearful addiction to giving
in to our emotions. Posting a status update is an action that arises from
thoughts, which turn to emotions and become an action we may well regret
later. It seems the world is longing for a retreat from the realm of the duck-
lipped selfie, the overwrought Facebook self-revelation, the obsessive texting
on our omnipresent prosthetic, the mobile device. Stoicism represents just
such a retreat.
The Global Village
Technology may have brought us closer together in terms of communication
and travel over enormous distances, but the world’s new smallness also
seems to have given rise to an unfortunate tendency to tribalism.
Recent events in the USA are a good example. The increase in xenophobic
sentiment, fueled by the rise of ISIL in the Middle East and the terrorist
attacks in Paris, has opened a can of tribalistic worms which is not making
life on earth any easier. Presidential candidates fan the flames, making hatred
based on religion popular in a way it hasn’t been since the days of the Third
Reich.
In such times, a philosophy that rejects tribalism and calls people together
under the auspices of the Divine reason at the center of the universe is more
than welcome.
Stoicism is, in fact, the first philosophy known to have actively fostered
universal acceptance of people unlike ourselves. Philanthropia (brotherly
love) originated in Stoicism. When practiced intentionally, as a way of life,
the concept of accepting others as they are (because we can’t and don’t have
the right to change them) and living in peace with them is a powerful one.
This idea has untold resonance in our times of division, hatred, racism, and
xenophobic fear of “the other.”
Stoicism is a way of life. It’s a way into yourself and your way of interacting
with the world and with others.
Human beings are vice- and neuroses-riddled creatures, prone to all manner
of mischief and destructive behavior. It’s clear that mischief and destruction
aren’t the best way to live a happy life, so having the ability to modulate our
vices and behaviors is both beneficial and necessary. Self-mastery allows us
to work toward such modulation of our vices or neurotic responses and thus
better manage our presence in the world.
Stress
Stress is an unfortunate feature of modern life. It affects us all to some
degree. But stress is a reaction to our emotions, as they arise from our
thoughts, and anxiety is where it’s born. Anxiety is a state of extreme worry
(even obsession) about contingencies that may or may not happen. Anxiety
can also be rooted in past events that we haven’t made peace with.
Many people spend a great deal of time wrestling with anxiety about any
number of things. When will the electricity bill come and will the money be
in the bank to pay it? Is my wife/husband/girlfriend/boyfriend cheating on
me? Am I going to lose my job? Am I going to get sick? Sometimes our
anxiety stems from a realistic concern. Often, though, anxiety results from an
irrational fear of the unknown. Anxiety can prey on people’s minds to the
point where they have to be medicated to reduce its deleterious effect on their
lives.
But anxiety can also be induced by our media-saturated lives. All around us
are messages about not being good enough, not having the right stuff (or
enough of it), not having enough money, terrorist attacks, burglaries, rapes,
murders, and other mayhem that fills the coffers of media giants. Our fear is
what generates the money in those coffers. Like a perpetual train wreck,
information comes at us in big, scary, moving pictures, prompting us to lock
our doors against the rising tide of evil and insanity all around us, threatening
to climb in our windows in the dark of night.
No wonder we’re neurotic!
The Stoic meditational discipline invites followers to confront their anxieties

as part of their daily process of arriving at a place of self-mastery. The
“premeditatio malorum” is the act of contemplating the worst case scenarios
that might occur from potential incidents during the course of the
practitioner’s impending day. In pursuing this course of meditation, the
practitioner sees the potential incident as being indifferent, but at the same
time “not preferred.” The notion becomes rooted in the practitioner’s mind
that, while the incident may occur in even its worst possible incarnation, it’s
not a source for anxiety. Rather, acknowledging the fact it may occur frees
the practitioner from anxiety about its potential. The potential has been
examined and deemed of no more importance than if it weren’t actually
realized. It is just another facet of what is, or may be.
By imagining the possibility of undesirable events, the practitioner is enabled

to reduce the anxiety and stress people feel about them. Anxiety is not
permanent and is entirely within our ability to defuse.
Judgment
Mass media have increased the pressure many of us feel to be superficially
beautiful. This pressure has increased the anxiety of millions of men, women,
and children around the world to conform to unattainable, media-driven
standards of physical attractiveness. Beauty is not, in the Stoic view, an
aesthetic value, but an intellectual and spiritual value born inside the
individual. Understanding this in a world of superfice and veneer is
challenging but, by developing the inner life, it’s possible to transcend
media’s influence and the judgment of other people who are, in turn,
influenced by that judgment.
Indifference to judgment applies to many other areas, but the 21st Century’s
focus on consumerist models of perfection presents judgments based on
superficial beauty as a good example. You are not subject to the judgments of
others, because you are indifferent to them. The judgment of others is an
external factor that doesn’t impact your inner life. You’re not attached to it
because you can’t change it. You can only choose not to be affected by it.
Stoicism’s focus on the responsibility of the individual practitioner lies in his

response to external factors and the judgment of others (regardless of what
facet of you is being judged) is just another, irrelevant external factor. Water
off a duck’s back, my Stoics!
Anger
There is a good reason that rage is one of the Bible’s seven deadly sins. It is a
toxic emotion with enormous destructive power. Rage, or anger, is the
emotional equivalent of the nuclear option. It is mutually assured destruction.
It is intercontinental ballistic devastation on a global scale. It’s not good for
you or anyone around you.
Modeling self-mastery of the passions, mean not losing your temper. That’s
the result of managing the thoughts and their emotional offspring that lead to
you losing it. Anger is a big one. It’s the one that’s most likely to boil over
and burn everyone in the immediate vicinity and Stoicism knows that this is
true. The mastery of emotions leading to displays of rage and anger should be
at the top of your list of goals as a Stoic, because such displays stay in
people’s minds for a very long time and can create needless suffering.
Worry
Worry is common to us (especially those of us who are mothers). But it has
absolutely no purpose. All worry does is affect your sleep, your health, and
your peace of mind. It changes nothing. All it does is make you unwell.
Pretending you’re not subject to worry is not useful, because taking this
position does nothing to address the negative impact of the worry that is
actually there. Rather, it’s important to defuse the worry by analytically
working through the issue you’re worried about. Asking yourself the right
questions and then resolving to file the problem under “things you can’t
change” is the right answer. It’s the Stoic answer. You cannot change the
outcome. You can only change the input and that is your thinking around the
source of your worry and the emotional offspring of that thinking.
Again, the meditational practice of visualizing the problem as a scenario in

all its possible permutations is the Stoic’s way of facing down anxiety and
worry. By foreseeing the worst that can happen, the Stoic is liberated from
worrying about it. He already knows that any number of outcomes could be
in play and accepts them all. The input, within his control, is acceptance.
Today’s Stoics (like the philosopher, Pagliucci) often put this meditational
tool into practice, but note that it’s recommended only for those who are able
to confront some of the more disturbing aspects of visualizing the worst that
might happen. Being prepared not to obsess about the scenarios you’re
visualizing is key to the method’s success and, if you’re not ready to go there,
it’s suggested you don’t. You are the best judge of your readiness to employ
it.
Insecurity
You could well say that insecurity is one of the most virulent diseases of
modern life. The world is full of other people, competing for the same jobs,
the same lifestyle, and the same positions at universities. Many of us live in a
state of precocity occasioned by globalization and its reduction of available
jobs. There are thousands of people out there doing the same job you are,
making the same moves, and on the same life trajectory. Just the thought of
all those unknown competitors can make people feel insecure and doubt their
ability to stay on course – even their ability to keep their jobs, their homes,
and their lives as they know them.
But Stoicism teaches that outcomes are indifferent and that the significance
we attach to them is really a product of our thoughts. When we see outcomes
as possibilities that have no particular value, except what we might learn
from them, they stop being important. The wisdom that Stoicism propagates
assists people in developing not just self-confidence, but also indifference. So
even if there are a hundred people in the race for a desired job, the Stoic will
not be bothered and continue doing what he does, with no attachment to the
outcome. There is no insecurity, because there is no attachment to the
outcome. If the Stoic gets the job – great! If the Stoic doesn’t get the job –
also great!
Competition is a fact of life. Choosing not to engage in the vicious, sharp-

elbowed jockeying for position should be the fact of your life, as a Stoic.
Attaching too much importance to achievements that are indifferent to the
true quality of your life is the road to suffering, not virtue. Virtue looks past
the temporal to what really matters, which is how you respond.
Disappointment
The Stoics believed that although human beings could create their own
happiness internally, fate was essentially determined in a static and
immutable universe. Operating within that framework, though, we can
change ourselves and how we respond to the limited nature of free will and
the world in which we exercise it.
Throughout this book, we’ve reminded you of the Stoic prescription to accept
those things you can’t change and to change what you can: your internal life
and the emotions that guide your responses to external factors. Your fate,
while perhaps determined, is impacted by the manner in which you approach
what’s ahead and faces you in this very moment. Your command of the
moment and your mindfulness about how you are active in it are where your
free will meets your destiny. It’s the part that’s completely under your
control. You, however, do not control the universe, so disappointment is an
emotion that not only doesn’t serve you, but fails to acknowledge that you’re
disappointed about things you can’t change. Transforming disappointment
into acceptance is powerful, as it lifts up your life as a resilient one, able to
know happiness when others are miserable because of life’s little smacks in
the face.
So no matter what the situation or outcome is, it’s what it is. Only your input
matters. Only your response matters. Disappointment is suffering, and
indulging it fails to move you along the path toward your goal of enhanced
virtue.
Chapter 9: How to be a Stoic
By now, I’m sure you understand what Stoicism is all about and what impact
it can have on the life of someone who follows its precepts. In this chapter,
we look at how you can become a Stoic practitioner.
Read
The very first thing you should do is to read as extensively as possible on the
topic. This will help you understand the scope and evolution of Stoicism and
what to expect should you decide to adopt the Stoic philosophy. Apart from
this book, you should read other books and articles on the subject to acquaint
yourself with what Stoicism is and what it has to offer you. You must
understand the views of each of the early Stoics to know how you can adopt
the philosophy in order to lead a better life. Understanding not only the
foundational aspects of Stoicism, but also its evolution through time, is
important to gaining a thorough understanding of the philosophy.
Greater Understanding
Once you are acquainted with the Stoic philosophy, you should analyze it
from all angles and ask yourself how you might contemporize it to the
realities of your life. Similarly, don’t blindly accept what you’re told by
others about Stoicism. In the Stoic tradition, that responsibility lies with you
and no one else. You need to apply your own thoughts and understand the
philosophy from your own, unique perspective. Even if you have conflicting
thoughts, it’s important that these factor into your understanding. There is no
use adopting a philosophical guideline for living that’s deposited and not
properly understood by you, the practitioner. Blind adherence is the antithesis
of Stoicism, which lifts up personal accountability and self-reflection as core
values.
Company on the Journey
It is always a good idea to have a partner in exploration. That means you
might want to find a friend who’s also interested in Stoicism to come with
you on the journey. This can be your partner, a sibling, a friend, or a relative.
An adventure with a friend is a lot more fun, to be sure. Having a sounding
board to share thoughts and ideas with is always useful. Talking to someone
else about your studies will also further motivate you to take the subject
seriously and explore it in detail.
Way of Life
Being interested in philosophy and taking it on as a lifestyle are two different
things. While each is worthy in and of itself, it’s important that you decide
early on what you want to do with what you’re learning. As an interest,
Stoicism is an important area of philosophy, worthy of study. As a lifestyle,
it’s a life-changing exploration of who you are and what you’re doing in the
world. Seeking is just as valid as practicing, as all learning (in the Stoic
tradition) is good learning. In between those two possibilities, there’s
dabbling, which may just be a waste of time for you, as this is not a pop
psychology alternative. This is the real thing – philosophy as a way of life.
No Zealotry, Please
Remember to always do everything in moderation. Zealotry is not virtuous
and it will not help you get where you’re going. The enthusiasm of
“converts” is often short-lived, with the demands of life-changing disciplines
losing their shine as their demands become more apparent with time. Take
your time with approaching what represents a shift in the way you plan to
live your life. Set yourself monthly and weekly goals and follow a plan for
your development. Move to the next goal only after you have attained the
previous one and aim high each time, but don’t overshoot. Don’t feel
pressured to get to where you want to go overnight. The zeal of the “convert”
can be heartwarming and even inspiring, but spiritual burnout is a loss for
everyone, especially you.
Join a Group
You can choose to join a Stoicism study group. This will help you get a better
insight into the philosophy and how it can manifest in your life. You can
interact with both experienced and new practitioners and understand Stoicism
in a deeper way. You can look for a group in your area and join with like-
minded people in your stoical explorations. Check online for groups in your
area. If you don’t find one, you may want to start one yourself.
Everyday Practice
As with any life practice that you hope can improve the way you move
through the world, your daily practice is the key to success in knowing
growth. It should be the center of your life, as its impact on your life and how
well you live it depends on your dedication. Rome wasn’t built in a day (or
Athens, for that matter), so be kind to yourself, acknowledge you’re in the
midst of a growth project, and take your time getting to know and understand
the philosophies you’re applying to your daily life.
Meditation
Meditation is a great way to focus on the principles of Stoicism and has
always been prescribed as a support to its practical application. Pursuing
meditation along Stoic lines will help you absorb the lessons you’re learning
and move you forward. While this may seem odd at the beginning and
somewhat foreign to you, daily attempts will make it easier every day.
Chapter 10: The Relevance of Stoicism in the
Modern Day
Since the concept of Stoicism is based on ideology developed in antiquity,

