Virtues of Stoicism

With the whirlwinds and the frequent ups and downs of life, one philosophy has helped many throughout history: Stoicism.

Origin

It all started with a man named Zeno of Citium around 304 BC. Zeno was a wealthy merchant. His first encounter with this philosophy was when he got into a shipwreck. Because of the shipwreck, he ended up in Athens. In Athens, he visited a bookseller where he found the teachings of Socrates and other philosophers. After the tragedy Zeno experienced, he resonated with the texts he read. He took these teachings to heart and came up with his own philosophy, which we know today as Stoicism. Zeno studied different philosophers and eventually started teaching himself. Zeno taught at a place on the north side of the Ancient Agora of Athens called Stoa Poikile, which is why his disciples were called the Stoics.

The Four Virtues of Stoicism

Courage

One important virtue of stoicism is courage: the ability to stay calm and composed in any situation in life. Stoics emphasized the importance of acting rationally and being level-headed in the rough parts of life. They believed one should understand the emotion of fear and go beyond it. The goal was to overcome troubled waters without letting one’s mind spiral out of control.

“Circumstances don’t make the man, they only reveal him to himself.”

-Epictetus

Wisdom

Stoics emphasized the virtue of wisdom as it gave them the practical knowledge required to distinguish the good and the bad and the indifferent in life. They believed such wisdom would give them happiness and prepare them for life because they could act on this knowledge to discern the complexities of life. It allowed them to see life for what it was rather than what they thought it was.

“He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has. ”

-Epictetus

Temperance

Stoics also believed in the virtue of temperance, where one indulges in moderation and discipline. Temperance helps one achieve self-control and live simplistically. They believed temperance allowed them to make good decisions even in the worst situations. Stoics didn’t let their emotions sweep them away, even in the heat of the moment. They exercised restraint to avoid overindulgence in any sphere of life.

“Stop allowing your mind to be a slave, to be jerked about by selfish impulses, to kick against fate and the present, and to mistrust the future”

-Meditations. 2.2

Justice

Another virtue of Stoicism is Justice. They believed one should act with fairness and be kind towards others. Stoics acted in consideration of the common good and had strong moral compasses. They believed humans were born to be righteous and do good.

“Just that you do the right thing. The rest does not matter.”

-Marcus Aurelius

My Takeaways from the Stoics:

Seize the Opportunity to Live

Concerning yourself with the past and worrying about the future takes away time from your life, where you can focus on the present and live. Don’t keep telling yourself that once you achieve this goal, you will be happy because once you achieve that goal, another one will arise.

The journey is where the living happens, not at the summit. Enjoy the things you have and the people around you. Live as if it were your last day on earth. Take your life day by day and enjoy or at least acknowledge every hour or moment that passes by.

“While we wait for life, life passes.”

-Seneca

Don’t Get Agitated Easily

We all have lows in life, but most of them are quite trivial when we compare them to the enormity of our lives. The next time you are irritated or agitated by something, ask yourself whether you will even remember this in the next 10-20 years. If not, cease to worry about it now and be grateful that you saved yourself another moment to live. Stoicism also teaches us to control our emotions because they are often fleeting and temporary. We should never make decisions based on our emotions because they may blind us in the heat of the moment.

Remember, you have the right to not judge everything in life. You don’t have to have an opinion about everything. The greater your control over your emotions and judgment, the happier and more balanced you will be. What you can control is the input, and everything else in life is just to be experienced.

“You have power over your mind – not outside events. Realise this, and you will find strength.“

-Marcus Aurelius

Honor and Morality Are Everything

Being honorable will always bring you peace. Having a set of moral codes and acting on them gives you structure in life, which gives you strength in times of hardship. When we act honorably and in a morally upright way, we cast away any regrets and remorse in the future and ease our conscience. Following your moral codes also helps you understand yourself better.

“Similarly, man is born for deeds of kindness; and when he has done a kindly action, or otherwise served the common welfare, he has done what he was made for, and has received his quittance.”

-Marcus Aurelius

Strive to Accomplish the Impossible

The Stoics always believed in trying to do the best they could. They always wanted to improve themselves to the fullest. They knew they would face adversity on this path and embraced it with open arms. The Stoics believed that adversity and suffering taught them and helped them improve. Trying to achieve ambitious goals makes life interesting and worthwhile.

“If you find something very difficult to achieve yourself, don’t imagine it impossible — for anything possible and proper for another person can be achieved as easily by you.”

-Marcus Aurelius

If you would like to learn more about Stoicism, hear are some resources:

On to the next.

-Akash Gaonkar-

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