there is much discussion about whether these ideas are relevant to human
society as it is today.
Human civilization has evolved considerably since the fall of Greek

civilization, but the concepts of the Greek philosophers who developed the
very idea of Stoicism have proven to be timeless.
This is because, while civilization has advanced, society has not. We have
developed advanced medicines that have made the likelihood of dying of
disease far lower than it used to be only a century ago. We now travel in
efficient machines at unbelievable speeds.
Yet, for all of these technological advancements, our mentalities have not
progressed much further beyond what they used to be. We still face problems
in our daily lives. Although the nature of these problems might be vastly
different from those experienced by people living in Ancient Greece, we still
deal with these problems in largely the same ways.
The emperor of yesterday is today’s CEO, obsessing about the quarterly

financial statements. The Ancient Greek fishmonger worrying about how to
provide for his family is very similar to the blue-collar worker living
paycheck to paycheck.
Hence, Stoicism can be just as relevant in the modern day as it used to be

during the ancient time when it was invented. In order to further describe in
what ways the philosophy of Stoicism can be considered useful in the context
of modern life, this chapter has been designed to discuss in detail what
specific aspects of Stoicism the modern man might benefit from.
What follows is a list of five basic arguments that posit how Stoicism and
modern life are fully compatible.
The World is Still a Difficult Place to Live In
War and violence continue to plague the world. Refugees number in the
millions. Climate change drives people from their homes as the glaciers melt,
the oceans rise, and catastrophic weather events destroy entire cities.
We’ve been at war with each other since Cain killed his own brother. In fact,
the Biblical flood was occasioned by the increase of violence on the face of
the earth. God simply got fed up with it! In the midst of terrible violence,
ideologies about how to cope with them are born. Systems of dealing with
hardship can only occur after hardship has been experienced. They arise
naturally as a way of helping us understand the world, its unpredictability and
how we should respond to its many challenges.
The same is true of Stoicism. Created in the wake of Alexander the Great’s
bloody conquest of Asia, Stoicism arose as the result of Greek civilization’s
unwelcome involvement in the violence and upheaval of the times. A great
deal of suffering was experienced by the people of Greece and this molded
the very ideology this book is dedicated to.
Hence, Stoicism was made in a war-torn time very similar to our own. We
have become dichotomous in the way we react to trauma in that we either
grieve with abandon or we repress what we are feeling and retreat within
ourselves.
Stoicism offers us a third pass. It allows us to be indifferent to suffering, to

take it as just another fact of life. It helps us to understand just how pointless
the reaction to hardship is, and in our indifference we are able to truly deal
with what life has in store for us.
Stoicism was in many ways an answer to those decades of conquest and

conflict. It was a way for people to deal with hardship and violence by
approaching trauma and crisis in a more balanced way and rational way.
Stoicism was born in the crucible of a war-torn time very similar to our own.
As the people of Athens did in their time, we respond to trauma and chaos by
either repressing our emotions, or completely breaking down. Stoicism
offered the people of Athens a better way of organizing their thoughts,
toward an emotional mastery that increased their resilience in the face of
catastrophic events.
Stoicism offers us a new way forward. It allows us to be indifferent to

suffering, to take it as just another fact of life. It helps us to understand just
how pointless our emotional reactions to hardship are. In the Stoic ideal of
apatheia is the seed of a better life, lived in the acceptance of life’s
vicissitudes.
If there is one defining aspect of our modern civilization, it is that we are

becoming increasingly aware of how different each of us is from one another.
The world has become so much smaller with the rise of technology that
makes travelling halfway across the world a matter of hours, instead of weeks
or months. While this has drawn us closer together in some ways, in other
ways it has divided us.
When Alexander of Macedon went on his conquest of Asia, Greek

civilization was introduced to a cornucopia of new cultures that were vastly
different from their own. Prior to these bold conquests, the only cultures well
known to the Greeks were regional ones similar to the one they lived in. The
conquests of Alexander introduced the Greeks to cultures as foreign as those
of Egypt and India, which meant that this was a time of great xenophobia.
This is another aspect of that time period that makes it similar to our own.
Stoicism’s answer to the xenophobia that can result from cross-cultural
exposure (due to the innate human tendency to indulge in tribalism) was
philanthropia. Now, as in those times, this principle can help salve a
troubled, angry, and violent world.
One of the core tenets of Stoicism is acceptance. This means that the Stoics
of Ancient Greece accepted those who were different from them as a
philosophical imperative. Stoicism can thus serve a very useful purpose in
modern society, where we are faced with such a diverse panorama of human
life. Philanthropia and the practice of accepting life and people as they are
promise a better foundation for society than the one we’re currently working
with. For example, the response to the Syrian refugees, which has caused
such an eruption of xenophobia globally, would be very different were Stoic
principles to be applied.
To be able to love one’s fellow man and accept humans the way they are is a
truly admirable quality, and is universal regardless of what era you are living
in. Stoicism, in teaching acceptance, precludes xenophobic responses to the
“Other” in our midst, commanding that we extend brotherly love to all we
encounter. In a world grown so small, this seems to be an imperative we can
no longer ignore.
Stoicism Is Compatible with Modern Religion
A common argument against the integration of Stoicism into modern society
is that it is a dead philosophy. What critics don’t seem to realize is that
Stoicism continues to live in the world’s religions and political systems. Its
influence continues to inform people all over the world in these areas and
others.
If we take the top four religions of the world, Christianity, Islam, Hinduism,
and Judaism, we find that they all have multiple connections to Stoicism.
Judaism was heavily influenced by Greek philosophy, as was its offshoot
Christianity (something we’ve already discussed in some detail). Islam was
greatly influenced by both Christianity and Judaism. In the pages of the
Qu’ran, we find almost precisely the same account of Joseph and the wife of
Potiphar, for example. In Hinduism, the cardinal virtue of equanimity is
highly regarded also. When Alexander of Macedon reached India, his people
were introduced to the Hindu concept of peace and serenity through
meditation. This concept reverberated through the academic elite of Ancient
Greece, who called on it as a Stoic practice.
The common thread among all of these religions is that they all essentially
preach love of mankind. Their main tenet is the concept of brotherly love;
that each human being is intimately connected to the other and intrinsically
valuable. Additionally, all modern religions preach that humans should
control their most basic urges. To give in to these urges is to relinquish
something that sets the human animal (according to Marcus Aurelius,
himself) apart: our reason. The abandonment of self-control makes beasts of
human and leads to suffering, violence, and chaos. It’s for good reason that
the mastery of emotions and actions is a commonly held tenet of all world
faith systems.
With the influence that Greek philosophy has had on the religions of the
world, you can be sure that if you practice a religion, you will be applying the
tenets of Stoicism as part of that practice. With love for one another being
such a common theme in every religion, you can be sure that applying
Stoicism to your daily life will seem completely natural and complementary
to your existing practice. Adding the principles of Stoicism to your religious
practice will deepen and enrich your understanding of your faith.
The Universal Stoic Soldier
The way of the military is the way of discipline. To live in the manner that
the men and women of the military do is to embody many of the central ideas
of Stoicism. Living life with such immense discipline allows you to take
control of your thoughts, your emotions, your actions, and your focus. The
military ideology incorporates exercise, early days, and hard work. A good
soldier goes to the field of battle knowing it’s very possible that he will die or
be wounded. This thought he controls. He doesn’t allow it to guide his
emotional response to the prospect of battle. He marches through his feelings
with courage, as though it was just another day. He understands that the
battle, even the war, may be lost. He detaches himself, putting one foot in
front of the other, dedicated to being where he’s needed.
Stoicism arose as a part of the outfall of the learning experience the Greeks
underwent, following one of the most brutal and extensive military
campaigns in the history of the ancient world. It was inevitable that the
precepts of Stoicism would encompass the ideal traits of the warrior, set
against the backdrop of recent history.
In the Western World, we’ve become increasingly sedentary, growing soft,

lazy, and overweight, as a result. We feel entitled to the increasing luxury we
live in, demanding that the world remain at room temperature at all times,
occasioning the over-use of amenities like air conditioning. We lounge like
kings on our overstuffed sofas, passively consuming television. Perhaps a
dose of the pseudo-martial discipline of Stoicism might do many of us some
good.
Stoicism is Designed to Help Leaders
For the final reason I’m presenting about Stoicism’s relevance to modern
society, we are going to discuss a rather strange but incredibly important
aspect of Stoicism. It was a remarkably progressive philosophy in its Ancient
Greek context.
Ancient Greek society was arranged in such a way that upward mobility was
rather difficult to achieve in any meaningful way. The only way to get rich
was to be born that way. Criminality was the only other avenue, but would
not gain the criminal status or power.
Stoicism challenged the rigid hierarchical order of Greece, claiming that all
had access to reason and thus, virtue. It also democratized philosophical
thought, bringing Stoicism and its precepts into the midst of the agora, the
heart of Athenian society. Making philosophy available to people outside the
favored privileged upper echelons gave all those willing to listen the
opportunity to learn a way to form themselves differently; to aspire to a richer
inner life. It may not have enabled the poor to climb out of their financial
circumstances or social profile, but it provided a way to deal with those life
circumstances philosophically.
Our society, rooted in universal ideals of equality, gives us an advantage that

people in the ancient world didn’t have. We have access to Stoicism as a
means not only for understanding our lives, but also for improving them. We
don’t live under the social hierarchy of the Ancient Greeks and thus our
application of Stoic models toward enhancing our social and financial
standing is unlimited.
The progressive nature of Stoicism was well ahead of any competing

philosophies or religious constructs of its time. Even Christianity was to
suffer for centuries from rigid hierarchy and, in some sectors, it still does.
Stoicism, with its universally applicable tenets, is accessible by all people,
regardless of economic status, religion, ethnicity, or gender.
Chapter 11: How Stoicism Can Help the
Entrepreneur
Of all of the areas of modern society that Stoicism can help one deal with,
none is perhaps as significant as the world of the entrepreneur, an individual
who creates and develops businesses primarily as an independent.
This world, filled to the brim with unimaginable stress and hardship, requires
a great deal of Stoicism. This chapter has been designed to describe in detail
how you can apply Stoicism in your life an entrepreneur and become better at
pursuing your entrepreneurial dreams.
Stoicism Allows You to Filter Your Thoughts
If you are an entrepreneur, you already know that the average workday of an
entrepreneur encompasses a wide variety of different tasks. The nature of
these tasks can be so diverse that an entrepreneur often ends up getting lost in
all of the noise, unable to decide what to work on or what needs to be worried
about.
After all, as an entrepreneur you are responsible for a number of

administrative tasks. Additionally, you are responsible for a number of
creative decisions that will decide the future of your company. Then, there
are staffing, payroll, promotions, and inventory duties.
It’s easy to lose track of what’s important. Stoicism allows you to run your
thoughts through a strainer, in order to see what’s really crucial and in need
of your attention over the course of your busy days.
By applying Stoic principles, you will be able to create an organizing system

for your thoughts. You will be able to see what is preventable, what is
manageable, and what is simply outside your control. You will be enabled to
focus on what’s truly important, without wasting time on things that you
can’t change.
Stoicism Allows You to Start Each Day Fresh
As an entrepreneur, you know there are good days and bad days. Even though
the good days generally outweigh the bad, you are responsible for so many
little details in the running of your enterprise that you can make yourself
miserable if you don’t take control. Stoicism can help you do that.
Getting caught up in the drama of the previous day’s challenges is something

you can certainly address. This habit can get in the way of your effectiveness
in approaching the next day and the day after that. Stoicism allows you to
compartmentalize tasks, by sifting through them analytically. Part of this
process is deciding to let challenges be what they are. You learn from them
and then you move on. Examine what you might have done better, but don’t
cling to the annoyance any given challenge has caused you. This allows you
to move on to the next day and its challenges fresh to the fight.
Letting go is a good skill for entrepreneurs to learn. Problems you weren’t

able to solve to your satisfaction may require shelving so you can get on to
more pressing matters. Getting stuck in perfectionism and obsession is a
familiar entrepreneurial challenge. You’re an entrepreneur because you love
what you do, though, so remember to set aside whatever’s getting you stuck
so you can get back to running your enterprise.
Stoicism Allows You to Act with Purpose
Part of being an entrepreneur is the ability to act decisively. Decision-making
is a huge factor in the successful running of an operation and doing it in a
timely and effective manner can be a challenge for some.
There’s always the temptation to make decisions too quickly without

properly considering alternatives. Taking your time to assess the direction
your decision is taking and assessing its appropriateness is a step that can’t be
neglected. Stoicism allows you slow down, take stock, and act from a well-
informed overview of the decision’s soundness.
Stoicism and its analytical aspects can help you calmly and objectively
analyze all the facts in play and make decisions that are sound, well-
informed, and effective.
Stoicism Gives You Patience
The curse of the entrepreneur also happens to be one of the most valuable
aspects of the entrepreneurial personality: impatience. An entrepreneur needs
things to happen quickly, to allow them to keep moving. They’re people of
action.
But not everything happens at the speed we’d prefer. Some things need time
to ripen so that they’ll be as successful as they possibly can be in terms of
your operation and its needs. Many entrepreneurs don’t like to wait, and their
impatience leads to them rushing processes that would have been better left
to chug along at their own pace.
Stoicism facilitates the building of a patient psyche that allows the modern
entrepreneur to sow seeds and wait for them to grow and bear fruit that has
been given adequate time to ripen.
The entrepreneurial Stoic will be able to patiently wait for the fruits of his
labor and, in the bargain, address other tasks while that’s happening. Patience
is a virtue and virtue is what you’re after, right?
Stoicism Allows You to Enjoy the Present
We’ve established that entrepreneurs are impatient. They’re so focused on
their goals that they often don’t slow down long enough to take in the scenery
along the way. But here’s the thing: You’re living your dream. How much
more enjoyable would your life be if you could find a way to focus on the
journey and forget about the destination?
If you’re doing well, then what’s the rush? If it’s true that you love what
you’re doing, then why not enjoy it? Sometimes, entrepreneurs become
addicted to the challenge and fail to be truly mindful of the pleasure they’re
deriving from doing what they do. The Stoic practice of mindfulness and
being present in the moment can help entrepreneurs with this tendency.
Practicing Stoicism can make your life as an entrepreneur less stressful, more
intentionally focused and less harried. You’re a human being. You need to
live a life which is not solely concerned with your enterprise. While your
complete attention to it may be required at times, that can’t be the totality of
your life. Life is short and the roses to smell are many. Take the time.
The most important thing you’re going to realize, if you apply Stoicism to
your entrepreneurial efforts, is that you are already right where you’re
supposed to be. You are living your dream and you’re living the life you want
for yourself, doing what you truly love. There’s something to be said for that
and Stoicism will help you name it, claim it, and live it every day with
mindful intention.
Stoicism Helps You Remain Original
One major stumbling block that many entrepreneurs encounter is the inability
to be original. Entrepreneurs carry their mentor’s interests and worldview
with them more than many of them know and they permit these to color their
own creative efforts.
We get so used to imitation - something that is far easier than true originality
- that being original might seem an alien concept to us. That's why we see
product and service duplication in the marketplace. Formulaic answers to
consumer needs are easier, by far, than applying original solutions to those
needs.
In order to become more original as an entrepreneur, you can apply the

concepts of Stoicism to your daily routine. They will allow you to objectively
analyze your core values and the creativity that flows from them, and they
will allow you to know yourself and your creative impulse more intimately.
As a result of this objective analysis, original ideas will start coming to you
more frequently. You will be able to compartmentalize your thoughts in such
a way that you can sift your thoughts and your daily task schedule more
efficiently. This will allow you to be more efficient in your creative process
also, and bring forth original ideas instead of recycling formulaic models that
fail to set you apart as the entrepreneurial standout you are.
Stoicism Helps You Deal with the Possibility and Occurrence of Failure
A true entrepreneur takes risks. In order to acquire the maximum return, the
maximum risk must be taken. As a result, entrepreneurs experience a lot of
failure over the course of their careers.
How an entrepreneur deals with failure is a key factor that determines

whether or not you survive in the world of business. Steve Jobs, billionaire
Apple computer genius, was kicked out of his own company, but he survived
and thrived.
A lot of would-be entrepreneurs are unable to handle failure. They become

disheartened and lose the motivation they need to thrive in the world of
business. They just pack up their marbles and go home. That’s not what an
entrepreneurial Stoic does.
The main principle of Stoicism is control of one’s emotions. If you fail,

applying the principles of Stoicism will allow you to take intellectual charge
of your emotions and see the situation from an objective point of view.
Instead of crumpling into a heap, you will be able to unpack what led to the
failure in question, analyze it, learn from it, and keep going. Each failure
increases the possibility of success for your next attempt, because having
failed, you’re aware what you need to do and not do, next time. Stoicism
allows you to see failure as a learning opportunity and gift.
Finding a common thread in human nature can be tricky, but if you had to
pick one thing that every single person on this planet wants, it is that they
want to be happy.
An important way in which Stoicism can help people is by helping them to

define happiness. Although the definition of happiness can vary greatly from
person to person, it is safe to say that if somebody is able to rationalize their
existence and accept it the way it is, they will be able to achieve at least some
small measure of happiness in their lives.
Reaching a state of contentment with the reality of life and all it entails is a
fundamental value in Stoicism. Once contentment has been achieved, you
will find that happiness is only a step away. From all you have learned about
Stoic philosophy in the pages of this book, you can learn to be content with
what is and from that contentment, derive happiness.
This chapter is all about how these concepts can work within the context and
concept of happiness for the modern human being. The various aspects of
Stoicism that can contribute to happiness are mentioned here, along with
descriptions of what aspect of Stoicism each benefit is derived from.
Stoicism Allows You to Rationalize Death
The concept of death is scary, and is possibly one of the only fears that can be
considered universal.
We all fear our lives ending, even though every single one of us is aware that
death is inevitable. People in the West have a particularly strained
relationship with death, preferring that it not be spoken of or thought about.
This is a very unhealthy approach to death. It’s just another phase of life and
exists as part of life in every cell of our perishable bodies.
The reality of death often becomes a major roadblock to true happiness.

Many are unable to accept the fact that our lives are destined to end at some
time in the future. This can prevent the full enjoyment of life in the here and
now.
The ideology of Stoicism is extremely effective in helping you attain

happiness, as it allows you to accept the thought of death. It allows you,
through meditative practice, to go so far as to envision your own death and,
in so doing, to accept it and live with it.
Stoicism counsels that all people should become intimate with death,
allowing it into their lives, in its rightful place. Death is universal and
completely beyond your ability to control, which means that worrying about
it is a waste of time. Better that you should invite it in, ask it to take a seat,
and take a good long look at it. Death as a friend is much less frightening
than death as a shadowy unknown. Making friends with death is a way for
you to more fully enjoy life in the moment, in all its unpredictable glory.
Stoicism Helps You Deal with Suffering
Just like death, suffering is an inevitability of human life. We go through
pain, we suffer hardships, and through it all we accumulate mental baggage
that can cause depression and unnecessary further suffering.
One thing many of us don’t realize is that much of our suffering comes not
from events themselves, but how we deal with those events. Our thoughts and
emotions are the root cause of suffering. They determine our response to it
and that is something we have a choice about.
This is one major aspect of life that following the ideals of Stoicism can help
you with. Since Stoicism’s most important feature is the control of our
emotions, suffering loses its power over us when we practice it intentionally,
with a view to managing our responses.
The energy we expend on tears, recriminations, and perhaps years of

brooding and self-pity in the wake of a life disaster can be spared. Instead of
becoming paralyzed with grief and unable to deal with either what has
happened or what is happening now, you will mindfully detach from the
emotions the event has provoked. You will intellectualize whatever has the
potential to impact your emotions negatively and rationally assess the reality
of your situation.
Stoicism Allows You to See the Truth about Your Opinions
Being opinionated is certainly not a bad thing. However, in a world of grey
areas, you may find you’re confused. Everything isn’t as black and white as
we’d like it to be. Many of your opinions, over the course of your life, will be
thrown into question. Your beliefs will be assailed by the world. The process
of examining beliefs and opinions is one which requires self-knowledge and
honesty.
This can lead to a great deal of unhappiness, because you may, at some point,
need to examine some of your beliefs, even those you hold onto with all your
heart. Life can make a fool of you and prove that your dearly held opinions
are no longer valid, from an objective standpoint. As we live, we grow and
Stoicism demands an open mind to examine ourselves and to arrive at an
understanding of the value of our opinions and beliefs.
The beauty of Stoicism is that it allows you to confront the truth in all things.
This includes the truth of the things that surround you but, more important, it
includes the truth about yourself. Stoicism promotes applying reason to our
beliefs, and one’s personal beliefs are not exempt from that reason, as you
determine the quality of your life, under the Stoic aegis.
As a Stoic, you will be able to discover whether the things you believe are
truly worth believing in, because the principles of Stoicism have been
designed to facilitate the understanding of the logic that lies behind beliefs
and ideology. By unearthing the logic behind your beliefs, you will be able to
see the heart of the matter and question the validity of your beliefs.
To see your opinions laid bare before you is a gift. It will show you whether
you are right to believe in them staunchly, or whether it would be better to
examine them through the faultless lens of reason. You will either discover
that your beliefs are built on the quicksand of prejudice, or perhaps that you
were right to hold them all along. Either way, you’ll be happier, having
objectively examined the basis for your beliefs.
This can be particularly useful if you’re struggling with belief in a Divine

power. Although Stoicism is not, by any means, some magical method of
discovering whether a God exists or not, it can certainly allow you to see
whether the way you worship God is logical, or whether it makes your life
better, or in fact serves the world you live in. Stoicism teaches the
practitioner to model an ethical way guided by logic and reason and if your
beliefs fall outside the confines of that discipline, they’re more likely than not
invalid.
Sometimes we hurt the people around us through actions we believe are done
in the name of God and therefore righteous. Such actions are more often done
in the name of religion than God, and Stoicism will allow you to see whether
performing these actions is just or not.
Stoicism Helps You Engage with the World
A major problem humanity has begun to face in this day and age is that we
are constantly hiding ourselves behind our screens, placating ourselves with
the illusion of connection while slowly forgetting what it is like to truly
connect with another human being.
There is nothing wrong with being an introvert. If you are the kind of person
who does not wish to interact much with people, that is perfectly within your
rights. However, a frequent problem is that we become so introverted that we
cut off real connection with other people altogether. Instead of finding
connection with other people, we find it in our mobile devices.
Interaction is not the same as connection. Superficiality is not genuine. By

hiding behind our screens, we avoid the primal need for social contact and
connection that is a feature of human life.
The hallmark of a Stoic is the ability to connect with people. By controlling

your emotions to the extent that you can quell negative thoughts and
judgments that separate you from genuinely and authentically connecting
with other people, you’re freed to see others as they are. You can see yourself
as you truly are by virtue of your Stoic practice and that’s the basis for
freeing yourself to see others as they are (and not as you want them to be).
By practicing Stoicism, you will be able to get over your fear of what other
people think of you. By the same token, you’ll be freed from the human
tendency to judge others. You will be able to enjoy other people for what and
who they are, because you’re enjoying yourself in the same way. The ripples
flow outward.
Stoicism Allows You to Enjoy What You Have
Humanity’s perpetual dissatisfaction with its current state has long been a
popular topic of philosophical debate. It is both the impetus for our most
astounding innovations and the cause of our most deeply rooted sense of
unhappiness: the longing to attain the highest level of our human potential.
You will have noticed this in yourself as well. One of the biggest reasons that
you are unhappy is that you don’t like where your life is at the moment. You
might even have noticed that there is no change you can make in your life
that will make you happy. In whatever way you choose to live your life, you
are going to be unsatisfied and that compels you to seek change for the better.
But it’s not your fault. This longing for improvement is an evolutionary
feature that has been put in place to facilitate constant innovation, which
leads to human evolution and development. However, the discontented nature
of human existence is a feature of our race that holds it back. Regardless of
our achievements, the quest for happiness never seems to meet its end.
By practicing Stoicism, you will gain the ability to see that wherever your life
is, it is where it is supposed to be. If there are areas that require improvement,
as a Stoic you will be automatically drawn toward improving them as an
outgrowth of your practice. Once you have achieved your optimum self,
Stoicism will allow you to feel contented and sated by the quality of your life.
Stoicism Allows You to Be Virtuous
We live in one of the most morally compromising periods in history. It is
perhaps unique that we live in a time in which we are simultaneously more
aware of the rights of others and, at the same time, are more willing than ever
to ignore these rights in order to secure better lives for ourselves, at the
expense of others.
Indeed, the standard of living in the past century, particularly in the last two
or three decades, has gone up considerably, to the point where we are able to
enjoy luxuries that people in the past could never have imagined, and we look
at these luxuries as just standard parts of human existence – even as our
rights and entitlements.
However, this comes at a cost to others, which is why, no matter how much
we have, we remain unhappy. This is probably why depression and mental
illness has become so prevalent in recent years. We’re aware, at least on
some level, that our abundance is had at the cost of the discomfort and
suffering of others.
By applying the principles of Stoicism, you will be able to see that what you
are doing is making the world a worse place to live. The instinctive sadness
inherent in living a life that you know is costing other people their quality of
life is your conscience telling you that you need to live a more virtuous life; a
life in which your happiness is not achieved to at the expense of others.
Once you have arrived at this level of understanding and mindfulness, you
WILL be able to change your life for the better and, in the process, begin
living a more virtuous and happy life.
Stoicism Allows You to be Happy without Consuming
In this day and age, we live in a way that humanity has never lived before.
For a lot of people, the problems of hunger and day-to-day safety no longer
apply. If you are reading this book, you probably live in an area of the world
that is more or less free of war and violence. You are also probably never
going to go hungry in your life, and you probably have access to incredible
luxuries (such as technology) that allow you to control the temperature of
your home, choose where you live, what you eat, and what you spend your
“disposable income” on. These are luxuries that continue to elude many in
the world.
This makes you very different from humans who lived not too long ago. Even
two centuries ago, the main goal in almost everyone's life was to secure a safe
environment for themselves and for their loved ones and to be able to keep
themselves free from hunger. That’s because the world used to be a lot more
violent before laws were put in place to protect civilians.
Luxuries such as the technology you have access to that alters the
temperature of the room you are sitting in were unheard of. The best you
could hope for was a fire to warm you at night. Maintaining that fire would
have required a significant amount of work on your part.
Even amenities that you don’t think of as luxuries (such as hot water that
flows from a tap with a simple twist) were considered precious and reserved
only for the rich. To have a tub of hot water was a real treat, and you
absolutely could not waste a single drop of that water because it would take a
long time to heat more of it. To have a device that constantly sprays you with
a stream of hot water would have been a luxury that even a King would not
have been able to afford only a hundred years ago.
Yet, despite all these luxuries, the vast majority of people are not happy.
That’s because we’ve been taught that the only way we can ever really be
happy is to purchase, consume, and then rinse and repeat.
This is a rather sinister trick that the elite have played on us. They have
created holes within us and have told us that we need to buy things in order to
fill these holes. There was a time when we were told that we all had a “God-
shaped hole.” We’re now told that we have a “product-shaped hole,” as
consumer culture has supplanted the life of introspection and contemplation
that was once considered a value for human beings to seek out.
The problem is that we only briefly fill the emptiness within us by consuming
what corporations have to offer. Once the high of the acquisition has worn
off, we revert to the sadness that has become the norm these days, which
results in us feeling the need to consume once again. It’s a vicious cycle that
spares no one in these times.
By applying the principles of Stoicism, you will be able to logically ascertain

what true happiness is and what is simply a placebo. After a few days of
practicing Stoicism, you will see that your current path will not provide you
with happiness, and you will be able to slow your consumptive lifestyle and
fill the hole you feel within you with more wholesome balms, such as family
and friends.
Stoicism Gives You Mental Fortitude
Mental fortitude in all things is a very useful quality to possess, but the level
to which Stoicism boosts this attribute cannot be ignored. The strength of
your mind is limitless and Stoicism places this reality at the forefront of its
practice.
You already know how you can circumvent the stress of modern life by
applying the principles of Stoicism, but the benefits of practicing Stoicism
extend far beyond these basic concepts of stress relief.
It’s a commonly known fact that humans don’t use even two-thirds of our
brains, even when they’re functioning at maximum capacity. This means that
we have an incredible potential to grow our mental prowess by accessing
parts of the brain we don’t currently use to their full potential right now.
By applying the principles of Stoicism, you probably won’t be able to access

every available corner of your brain, but it will certainly become easier for
you to access more of it than you were able to before.
Whereas, you might not currently have access to more than 30 to 33% of
your brain, by applying the principles of Stoicism, your brain’s capacity,
through the adherence to its self-reflective prescriptions, will grow
exponentially. This significant boost in brainpower will allow you to more
fully realize your human potential.
With this increase in intelligence, you are also going to develop a more
receptive personality, in terms of happiness and understanding its deep
presence in your life. A deeper understanding of how things work will allow
you to enjoy life without worrying about matters you don’t understand and
can’t control. This will contribute significantly to your overall happiness.
Stoicism Allows You to Block Out What Other People Think
One of the most significant roadblocks to happiness is the fear of what other
people will think about you. Social anxiety is extremely common these days,
and it ends up making us avoid the things we really want to do.
By worrying about what other people think of us, we stop ourselves from
ever being truly happy. We start to work toward what other people think we
should do, and this is one of the worst things that we can do for ourselves.
The influence of others' opinions can be corrosive and essentially destructive
in the pursuit of peaceful living. What others think of us has absolutely no
significance.
People are perpetually unhappy, which means that they are never going to be
happy with you. If you spend your life trying to please people, trying to live
the way other people want you live, you are never going to achieve any
meaningful level of happiness in your life. They are not living your life. You
are living your life. The opinions of other people are external to your
happiness and completely irrelevant.
Instead of trying to be the way other people want you to be, you need to start
living the way you deserve to live: by being who you want to be. This way,
the only person you will have to satisfy is yourself, significantly reducing the
potential for suffering.
By pursuing Stoicism, you will be able to ignore what other people think,
because you will have instilled in yourself the ability to reject the external
stimuli that provoke suffering. A Stoic understands the true meaning of
happiness, and the true value of self-worth. Once you start valuing your self-
worth over what other people say about you, you will start experiencing true
happiness in a way that you never believed possible. In Stoicism is the ability
for you to detach from the arbitrary opinions of those around us and to live in
the comfort of your own self-knowledge.
Stoicism Allows You to Offload Bad Habits
Have you ever noticed that moths are attracted to flames? You might find it
odd that a creature would be so enticed by something that can only offer it
destruction. However, if you think about it, people are not so different from
moths.
Cigarettes, drugs, alcohol, and junk food are all injurious to human health.
They offer temporary highs through their stimulation of chemicals in our
brains associated with sensations that mimic happiness, but they do not
provide long-term happiness. The high fades almost instantly, leaving you
wanting more.
This is how addictions are formed, and these addictions prevent us from
being happy because we are essentially slaves to something that we can’t
control in any way. And, when we can’t control factors in our lives, we
become the victims of suffering, anxiety, and regret and these are the
antithesis of the Stoic way.
Bad habits are short-term solutions, but Stoicism allows you to see the longer
view. It permits one the luxury of looking into the future in order to ascertain
the consequences of short-term, ersatz solutions to long-term happiness. The
beauty of Stoicism is that it allows you to see things as they truly are.
As a Stoic, you are not going to be fooled by something that makes you feel
good for a few fleeting minutes, hours, or even days. Stoicism will show you
that what you are feeling is temporal and temporality is not a value. It’s an
instant that will pass without edifying you. Stoicism will assist you in ridding
yourself of bad habits so that you can live a more fulfilling life; a life that
makes you happy in ways you never would have believed possible before
encountering this highly practical and fulfilling philosophy.
Stoicism Allows You to Be Selfless
One of the previous points in this list was that living for yourself is an
important part of being happy. People who demand things of you are not
worth your time, because they are simply projecting their own unhappiness
and dissatisfaction with life onto you.
However, the dynamic changes completely for people who truly love you.
You might want to do things for people you love but find yourself unable to
because you are too selfish. This is human nature, and this impulse is very
different from trying to please others in order to be happy.
By pleasing others for yourself, you are being selfish. However, being
selfless and acting for the happiness of others, without regard for your own
happiness, is a truly beautiful thing. It may seem like a rather odd way to be
happy in the short run, but the truth is that, in the long run, being selfless and
doing things for others is one of the most significant ways in which you can
attain happiness.
Being selfless means showing true love for other people. It allows you to
form much more stable and loving relationships in your life. As you already
know, truly connecting with other people is one of the best ways to be happy.
Caring for the welfare and wellbeing of others is a way to find happiness,
because it takes you out of yourself and your individualized needs.
As a Stoic practitioner, you will be able to see exactly where your happiness
ends and someone else’s begins. Stoicism will show you how you can be
selfless, but more importantly, it can also show you when to be selfless.
Being selfless for the right people is an important element of the discernment
that comes with Stoic practice. Continued and intentional Stoic practice will
lead you to an understanding of precisely when it’s appropriate to model
selflessness and prevent the suffering that comes from being “the touch.”
Stoicism Allows You to Practice Being Happy
Unless you suffer from serious mental illness, one of the main keys to being
happy is deciding that this is how you’re going to be. Too often, people deny
themselves happiness because they feel that they don’t deserve it. This is a
sad reality, as happiness is the birthright of all human beings.
The belief that we’re undeserving of happiness can come from a number of
sources, from self-pity to an innate feeling that happiness is beyond our
capacity. This effect can be attributable to any number of factors in our lives.
It is highly destructive to believe that one does not deserve happiness. Some
of us live with childhood trauma, the result of adults who took their
dissatisfaction with life out on us, leaving us feeling as though we were
deficient in some way. There are many other reasons, but the upshot is that
we are all born for the happiness of life, without exception. It’s our human
legacy.
An important part of being happy is practicing being happy. This may sound
odd, but if you understand the concept behind this technique, you will find
that it is indeed very useful, and can be effective if applied properly.
Practicing being happy means instilling in yourself the belief that happiness
is something you deserve. It involves realizing that the things people have
said to you in the past, things that may have made you feel unworthy of
happiness, are untrue. The best way to practice happiness is to apply the
principles of Stoicism, which will allow you to look at your situation
objectively. Once you begin doing this, you’ll find there is absolutely no
reason that you do not deserve to be happy.
We all deserve to be happy. It’s our birthright as human beings and the
ultimate reason for being alive. Life is happiness and Stoicism acknowledges
this reality by teaching practitioners to work around life’s difficulties
mindfully.
Stoicism’s Answer to Childhood Trauma
Another roadblock to happiness is childhood trauma. Childhood trauma
comes in many shapes and forms, the most obvious of which is abuse,
whether intellectual or physical. However, a single moment of abuse is not
the only thing that can stop you from being happy. Long periods of
continuous abuse while growing up can damage your psyche.
Unhappiness in your adult life might stem from the way you choose to deal
with this childhood trauma. A lot of people repress the memory of abuse, and
others might not believe that they have been abused at all. The latter of these
two strategies for dealing with childhood trauma stems from the fact that
society has a very specific view of what abuse is. If the abuse you went
through did not conform to what society classifies as genuine abuse, you
might not feel you’ve been abused at all. You might even feel that you’ve
imagined your abuse. You might even feel that the abuse you suffered is your
fault, which is even more damaging, as this belief can result in lifelong
dysfunction.
As you already know, Stoicism facilitates an objective analysis of every

aspect of your life. This includes moments in your past: moments that might
have traumatized you and which continue to impact the quality of your life
without you even realizing that this is the case. One of the most important
things the practice of Stoicism can help you with is recognizing that you were
abused and in that recognition, finding ways to heal.
Stoicism can also help you unearth repressed memories from your childhood
and come to terms with them. Either way, Stoic practice can help you
overcome the long-term effects of childhood trauma. With the support of
therapy, you can start living a full and happy life, through the practice of
Stoicism.
Stoicism Allows You to Change Your Behavior
As a result of childhood trauma, a difficult life, or just certain aspects of your
personality, you might not have the ability to interact as well with others as
you would like. This is a polite way of saying that you might be abusive to
other people in some way, as an outgrowth of the abuse you have suffered
yourself. You may act out in social interactions, or with your family, in ways
you don’t completely understand. Stoicism can assist you by teaching you to
examine your motivations and get to the bottom of your behavior, finding the
root in trauma.
You are a human being with a conscience, after all, and although you might
lash out at people, chances are that you feel guilty about your behavior
afterwards. From a purely objective standpoint, you are affecting your own
happiness by preventing the people around you from being happy and from
interacting with you in a normative way.
Whether you realize your own abusiveness toward others or not, in such
situations it is very important that you apply the principles of Stoicism to
your life. It has already been established several times over in this book that
Stoicism allows you to objectively analyze every aspect of your personality.
This means that when you practice Stoicism, you will be able to realize rather
quickly whether the way you are behaving is acceptable or not. Realization is
half of the solution, but Stoicism doesn’t meet you halfway. Stoicism
provides a blueprint for life which is readily applicable in every context.
Once you have realized that you are being abusive toward the people you
love, Stoicism will allow you to change your behavior. Whenever you begin
to behave in a way that hurts others, as a Stoic practitioner, you will
immediately stop yourself and simply choose not to behave that way instead.
It is in this way that you will be able to achieve true happiness in your life.
Due to the introspective aspects of Stoicism, which call on practitioners to
create internal change over demanding external change, you will find that
your internal landscape creates space for the world around you to conform to
it.
The most important facet of this particular benefit that Stoicism provides is
that it allows you to make other people around you happy as well. By making
others happy you will create a positive environment for yourself. As with the
Butterfly Effect, you will see the ripples that originate as your internal
changes move outward in concentric circles that improve the context you’re
living in.
Stoicism Can Help You to Deal with Mental Illness
Mental illness is another roadblock to your happiness. Fundamentally, it’s
beyond your control. It is important to note that medical intervention is an
absolutely essential part of managing and even overcoming mental illness, as
such illnesses are caused by chemical imbalances in the brain, for the most
part.
Another aspect to overcoming and managing mental illnesses is therapy. The

effect of therapy is, however, somewhat subjective. A lot of people still feel
as though their mental illnesses are taking too much of a toll, and even a
combination of medicine and therapy cannot help them fully recover.
The problem a lot of people face is that they are unable to maintain medicinal
and therapeutic prescriptions, which leads to relapse. This is often caused by
the mental illness itself, which can prevent sufferers from maintaining a
regular schedule. The erratic nature of mental illnesses thus makes it difficult
to achieve a sense of stability and happiness, even if professional help is
enlisted.
As a follower of Stoicism, you will be able to objectively apprehend that

medicine and therapy are necessary tools in the project of managing mental
illness, but you will also be equipped with internal resources that these
remedies can’t provide. You will have access to your interior life and no
medical therapy can assist with such an intensely personal process. The road
to happiness is fraught with obstacles, but there is no better way to get over
these obstacles than applying the principles of Stoicism to your life.
You’re thinking, “Wait a minute. A school of philosophy for health and

happiness? How come?” Well, your skepticism is understandable. Read on to
gain a better understanding of this aspect of Stoicism.
Stoicism is all about finding happiness and peace within. If you’re
continually stressed out about your job, your marriage, your kids, the
surroundings, what’s happening in Iraq - how will you ever find peace and
happiness anywhere? The good news is, you can take tips from this
wonderful school of thought to turn your life inside out and emerge a better
human being, who is content and happy from within.
1. Articulate Your Life’s Purpose
Another dearly held belief of Stoicism is that if you don’t know what your
purpose in life is and what you’re good at, what makes you happy, the entire
world is enabled to take a shot at you. You need to own your life. What are
you doing each day that aligns you with your calling in life? Are you taking
the right steps in that direction? What is your passion? What drives you?
What can you do without becoming bored? That is your calling. Stoicism
does not tell you what your purpose is; you need to figure that out by yourself
to become the person you want to be.
2. Maintain a Gratitude Record
Make a sincere point of expressing and feeling gratitude every day of your
life. Not just figuratively, but literally. Jot down experiences for which you
are grateful, for the positive circumstances you have enjoyed or the
benevolent attitudes you have encountered. As Stoicism teaches, we maintain
and gain serenity when we are aware of the inner pendulum at work. You
need to look around you and count your blessings. If you have food on your
table, a roof above your head, a family that loves you, if you are able to read
and write, if all your limbs are in perfect working condition – you can
consider yourself an extremely lucky person. You belong to a privileged class
of people. Learn to be grateful for these things. You did not earn them, you
did not ask for them, and you may not even deserve them, yet you enjoy
them. Many people in this world would love to take your place, as their lives
are not as blessed as yours is. So be grateful and work toward making the
world a better place with every small step you take.
3. Living with Boundaries
Don’t confuse boundaries with walls or enclosures that serve to isolate you
from society. Boundaries, in this context, mean limited resources at your
disposal, such as energy and time, and how best you can utilize them to your
advantage. You have to filter out the relationships, endeavors, and activities
which drain your energy and time, and instead focus on those which nourish
your equanimity and aid with your quest of seeking wellbeing and inner
peace. Don’t be ashamed to be selective. No external force or person or thing
can alter your inner being. And you are certainly not responsible for any of
them. Stoicism teaches that you can’t achieve inner peace by obeying every
wish and whim of other people or events. Stay true to yourself. Follow your
unique path. Know your bliss.
4. Disengage
Our tendency for attachment to people, places, and things, as well as life
situations, makes life difficult. In the long run, detachment from these factors
and realities will help you achieve inner peace. Because, according to
Stoicism, it is not the external factors that decide your happiness and
wellbeing, it is what you are inside. It’s imperative to understand that life can
be great even when we don’t get everything we want. Do you really need a
bigger house or car, or the latest gizmo on the market? Are you trying to
impress someone? If that is the cause of your behavior, then it will only
create a vacuum in your life. This is not the path to inner happiness. Of
course, when it comes to people and relationships, letting go is much harder.
But remember this - nothing in this world is permanent. Anything that is born
has to die. There are no guarantees in life except death (and maybe taxes).
Once we get this into our heads, we will be in a much better position to
appreciate what we have and to work toward enjoying it to the fullest.
5. Develop Resilience
What does resilience mean in terms of the challenges we face in the modern
world? Mental toughness, certainly. But we also need to be physically
resilient. With huge advances in transit, water systems, food, centrally heated
and cooled homes, people have become rather soft. We can’t imagine what
it’s like to live without any of the afore-mentioned luxuries. We need to get
out of our comfort zones and start doing something that will expose us to the
elements of nature. Go mow your lawn yourself or climb the stairs, or hike in
the wilderness. Developing physical as well as mental strength is one of the
keys to survival and certainly, one of the keys to happiness. How can we love
ourselves, if we are content to allow our bodies to turn to mush?
6. Your Life Is “on loan”
Life existed long before you were born, and it will continue to exist millions
of years after you die. You are but an extremely tiny speck in the grand
scheme of things. The universe doesn’t depend on your existence. So be
grateful for the life you currently have. Make the best of it. Develop your
inner peace and help others obtain theirs. Make sure your life is of a quality
by which your values and principles are remembered long after you’re gone
from the face of the earth. Make your life worth the space you take up on the
planet. Don’t just exist. Live!
The soul of Stoicism lies in its simplicity. It fundamentally teaches that

human beings are rational beings, composed of body and soul. The leading
part of the soul is the coherent, logical, and sane part of the human being,
found in the heart. The other parts radiate out of it; for instance, the visual
part of the soul connects with the eyes. But for our intents and purposes, we
concentrate on the leading part, the soul. It is the seat of impulses and
representations of the being as a whole.
Herein lies the difference between humans and other animals. Animals act
and react purely on instinct and impulse, with no prior thought process. They
act according to their convenience and what suits them at any given point in
time. Animals seek survival as their primary impulse, without regard to
impact on their surroundings. They seek to continue existing, by whatever
means necessary.
Throughout its long history, Stoicism has advocated two basic principles of
its philosophy:
- Certain things and events are not in our control, so it’s pointless to agonize
over them and to get agitated when they occur.
- Negative emotions and passions need to be eliminated from our
consciousness for the optimum chance at living a happy life.
True happiness, according to Stoic belief, arises from detachment. Freedom
from emotions, wealth, status, and negative thought processes translates into
real happiness and joy. Stoicism also places great importance on moral
development. Of what does moral development consist, exactly?
Moral Development
We do not exist in a vacuum. We play a multitude of roles in our daily life.

As husband, wife, daughter, son, sister, brother, friend, student, teacher,
mentor, guide, tinker, tailor, soldier, and spy, there is no shortage and no end
to the roles we play. The number of roles might be fewer when we’re
children but, as we ascend to adulthood, this number increases exponentially.
There is a set of rules and a code of conduct for each of these roles and we
learn them as we grow up. And this forms the basis for moral development.
There are certain “appropriate actions” that are compatible with each role and
age group. A three-year-old crying in an ice cream store because they have
run out of chocolate chip is appropriate, while the very same reaction from a
ten-year-old might be deemed highly unsuitable and childish. There is a
protocol to be followed when one enters a certain age bracket and anything
outside the boundary of the set protocol will undoubtedly invite ridicule and
scorn. Developing one’s self, with regard to morals, values and principles,
forms a critical and crucial part of growing up and also adheres to Stoicism.
The final stage of Stoicism is naturally happiness and the unremitting glow
engendered by inner peace. People rarely reach this apex while growing up,
as they are surrounded by material things and needs and wants that prevent
them from discarding external measures of happiness for internal yardsticks
(the fruit of introspection). A person who has achieved that state of inner
contentment and bliss lives a life full of virtue and cheer.
No doubt, Stoics recognize the various aspects of life with respect to poverty,
ignorance, disease, death, and other attendant ills, but they choose the life-
giving aspects that stand in opposition to these factors: happiness, health,
knowledge, goodness, and peace. The value of the negative features is
virtually zero. These are termed “rejected indifferents.” The ones that are
chosen, the positive realities and characteristics, are known as “preferred
indifferents.” Stoics choose the preferred indifferents and opt for making
their lives richer by acting on them.
For example, negative emotions like fear, lust, and distress are deemed
injurious because they harbor and give rise to false beliefs about what
constitutes happiness and the conduct of a happy life. In the same vein,
delight is often mistaken as a preferred indifferent, but in reality, we feel
delighted when we get what we covet or gain something that we have lusted
after.
The essence of Stoicism teaches us to discard superficial, negative activities,
emotions, thoughts, and feelings and replace them with affirmative, life-
giving, and constructive emotions. Stoicism prefers those values which help
us grow as humans.
Okay, so we’ve been harping about how wonderful Stoicism is for our day-
to-day functioning, and adopting it as a path to gain insight into ourselves and
attain true inner happiness one day. But is there a flipside to this?
Studies done on emotion regulation and memory have brought new facts to
light. Those studies conclude that, while attempting to banish painful
thoughts and feelings from their mind, humans think twice. Instead of
completely discarding them from their lives, humans seek and adopt adaptive
strategies to deal with their pain. They might associate with people who have
had similar experiences or seek social support or conceal their true emotions
or engage in cathartic activities. Engaging in cathartic activities is another
coping mechanism.
Many similar studies conducted at Stanford University have pointed to

interesting aspects of the human psyche when seen from the standpoint of
Stoic philosophy. Take the case of suppressing negative emotions. When
people stifle and repress their negative emotions, their memory takes a hit.
However, when a process called “reappraisal” is introduced as a means of
processing negative emotions, memory is not impacted. This is very
reminiscent of the manner in which Stoicism suggests that we deal with
negative emotions. In recognizing, analyzing, and re-contextualizing them,
we’re enabled to frame them in their proper light.
Articles published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology reveal

that the manner in which people control and curb their negative emotions has
widespread implications for their overall psyche. Their self-esteem takes a
beating. On the other hand, most people rely on their intuitive bag of tricks to
keep their negative emotions in check, which further damages their inner
being.
But not all strategies are equal. Re-enacting the situation or reconstructing the
scenario might help somewhat. Others might take refuge in building
something with their hands, yet others might lock themselves up and refuse to
talk. Different emotional strategies have different impacts on cognitive
functioning, especially the memory. Stoicism values inner peace and
happiness, which are continually shattered by the coping mechanisms people
adopt.
Self-monitoring behavior, wherein people keep a strict leash on their

behavior and do not allow themselves to express any negative emotions, also
backfires, according to Stoic philosophy. Healthy, rational, and analytical
expression of negative sentiments is necessary to build a calm and
wholesome inner being.
Studies by Richards and Gross (University of California) suggest that jurors’

memory for evidence and facts presented during a trial has a direct
connection with their demeanor in the conduct of judicial processes. The
memory might be impaired by their efforts to appear calm and composed.
This is an interesting speculation on the link between sub-vocal self-
monitoring and verbal memory.
In other experiments dealing with health and relationships, researchers have

dealt with expressive suppression in conjunction with memory for social
interactions, which have far-reaching ramifications for interpersonal
relationships. For example, people in a relationship were asked to discuss
conflicts, and those who suppressed and hid their expressions displayed less
robust memory functions than those who did not. Of course, certain situations
do call for restraint and the containment of negative expressions and
emotions, but it is certainly not healthy to suppress them in the long run.
Chapter 16: Stoic Fundamentals
Even though not many of us would ever think of ourselves

as Stoics or even as philosophers, we possibly can
remember meeting someone who spent a lot of time
delving into this field of thought. Yet Stoicism may just
offer a more down-to-earth approach for those who would
like to take a look beyond the perimeters of a sensible
philosophy.
Stoicism does not involve realms of confusing speculations

and vague possibilities. It tries to construct a real-life path
that will aid people in controlling their passions and do
what should be done. It doesn’t invite pointless argument.
Once you see what it signifies, you should have an
understanding of the basics, anyway.
This is not to say that the philosophy of Stoicism doesn’t

have some base points you should learn. It tries to show us
that, in many instances, life is full of surprises, that it is
incredibly short and being sure and aware in our journey is
the best plan for our lives. It strives to make us grounded
and build inner strength and fortitude. It also strives to
illustrate just how much we rely on our reactions and not
on reason.
Some basic facts about Stoicism include three of its main

ancient teachers: Marcus Aurelius, Epictetus and Seneca.
The most obvious difference from other philosophies is that
it applies to real life and how to live it. It is not lofty and it
aims to be sensible. It contests to help people become
innovative in business, a dependable friend and person. The
writings of Stoic thought do not make you feel bad about
yourself. It’s a method of meditating and changing bad
energy and negativity into tranquility and practicality.
It isn’t difficult to pretend that Marcus Aurelius was not

essential as the Emperor of Rome. In those days if you
were an Emperor you were like a god to the people. You
were almost an object of worship and you had access to
incredible riches.
The Stoic writings are not excessively difficult to read or

even understand; they get you ready for living
philosophically by getting you to think practically and
correctly. They are made up of practices called mental
exercises and tend to ask you to rely on these little mental
workouts. They are as follows:
How to Practice Stoicism

When we are secure and things are going well is actually
the best time to get ready for a possible future time of
adversity and hardship. When we are at peace we should
realize and understand that misfortune may follow and steel
ourselves for the onslaught.
The philosopher Seneca, a man who never wanted for

anything, thought that folks should put a few days aside
after every four weeks to feel what it is like to be poor to
prepare themselves. Eat little, wear scruffy clothes, and
don’t luxuriate at home in any way. Make yourself face
what it would be like to experience poverty.
He didn’t suggest that the people simply bring to mind

about being poor; he wanted them to practice living it.
Seneca went on to describe how living in luxury is a type of
servitude as the person lives in fear that it will cease. But if
you live in poverty and get used to it, the possibility of bad
luck has no power over you.
Fear usually gets its power from our lack of knowledge.

Stoics say you should become at home and well used to the
things you fear and they will have less effect. Do not be
ignorant of what you fear. Then it makes sense that things
will not continue to bother you as much and you can live
anxiety-free to a better degree.
Take Control
Decide to be unscathed by a problem or situation and you
will be unscathed. One of the stoical exercises was to flip
the problem on its head. Then every misfortune turns into a
good thing.
In an example, they ask you to pretend that you are

attempting to aid a person in a dilemma and they are being
rude or cruel. But instead of being your enemy you should
think how they are, in effect, steering you toward practicing
new virtues like fortitude and acceptance. So in this way a
block becomes motivation and anything that stops you from
advancing, advances you.
The idea of turning a misfortune into an opportunity is not

unfamiliar ground. And it has been practiced and praised
my many other people. Whether it is part of their overall
philosophy of Stoicism or just happens to be an aspect of
the Stoic teachings is not known. But they are valuable
lessons nonetheless. It has been said that successful
entrepreneurs will use a situation as an opportunity. A Stoic
believes that just about all things offer a chance to turn that
situation around. Perhaps the best way to say this is that no
matter what it is, illness and or death, scandal, loss of face,
wealth or business, can be turned around or on its head and
used as a chance to practice Stoic teachings and make best
of the situation. To a Stoic, there is really no good thing or
unfortunate thing. There remains only the way you perceive
the situation. And soon you will see you have control of
many situations in your life. You turn each downturn into
an opportunity to be or do better. Your life does not have to
be done after a bad situation; it can be merely a chance for
a new beginning.
Stoicism for Everyday Life
As we try to forge ahead in life and make something of
ourselves, we often have to overcome many blocks.
Admittedly, some of these blocks are external, such as
owning a car, securing a great job, acquiring or dealing
with friends and associates, etc. But there are also some
that come from within: shyness, understanding, knowledge,
fear that we can’t cut it, fear of loss of face, etc. It is also
hard to change our patterns and our desire to step up and
change. And it’s not always easy to. Stoicism is something
people can fall back on to help them focus and become
better. Some modern advanced companies are even
conducting courses in Stoicism to help their workers reach
better heights, build resilience and become happier and
more productive.
This incorporating of the Stoic’s system of philosophy in
the work place and for the workers might stir up
controversy and resistance. They may say it’s a bad idea
because it wastes the company’s money. But philosophy as
a useful tool for everyday life to get us through all these
obstacles is an idea that goes back to Ancient Greece and
Rome. Socrates believed that Stoic teachings actually aided
people in guarding and caring for their inner souls. In the
past, Stoicism has been a factor in the success of quite a
few different people. It has inspired inventors, writers,
tutorials and many entrepreneurs. Life philosophy has
proven itself over the years to help many reach their goals,
feel confidant and remain steadfast and in control in
adverse situations. It’s a wonderful system to follow for
anyone trying to get through stressful work situations and it
is an excellent guide for entrepreneurs. Stoicism can shake
us up and take us apart from the tangled work force
enabling us to think beyond the box in all occurrences in
order to become successful.
Seven Stoic thoughts to help in a crisis:
One) Realize that it isn’t the occurrence but our

interpretation of the occurrence that affects us negatively.
Because of this, we ought to concentrate on not viewing
everything in a negative light. Making everything personal
and maximizing it only feeds our negativity and our
adverse reactions. Why not do the reverse and try to
minimize any negative events?
Two) Try to be aware of any traps in our pattern of thought
that may make us jump on any situation and interpret it in a
bad light. One of the Stoic teachers of old has said we must
follow our familial or personal set of values and not get
waylaid by personal snags on the road. Keep your eye
ahead and try to recognize the patterns that lead you to self-
pity, etc. If affronted, try to interpret the situation in a
different way so you don’t become affected by it. We
should try to use any personal affronts in a more positive
way by deliberation. And we should recognize that maybe
we have a predisposition to over-reacting to a certain
interpretation of behavior from others and so therefore we
should examine it to make sure we are not doing so again.
Three) Concentrate on what is actually within our

immediate realm of control and, if it isn’t, do not get
ruffled. Attempting this is a wonderful aid when we are
resolving to handle difficult conditions. Focusing on what
we can’t control is a futile exercise that wastes a good deal
of energy. We will prevent the feeling of being useless,
angry and at the mercy of circumstance. Harness your
thoughts into a controllable place on your side of the line of
control. You will be able to bring certain events and your
reaction to them back behind this line. The rest of it you
have to just let go. Taking this step will even give a feeling
of relief because you don’t have to go through that huge
amount of stress and emotion involved.
Four) Never become irrational in a situation or even

emotional for that matter. Wear your poker face at all times
because, not only does this put a reign on the unleashing of
irrational emotions, it also helps to calm others. Set control
stations in your mind so you can check your reactions and
decisions at regular intervals. This technique has been used
in daily situations even more than you realize. For instance,
a certain stock market investor set up personal checks for
himself to stay reasonable in the case his investments they
dropped too low and also if they climbed too quickly. He
did this because he knew the emotion that ensued in the
event of a huge crash or a huge jump and he didn’t want to
get irrational and make the wrong move. There are many
instances where preventing irrational, emotional pitfalls is
part of the preparation for certain occupations. Leaving it to
proceed "by your gut" can lead to careless and reckless
practices that do not help any situation.
Five) The leveling question, “What is the worst case

scenario?”, assists us in confronting our fears and doesn’t
allow for wild speculation and ungrounded worry.
Asking this question makes us touch on what might happen

in our worst nightmares and already sets us up to deal with
it. In a way, you are practicing failure so it doesn’t have a
great effect on you. We’ve rehearsed it in a way so it loses
a little of its power. It’s like saying “so what?” to de-
emotionalize your feelings and bring on an indifference,
downsizing fear and shrinking the monster. Learning to do
this helps us shrug at things that could take us over the top.
Well, we didn’t get that particular job or we didn’t land that
sale—“so what?” Life will continue. This technique
actually acts as wonderful buffer against disappointment.
Six) Reminding ourselves of the sobering thought that we
are going to die puts everything into the correct
perspective. We can think outside the box and realize that
everything will pass and everything inevitably gets
minimized or forgotten through time. This thought should
stop procrastination as well. If you want to do something,
do it now; you may not have much later. Thinking this way
can almost be a catalyst to action, as you should bring to
mind that you may be unable to do them at a later date.
Six) We become what we do often as habitual humans. So

change will not come about unless we also repeat and
practice things as well as think differently. In this way, you
begin to fade the old habits into oblivion and highlight the
new ones to make them stronger. Practicing our new habits
of thinking positively and avoiding too much emotion when
it comes to things that affect us negatively is the way to add
Stoicism philosophy into your life. Remind yourself of all
the things you’ve learned daily and set up check points
along the way.
Chapter 17: Incorporating the Primitive
Principles of Stoicism into Modern Aspects of
Contemporary Life
Evolution, Revolution, Innovation, Modernization and Diversification:
Stoicism, meaning the principles and beliefs that life should be focused on
self-enlightenment, fulfillment, betterment, and happiness via strong yet
simple values, and morals, has been around for centuries. Its conception, in
ancient times, came at a time when life was simpler, with fewer distractions.
Transformations and diversification throughout consistent evolution are
inevitably inspired by mankind as a whole. Our desire to learn more, build
more, make things bigger and better, and to be as educated, knowledgeable,
and forward-thinking as possible has changed life and the way it is lived in
ways that were inconceivable to humankind in the days when the Stoic way
of life began. The development of transportation, mass production, political
diversities, and modern technology has inspired and necessitated adaptations
to the initial paradigms associated with Stoic-based principles.
Successful Parenting Practices by Virtue of Stoic Principles:
In this era that has embraced the "spare the rod, spoil the child" philosophy,
could it be that we are not only giving in to whims, overlooking bad
behavior, and rewarding mediocrity, but we are, in fact, praising our children
too much? Is it even possible to give a child too much praise?
In the past, Stoicism and the practices involving a person’s betterment have
supported a fundamental approach to praise. There are some historic figures
associated with Stoicism who would go so far as to insinuate that showing
undue praise could be frowned upon, as the following quote by Epictetus,
regarding the success of an individual practicing Stoicism, implies:
The marks of a proficient are that he censures no one, praises no one,

blames no one, accuses no one, says nothing concerning himself as being
anybody or knowing anything: when he is, in any instance, hindered or
restrained, he accuses himself; and, if he is praised, he secretly laughs at
the person who praises him; and if he is censured, he makes no defense.
(Epictetus, n.a.)
Praise, according to Stoics of ancient times, has no sense of usefulness, no

worthiness in making an object or an act any better or more memorable, and
can almost be perceived as manipulative in nature.
The question however, in terms of Stoic principles, is not really about giving
too much praise, but rather giving praise where and when it is due.
The premise, according to practicing Stoics, that a child needs to be told how
good at something they are or how smart they are in order to gain a high level
of confidence or self-worth is over-rated. By giving a generalized
compliment like “You are so good at math” or “you have such a natural talent
for sports” we may be encouraging a child to unintentionally internalize the
wrong message.
While it is important for children to feel pride and motivation to excel in

areas where they show a natural talent or a higher level of intelligence, by
praising and encouraging only the good behavior a child may be swayed to
become too focused on the “good” areas. The praise, while stimulating, may
almost serve as a discouragement of sorts to excel, learn, grow, or even TRY
something different; something they could eventually master, but may never
even attempt due to being focused on the aspects for which we have
encouraged them.
Additionally, by praising a child for a success or triumph by saying “You‘re

so good at this” or “I‘m so proud of how well you…”, we, as adults, assume
that we are encouraging and building their ego. The issue with this
assumption is that in a child’s mind we could literally be setting them up to
feel “not smart” or like you may not be proud the next time they struggle or
fail at something, whether it is something new they are trying or something
they have attempted before.
According to Stoic practice, instead of praising the child for each individual
scenario or accomplishment, we need to focus more on giving praise to the
process in which the child is involved in or practicing in the moment. This
makes the incident more a form of praising the child for taking on a project
with some level of difficulty, no matter whether new, difficult, simple, or
tried and failed. It enables the child to feel a sense of fulfillment at just
having made an attempt, trying various problem-solving techniques, showing
determination and motivation, and trying and perfecting until possibly
achieving success over time.
So, as modern parents practicing the principles of Stoicism in terms of raising

our children, how can we apply the beliefs and values in terms of
determination, courage, and perseverance that are inhibited by the process of
praising and its negative effects and outcomes? More important, how can we
succeed at this while still incorporating a sense of pride, encouragement,
respect, and consideration that we, as parents in modern society, feel the need
to instill in our children regardless of our Stoic values? Again, we can turn to
Epictetus’ expertise for a sense of comprehension within a seemingly
complicated dilemma:
Allow not sleep to close your wearied eyes,
Until you have reckoned up each daytime deed:
"Where did I go wrong? What did I do? And what duty’s left undone?"
From first to last review your acts and then
Reprove yourself for wretched acts, but rejoice in those well done.
(Epictetus’ Discourse 3.10.2-3)
According to this quote and the Stoic practice or theory, “Evening

Meditation,” supported by it, we need to engage in a family process each
night that includes gathering together, recounting the events of the day,
discussing the details of each event, our own reactions, responses, and
choices we made, and any struggles or failures we encountered. Then, after
each individual has shared the events and issues from his or her own day, the
next step in the meditation process involves turning over the information we
have shared to the other family members to consider, process, and evaluate.
At this point, the more difficult part (for some at least) of the meditation
process with family begins as each family member gives input, insight,
advice, and opinions as to your reactions, your decisions, and the way in
which you handled the situations at hand. This process, if in fact it remains in
keeping with the true Stoic value system, does not include praising members
of your family for handling events well or being overly efficient in regard to
certain events you may have shared. Praise at this point, when you have
already experienced, dealt with, and recounted the events of your day would
be fruitless, a useless waste of manipulative words that would imply a reward
for good rather than support and encouragement to try something new,
different, or more effective tomorrow.
Embrace Stoic Practices to Adapt and Cope with Technology:
The changes, advances, and complete over-use and consumption of all things
technology-related has not only made it more difficult to adhere to the basic
premise of Stoic beliefs and values, but it has made it virtually impossible to
keep a constant, committed sense of family, communication, and personal
boundaries for millions. While we may strive daily to encourage our children
to put down the phones and take off the headphones and BE PRESENT in
life, we find even ourselves falling victim to the constant need to feel
connected at all times.
The mentality of “Keeping up with the Joneses” or wanting to have the best,
fastest, newest, most recent piece of the technology pie has become so mind-
consuming and all-encompassing that it seems as if society may, at times,
almost view objects as more important or more necessary than human beings.
Society has become almost co-dependent in nature in terms of wanting to

remain community-oriented, social, physically fit individuals while finding
ourselves becoming consistently absorbed in online technology and therefore
connected to everyone and everything while sitting on our couches, detached
from the world. We are so obsessed with being online with all of our devices
(phones, PCs, laptops, tablets, etc.) that we have come to a point where we
live in an almost constant fear of disconnection that actually triggers
detachment. It is almost surreal, yet very counter-productive in nature.
So, how do we use Stoicism and its principles to help us be less dependent on
our need to be connected to others and become more focused on being more
in tune with our own inner strengths, our own fulfillment, being more
centered, happy, and reflective? The answer is simple: We need to have the
self-discipline and determination to force ourselves and our loved ones to
take a few moments a day in which to DISCONNECT!
It is nothing to panic about and it is only temporary, but it is completely
necessary! Put down the cell phones, turn off the televisions, radios, iPods,
tablets, laptops, etc. If need be, just flip off the router that supplies your
family with its seemingly constant flow of worldwide internet. You will be
amazed how the simple act of turning that tiny little switch to ’off’ will get a
reaction from the entire family! You could spend hours trying to convince
your family to come to the family dinner table as soon as they "come to a
stopping point." It can go on for hours as we can all fall victim to just keep
going and going, forgetting the outside world, or the mom reminding you to
come out of your internet-induced haze, even exist.
In those few moments after taking the initiative to disconnect your family, by
whichever means you choose to utilize, they will all come out of their havens,
some confused by the lack of Wi-Fi, some actually squinting or rubbing their
eyes, in defense of the sudden introduction back into natural light.
Undoubtedly, someone may even be annoyed by the unexpected interruption,
as they were inevitably in the middle of the most important project, game,
conversation, or business call EVER. You can, however, rest assured that, if
you begin to incorporate this practice into your daily family and personal
routines, the initial adverse reactions will tend to minimize.
During these moments of self-induced internet outage, take a moment to

CONNECT with each other. Take these few moments or 15 minutes or half
an hour or however long you choose to communicate together.
Then, most important, use a few of these disconnected moments to reward

yourself with some alone time to reflect on yourself, on the events of your
day, to focus on actions taken, decisions or choices made, and how you
handled the day’s events. After recounting your own day’s storyline, take a
few moments of honesty and insight to ask yourself what you did right, what
you could have done differently, what you shouldn’t do again, and, most
important, what you are happy about, thankful for, and blessed to have.
You will be pleasantly amazed by what these few moments of disconnection

can do for your own sense of fulfillment as well as the betterment, happiness,
and cohesion of your entire family unit.
OK, now you may RE-CONNECT.
Enjoy the Satisfaction of Leading a Successful, Modern, Stoic Life:
Individuals who are committed to a way of life that is centered on fulfillment

and betterment can certainly continue to embrace their beliefs and thrive
within their core value system by incorporating reflection, modification, and
adaptation. The key to being successful at practicing a life in keeping with the
values, morals and ideals associated with Stoicism involves looking at the
basics of Stoic principles, in general. You can focus on ways to acclimate
yourself and your commitment level by accepting change as an inevitable
part of life. By simply recognizing and changing bad habits, limiting
distractions and surrounding yourself with people and things that limit stress
and force you to remain focused and center, you can incorporate your Stoic
values and principles into this ever-changing world and its people.
Chapter 18: 9 Ways to Stop Being Upset by
Others!
In this day and age, we quite often become upset at the way we are treated by
other people. This could be from others not saying thank you, not being
appreciative of something we’ve done from them, or even by being
physically assaulted or emotionally hurt.
When this happens, all you have to do is remind yourself of four questions
that are Stoic in nature. However, in order to get the most out of these
questions, it is important to have a crystal-clear awareness of the world.
What is my relationship to others?
When asked this question, Marcus Aurelius's answer was that we are made
for one another. A core belief of Stoicism is that the best way we can live is
by helping others. When we come into contact with other people, we should
do the right thing for them, even if they do not do the same for us.
What sort of person is upsetting me?
If someone is upsetting you, try to understand what kind of person they are.
Marcus Aurelius breaks the question down into smaller parts: What has
caused them to behave in this way and how much does their pride play into
the act? Stoicism tells that people with negative information will make a
negative decision.
Are they correct?
You should always look at yourself and ask this question. Although we may
not intend to, there are times when we make mistakes. We are human, after
all.
Do I understand the situation?
Aurelius tells us that many times things will happen for reasons that we can’t
understand at the time and we should have all the information at hand before
we judge someone else’s actions. Stoics will usually say that they don’t know
when it comes to the question, "Are they correct?" We cannot always be sure
about where we are on our own journey to virtue, so how can we know where
another person is on their journey?
Everyone makes mistakes. You do. I do. If you want other people to forgive
you when you make a mistake, isn’t it right to offer the same forgiveness to
others? Our time on this earth is fleeting; no one knows when we will die. Do
we really want to spend the time given to us in this world to be spent dealing
with anger, impatience and other negative emotions when instead you could
spend it happy? No, you shouldn’t.
In Stoicism, everyone is accountable for controlling their own emotions.

Epictetus claims that most people are not disturbed about their circumstances,
but rather they are concerned about how they judge those situations. It is vital
that we understand that we cannot control how other people act, or what
comes out of their mouths; however, we can control what we do and what
comes out of our own mouths. Other people are accountable for their own
actions; it is something that is on their own conscience. Do not allow yourself
to be upset about what they say or do. Brush those concerns off and cease
worrying about what could happen. The way to do this is to tell yourself that
what they say or do has no reflection on you.
You choose to carry on feeling bad. You will discover that it is our anger and
our crying over what other people say and do that is more damaging than the
actual reasons that made us feel bad in the first place! The hurt only continues
if you allow it to. Release the worry about what they say and do and focus on
your own actions and words.
Marcus Aurelius tells that it is important to have good personality. Marcus

Aurelius says that if you come across the most impertinent man that you
should be “relentlessly kind” even if he attempts to hurt you. If you bear in
mind this attitude when you deal with everyone you meet then you will
appreciate each one of them. Nonetheless, Marcus Aurelius tells that you
shouldn’t force being nice or even fake being nice; instead, speak with
honesty and without a trace of resentment in your voice. Don’t embarrass
them when they are with other people; reprimand or rebuke them, but just
speak to him/her directly, even if there are other people around you both.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t appear that these kinds of scenarios will stop any
time soon. Marcus Aurelius told us that we should memorize these points but,
in today’s society, it may actually be easier to write them down in a notebook
or journal. If you find yourself upset with someone, or because of someone,
try bringing your notebook out and read these points. You will remind
yourself of the practical outcomes from living according to Stoic beliefs. If
you believe – honestly believe – that everyone is intended to come together,
working for the benefit of all of us, then you can’t work in contradiction of
this reality and still think that you are being rational.
Why is contemplating your death important?
Like taxes, death is inevitable. Are you prepared for when you will die? What
do you think about death, your own death, and what part does it feature
within your daily life?
No matter how much you avoid thinking about it, you will die. Your parents
will die, your children will die, your siblings, your colleagues, and even the
girl who serves you coffee in your favorite coffee shop will die. With life
comes death. The ancient Stoic philosophers understood the significance of
meditating on the thought of your own mortal demise, in order to challenge
the panic that the majority of humans feel when it comes to their deaths.
Epictetus tells that when Roman generals returned after their military
victories and during the celebrations, the slaves would whisper “memento
mori,” which means “remember that you will die,” so that the generals would
not get too above themselves. There were a number of other techniques that
Stoics implemented because they thought it was vital to conquer this dread
through self-control of longing and loathing.
Memento mori is a phrase which has been incorporated into many artistic
works, from Renaissance paintings to modern art. This simple phrase has
inspirational for many artists and non-artists around the world, calling to
mind a thoughtful or theoretical attitude regarding our lives and subsequent
deaths. This notion can be seen in many works of literature, including
Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, where the main character is visited by
three spirits, leading to his changing his moral personality. Indeed, this
conception of the inescapability of death can be found in many philosophies
right into modern times.
The importance of rigorous training in order to conquer our anxieties

regarding our own deaths was a significant topic in Stoicism. Epictetus
reminded his followers that they should think about the enigma that the root
of all evil in the human world and pusillanimity is not really the inevitability
of death, but our fears surrounding it. It is the most damaging anxiety of all.
If you want to live the Stoic way, then Epictetus says you should train
yourself to conquer this fear of death because it is the only way to gain true
freedom and liberation from your desires and passions. Seneca claimed that if
our fears of dying are overwhelming, then death will come far too soon. He
also said that whoever is so scared of death will not do anything worthwhile
during his lifetime. When you learn to free yourself from the fear of death,
you have un-slaved yourself.
Epictetus gives us an example of a brilliant role model just at the beginning

of the Discourses. The man in question was a Stoic believer named Paconius
Agrippinus who didn’t react when he was told of his own pending execution;
instead, he calmly enjoyed a pleasant lunch with his friends. When you read
the lessons in Stoicism regarding wanting and fears, and ultimately
incorporate them into your life, then you liberate yourself from all illusions
and stumbling blocks in life.
“I must die. If soon, then I die; whereas if a little later, I will take lunch now,
since the hour for lunch has come, and afterwards I will die at the appointed
time. How? As becomes the man who is giving back that which was
another’s” (Discourses, 1.1).
This quote from the Discourses states that it is natural for us to die; death is
part of nature, something that we borrow and then have to return after a
period of time. Death is something natural and as such, we should not worry
about it or see it as something out of the blue; rather, we should be ready long
before death comes to give up on life. This conception was quite popular with
many philosophy schools in the ancient world, even right up to the modern
era.
Epicurus said that it is good to learn how to die. Although it may seem a little
odd to learn how to do something that will only happen once, it is actually a
very good thing to practice. If you are practicing how to die then you are in
actual fact learning to free yourself. When you have learned how to face
death, then you have freed yourself from everything around you; what could
hurt you when you no longer fear the prospect of your own death? Fear is
what binds us, locks us away; fear is a prison, we allow it to lock us away
from enjoying life.
This central subject can be found throughout Stoicism. Indeed, there is a

particularly moving line in the Meditations where Marcus Aurelius says that
real philosophy is merely waiting for death with grace, since death is a
natural part of life and nothing to be frightened of. The Stoics recommended
that you should meditate on death in order to overcome this fear for, when
you are freed of this burden, then you are essentially changed. The wise man,
Stoics say, is one who lives his life and is not afraid to die, accepting life and
death with poise when it arrives. We control our own fortunes and enslave
ourselves to others when we place value in their influence. Cato, along with
other Stoics, was held in great esteem by many because he refused to give up
his ethics when he was facing his own death.
On the other hand, the concept of being unmoved by death is not adequate to
cause a personality or character transformation. The core values that make up
Stoicism are intended to be transformed into a conviction that calls for
persistent exercise on a day-to-day basis. From the moment we are born we
love life and as such it is understandable that we are scared of it coming to an
end. Yet Stoic beliefs tells us that we need to realize death in a more
reasonable way, which means that we need to overcome this notion of fear of
the unknown. As a result, Stoicism tells us that we should imagine our own
demise regularly, numerous times daily, in various ways and different stages
of our lives.
When you go to bed you should do it being appreciative for what you have.
Do you have a roof over your head, food in your kitchen, are you in good
health, do you have a job? When you wake up, be appreciative of that fact
that you have all these things; that your life is much happier than what other
people are experiencing right this moment. Live your life as if this was the
last day. Tell yourself that you will die tomorrow – what would you do? Will
you tell people that you love them? Will you tell people they have made a
difference to your life? Can you make a difference to someone else’s life,
even in a little way?
Final Word
After reading all this, a question may come to mind: Does practicing Stoicism
in real life actually work? Or is it just a theory, which has no use in practical
life? The answer lies in positive psychology, an upcoming branch of
psychology, which is extremely relevant today. It deals with providing a
scientific understanding of life and the manner in which we can continually
grow into better human beings. Positive psychology and Stoicism draw from
each other and incorporating these ideas will indisputably enrich your life.
Positive Psychology and Stoicism
Since its initiation, positive psychology has been one of the most actively
researched subjects, with numerous studies, books, and articles examining its
efficacy. Drawing on the wealth of knowledge it has accrued, positive
psychology has provided some important insights. Following are some of its
findings:
Positive emotions such as happiness, joy, pride, love, and contentment have
been proven to have positive effects on our health and longevity, altruism,
and creativity.
A vital component of health and wellbeing is something called “flow.” Flow

is basically being totally engrossed and absorbed in whatever you are doing.
When you are into something with that kind of intensity, you really don’t
need anything else.
A positive attitude is the cure for many of our mental hang-ups. And it is
possible to cultivate this effect. Believing in and practicing hope, gratitude,
optimism, cheerfulness, and happiness has been found to increase one’s life
expectancy. A positive attitude also corresponds to enhanced levels of
academic performance, improved health, and greater resilience.
Stoicism scores high in the realm of positive psychology because of inherent

characteristics like therapeutic intent and a multitude of testable strategies. In
a 2013 study, the participants were given a booklet that featured select
readings from Stoic philosophy, along with certain audio and video
recordings. A blog, created and moderated by the group, was also a part of
the experiment, wherein the participants were encouraged to communicate
freely, making use of social media and related outlets. The theme of the
communication was based on Stoic studies, its teachings, and its core
philosophy provoking the contemporization of the philosophy.
Each morning during the course of the study, an element of Stoic philosophy
was pulled up and discussed. Examples include “not worrying about things
outside our control” and “dealing with possible changes in our daily lives.” In
addition, a late evening session of meditation, wherein the day’s events were
discussed and analyzed using Stoic principles, was pursued by those involved
in the study.
Exercises using Stoicism were held each day among study participants.
Themes ranged from self-discipline, to simplicity, to inner happiness, to
emotions and adversity and philanthropy, and each of these was discussed at
length.
After the study was concluded, certain findings came to light. It was proved
that Stoicism is not dead in the modern world. It is still relevant. The group
reported significant increases in their satisfaction levels, positive emotions,
and happiness, and a considerable diminishment in the levels of their
negative emotions. The study proved that practicing Stoicism has a positive
effect on the lives of those who follow its precepts. Stoicism was shown to
increase contentment and happiness, and decrease anger, irritation, blame,
fear, and sadness. Values, morals, and virtues were all found to be enhanced
by the study of Stoicism. The group members all reported feeling better and
wiser after the study than before it.
Stoicism Today, a popular and respected journal on the subject, also

conducted studies to measure the relationship between health, wellbeing, and
Stoic attitude. Does possessing a Stoic attitude result in better health and a
longer life? A scale was developed, known as the Stoic Attitudes and
Behavior Scale (SABS). A group of participants was given this SABS
questionnaire, with some other standardized behavior scales, to check
whether the claim was true or not and to verify the relationship between the
various elements of Stoic philosophy and actual health. The results were
conclusive. The questionnaires reported that, the greater the correlation
between Stoic attitudes and behavior, the healthier the respondent was, along
with a sound mind. Conversely, non-Stoic behavior was correlated sharply
with ill health and an unsound mind.
The reason that Stoicism and positive psychology can co-exist is that they
function primarily on the same virtue-based philosophy. Stoicism teaches the
same values as positive psychology, as both require people to develop
virtues, morals and values, along with positive qualities and emotions, as
opposed to negative qualities. Both these schools of thought provide an
opportunity for people to develop wisdom, wellbeing, the feeling of brotherly
love toward others, and an overall optimistic attitude toward life.
Key Highlights
Understanding Stoicism is important because it can not only help you

embrace life more fully, but it will also allow you to form your own opinions,
based on your intimate self-knowledge. Spend the time acquainting yourself
with the finer points of Stoic philosophy. Read all you can from the ancient
Stoics, from Zeno to Marcus Aurelius. Discover Stoicism as a means of
moving forward in your life with confidence and in joy.
This book is only the beginning of your journey into the heart of Stoicism
and how it can help you improve the quality of your life. I offer this as a
signpost along the way; an introduction to an ancient philosophy that is
gaining new currency in the modern world. Stoicism’s answers, I believe, are
the right ones and I also believe that Stoicism offers a way forward for those
of us searching for a better way of living in an uncertain and unpredictable
world.
As we’ve reviewed in the pages of this book, Stoicism was inspired by the
philosophy of Socrates through the teaching of its founder, Zeno, based on
his theories about what he observed in the world around him. He saw that
people reacted emotionally to numerous situations and allowed their
emotions to get the best of them. He also saw that people had the tendency to
turn to the outside world for solace and an embrace (largely false) that might
solve their issues. He understood that doing so only exacerbates our
problems, sending people out into the world seeking solace, when they might
find it in themselves.
So the best solution to life’s vicissitudes is to look inward instead of looking

outward. Your happiness lies within you and not outside you. Your thoughts
can control your emotions and allow you to see your life through a different
and broader lens.
The theory of Stoicism has seen a lot of changes since Zeno introduced it to
the world and it was made into a rather adoptable theory by Seneca, who
massaged its teachings in order to allow more and more people to apply it in
their daily life. Modern-day Stoicism has spread worldwide and you would
be surprised to know just how many people are already staunch followers of
the Stoic philosophy. Try asking around and you will find out just how many
people you know who are already practicing Stoicism and its virtues on a
day-to-day basis and how many are keen on trying it out for themselves.
The core philosophies of Stoicism are intended to be guidelines for you to

follow on a daily basis. They are not like the Ten Commandments, but they
are similar in structure, as they lay down the framework of a philosophical
way of approaching life. You need to study them in detail to understand what
they signify and how they will impact your life. Once you start adopting them
in your day-to-day life, you will know exactly how they will contribute
toward not just improving your life, but assisting you in igniting a whole new
outlook toward your life in general.
You will be a changed person once you commit to the practice of Stoicism
and become a more mature and understanding individual. It will not only help
you to change your perspective on life in general, but it will also teach you to
be indifferent toward things that are of no real use to you and things you’re
unable to change, by your efforts. You will be surprised to see how keeping
quiet instead of having an opinion about everything that goes on around you
can help you improve your life. By refraining from casting judgment, you can
improve your overall personality and also save a lot of time and effort on
your part. It’s doubtless that you’ll also be more well-liked. Just saying!
There are four main virtues of Stoicism that should be adhered to in order to
embrace it as a way of life. These virtues are - wisdom, courage, equanimity,
and self-control, which together form the cardinal virtues of Stoicism. You
have to know how you can use each one to your advantage and make the
most of them in your life. It’s easy for us to preach about these virtues, but
extremely difficult to adopt them in day-to-day life. It is important to
understand them fully before adopting them. You will already have a grasp of
some of them as part of your impulse to do the best by yourself and others.
The next step is to intentionally practice them.
You can join a group that discusses Stoicism and its application regularly.
This will help you understand Stoicism more fully and give you the
opportunity to see it for the life-giving practice it is. You can participate in
discussions with other members of the group and also present them with your
point of view on the subject. The ultimate goal is to develop as much
understanding of Stoic practice as possible. Being in the midst of a group of
like-minded people will make your journey more interesting and less isolated.
There are many areas in life in which Stoicism can support you. It is not only
about leading a life of indifference, but also dealing with all your real-life
situations in the best possible manner. Be it stress, or anger, or
disappointment, Stoicism will help you cope with life’s challenges and
vicissitudes. Similarly, it will also help you deal with your positive moments
and allow you to make the most of them.
Stoicism has a universal approach that precludes concern about any religious
practice you may already be a part of. I’ve already demonstrated Stoicism’s
influence on Christianity and other world religions. But you can be a Hindu, a
Muslim, or a Jew, and still adopt Stoicism as a guiding principle of life. It is
not necessary that you be brought up as Roman or a Greek. You can live in
any part of the world and in any culture to completely embrace Stoicism.
Once you adopt it, you can also teach the philosophies to others.
Stoicism will support you and help you improve your life in every respect.
All you have to do is give it a shot. You will not be disappointed with the
results. After all, who would pass up the opportunity to improve their life?
Stoicism can give you that opportunity while making you a better person with
the ability to influence those around you to lead happier, more satisfied lives,
also.
Conclusion
I thank you once again for choosing this book and hope you enjoyed reading
it. I also hope it’s clarified some of your questions about Greek Stoicism and
how you might apply it to your life.
I wonder if the philosopher Zeno could have imagined the power he

unleashed in that porch in the agora of ancient Athens. Stoicism’s evolution
from an oddly comforting message to a besieged people, to a diversion for
the elites, to the salons of Rome and finally, the madness of the modern
world, is the story of a philosophy that has infiltrated streams of thought in a
wide variety of sectors. Western philosophy continues to be shot through
with its ideals, as well as theology, political thought, and even the world of
sport. Stoicism, then, has stood the test of time and that says something about
the soundness of the philosophy as a whole.
Its universalism has aged well, coming down to us in the 21st Century in a
very similar manner as it arrived in Athens – as a way to make sense of and
to live in a world of turbulence and upheaval, without compromising our
personal values and equilibrium. Stoicism offers even more than that: It is an
avenue for the development and full flowering of our values and the
evolution of our innate virtue. Eternally relevant to human beings in every
age and in every context, Stoicism remains a vibrant force in the midst of
modernity as a sage philosophical practice and a way to find peace in the eye
of the storm.
The central purpose of this book is to educate you about the importance and
purpose of the Stoic philosophy as a way to enhance your life. The Greeks
left us with a lot of knowledge about how life is to be lived, our place in the
universe, and how that universe operates. They taught us ways in which we
can employ our mental and physical strengths to attain the best in life, while
searching for ways to articulate the vastness of the reality we live in. In
Stoicism, it leaves one of its most enduring legacies; a legacy that continues
to inform thousands of people the world over.
The Stoic philosophy continues to have universal resonance that can help
people live more fruitful, peaceful, and satisfying lives, even in the chaotic
world of the 21st Century. The more resolutely you dedicate yourself to the
study and practice of Stoicism, the greater the fruit you’ll bear in your life.
Stoicism is a gift to people in the modern age, as it teaches us to look beyond
the temporal and material, to a world in which virtue is the principle value
and in which the passing of history is a background to our own place in it.
Should you decide to practice Stoicism as a way of life, all you have to do is
practice its precepts on a regular basis and concentrate on improving your
understanding of its philosophies and virtues.
I hope you put into practice the Stoic philosophy as outlined in this book and
adopt the way of life it proposes to attain a higher consciousness, greater
wisdom and above all, a virtue that expands your universe and that of those
around you.
I thank you once again and wish you luck in pursuing a better life, following
the precepts and lessons of the Stoic philosophy.
[1]"thus" what? There seems to be a word or phrase missing here.

[2]I doubt that you want this to be all one long bulleted list, but I don't want to change it on my own.

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Introduction

Chapter 1: History of Stoicism

In no way is it legal to reproduce, duplicate, or transmit any part of this

The information provided herein is stated to be truthful and consistent, in that

Chapter 1: History of Stoicism

Chapter 3: Core Philosophies

Chapter 4: Cardinal Virtues of Stoicism

Chapter 5: Keeping Calm – A Few Stoic Principles

Chapter 6: Stoicism Today

Chapter 7: Does Stoicism Matter Today?

Chapter 8: What Stoicism Helps You With

Chapter 9: How to Be a Stoic

Chapter 10: The Relevance of Stoicism in the Modern Day

Chapter 11: How Stoicism Can Help the Entrepreneur

Chapter 12: How Stoicism Can Make You Happy

Chapter 13: Stoicism and Mental Health

Chapter 14: The Essence of Stoicism

Chapter 15: Reconsidering Stoicism

Ancient Greece is universally regarded as the cradle of philosophical thought.

Stoicism is one of the gifts of ancient Athens. Stoicism continues to have a

In the English language, the word “Stoicism” means to present a veneer of

Virtue, rather, was seen as the condition of competence toward fulfilling a

The Stoics were focused on individual behavior as a determining factor in

As a philosophy, Stoicism takes a hard look at destructive emotions. Stoics

Stoicism, as a discipline, was propounded by Zeno of Elea in 308 BC at

His fundamental proposition was that “man conquers the world by

“Kathekon” (which may be loosely translated as “fitting or righteous

Cleanthes, a disciple of Zeno, went on to further develop the tenets of

Cleanthes of Assos succeeded Zeno (following his death) as one of the

Moving along in the Stoic philosophical evolution, we arrive at Chrysippus

The logical expertise of this second founder of Stoicism (as he is known,

In 185 BC, Panaetius of Rhodes wrote extensively about Stoicism, creating of

Panaetius’ philosophical departure from proto-Stoicism resides in his

Born a slave in what is now Turkey, Epictetus represented a return to the

In the mid-1500s, Neo-Stoicism arose in Europe. Founded by the Flemish

Today, modern Stoicism boasts thousands of followers and their numbers

A further indication is the notion that meditation on a daily basis is

The parallels to Christianity (and perhaps making Christianity’s debt to

This represents a fundamental shift in the manner in which many of us think.

These form the core concepts of Stoic philosophy, translated to a modern

We’ve discussed some of classical Stoicism’s similarities to Christianity, but

Zeno, as we’ve discussed earlier in this book, introduced Stoicism to ancient

Following is an account of proto-Stoicism’s four cardinal virtues.

Physical courage is your body’s ability to withstand challenges that demand a

The next form of courage is mental, or intellectual, courage. The strength of

The cardinal virtues form a strong foundation for the practice of

How to live fulfilling lives, with peace, happiness, and love?[2]

Far from being a dead philosophical stream, Stoicism is a relevant, modern

In this chapter, we look at how Stoicism is easily applicable in today’s day

That’s more than half!

LL Cool J? Check. Former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger?

Holiday’s book (and its title) is based on a quote by Marcus Aurelius,

That focus on the internal evolution of the practitioner is Stoicism’s greatest

It’s notable that the Stoics were, essentially, monotheists in their

What’s interesting about Stoicism, though, is that God has no competition.

The prescription for equanimity or balance is common in most faith practices

Searching for Stoicism’s influence in the religions of the world is a

The mental and physical strength developed by combat soldiers depends on

In a society obsessed with money and the accumulation of goods, as well as

Stoicism was wrought in the crucible of Alexander the Great’s sweeping

No wonder we’re neurotic!

The Stoic meditational discipline invites followers to confront their anxieties

By imagining the possibility of undesirable events, the practitioner is enabled