3 Stoic Principles That Can Change Your Mindset

“There is no better definition of a Stoic: to have but not want, to enjoy without needing.” — Ryan Holiday

Stoicism is an ancient school of philosophy that was developed in the early 3rd century BC in Athens. It places an emphasis on living according to virtue. Stoics believed that how one lived was much more important than what you said: one’s choices and decisions, especially in the face of adversity, define one’s true character and legacy. According to Ryan Holiday, there are four pillars of Stoic thought: courage, temperance, wisdom, and justice. These principles should be the backbone of all decisions in a Stoic’s life, and a Stoic should fulfill these pillars in pursuit of the common good.

Ryan Holiday’s book, Lives of the Stoics, has many lessons hidden inside the biographies of major Stoic figures. Here are three of my takeaways from reading about these diverse historical men and women.

Adversity is a learning opportunity.

“Obstacles and limitations — if responded to properly — create opportunities for beauty and excellence.” — Cleanthes

Every challenge presents another opportunity for growth. This lesson is central to Stoicism — it lies at the heart of its creation.

Zeno, the founder of Stoicism, was on a ship in the Mediterranean when tragedy struck — he became shipwrecked, and he lost the entirety of his cargo and his ship. It was a result of this misfortune, however, that led Zeno to Athens. Instead of simply giving up, he used this opportunity to begin a new life. He chose to adapt to the situation rather than letting his circumstances overcome him.

Once in Athens, Zeno visited a bookstore. There was a lecture about Socrates, and Zeno decided to listen. Afterwards, he went to the instructor and asked where he could find a teacher like Socrates. It just so happened that Crates, who was a philosopher, was walking past. The teacher pointed to Crates, who became Zeno’s teacher. It was Zeno’s demand for answers that led to the foundation of Stoicism. His journey towards wisdom was long and was achieved through hard work. It took years of study and training.

The shipwreck allowed Zeno to realize that money was not what was truly valuable to living a full, meaningful life. After losing his fortune aboard the ship, he chose to live simply and temperately.

Another figure that illustrates how adversity can be utilized to one’s benefit is Chrysippus. After losing his fortune, similar to Zeno, he found his way to Athens. Despite this tragedy, Chrysippus chose to strengthen his mind and focus on his skills. He took classes directly from rival schools to find weak points in their arguments. He also constantly analyzed his own arguments to improve. As a runner, he trained his mind to push past its limits. It was his discipline (he wrote 500 lines of writing per day and declined invitations to work) that enabled him to become essential to the Stoic teachings that continue today.

Perseverance, from the most menial to the seemingly impossible tasks, will lead to rewards.

“Lead on God and Destiny, to that Goal fixed for me long ago. I will follow and not stumble; even if my will is weak, I will soldier on. — Cleanthes

“Zeno and Chrysippus both demonstrated perseverance in the midst of their struggles. Another important Stoic figure who showed great perseverance was Cleanthes.

Cleanthes came to Athens with barely any money. Yet, he continued to work while he studied because he believed in financial independence. Although he was slow to learn and doubted/criticized by many, he continued to persevere in his studies. Today, he is one of the most known Stoics.

In everything he did, he committed to it. He had a dedicated work ethic in all pursuits. He was extremely frugal and avoided luxury. He turned down money from those with power and continued to labor. He believed that labor was a form of self-improvement, and that every job — no matter how small — is an opportunity to showcase excellence and mastery. He wrote, “Anything you do well is noble, no matter how humble.”

He fully lived out what he preached, as he believed that our everyday actions should always be in alignment with our words. He readily forgave others, engaged in self-discipline, and listened more than he spoke.

Virtuous, meaningful life requires us to focus on the common good and to stay true to ourselves.

Superior did not mean accumulating the most honors. It meant, as it still does today, virtue. It meant excellence not in accomplishing external things — though that was always nice if fate allowed — but excellence in the areas that you controlled: Your thoughts. Your actions. Your choices. — Ryan Holiday

According to Posidonius, a Stoic philosopher, we have competing interests that lie within us, and it is our choice to decide which to follow. We are the architects of our lives. Good habits and lifestyle are checks against the irrational part of the soul that can lead to destructive behavior.

One of the best examples is found in Cato, born in 95 BC, a member of the Roman aristocracy. Cato became famous because of his written works and his character. He was determined and consistent, had a radical commitment to justice and liberty, and radiated courage amidst everyone participating in Rome’s corruption. He understood that adapting to the crowd was a form of weakness. Cato was indifferent to everything but virtue. He cared more about doing what he believed was right rather than his reputation, and he worked to serve the public good above anything else.

He wrote, “pleasure will quickly disappear, but the wicked thing will stay with you forever.”

Cato actively resisted temptation and stuck by his principles regardless of the politics and public opinion of the crowd. He didn’t care about the credit of his actions, but merely that his actions were just.

Another Stoic figure that deserves recognition is Publius Rutilius Rufus. Despite the corruption within Rome, he refused to compromise his morals even though it cost him everything. He never lost sight of the public good, and he endured the consequences and continued living without bitterness.

“When we die, do we want to look back with shame or with pride that we stuck to our convictions?” — Ryan Holiday

Counter-Examples

“If you actually knew what ‘success’ and ‘power’ looked like — what it did to the people who got it — would you still want it?” — Ryan Holiday

Not all Stoics lived according to their words. Although he spent years as a Stoic philosopher, Diotimus is known today only for his slander against one of his opponents. Despite the fact that he may have had interesting contributions to Stoic thought, his one bad action obscured the good work he might have done. By allowing vengeance and anger to dictate his response, he created a legacy for himself that overshadowed his good works. One small decision, made out of malice, stained his legacy.

Another example is Cicero, a Stoic student and writer. He had a constant desire to please the crowd and to move upward in society. His motivators were fame, luxury, power, reputation, proving others wrong, and honor. Despite his good qualities — being a hard worker, talented, honest, and having a relentless drive — he did not work on self-control. He was sensitive, vain, dominated by feeling, open to impression, controlled by his ego, nervous, and untrustworthy. When the gratitude of the crowd faded, much of what he had built collapsed. When this happened, he had no inner principles to stand on — he had not built them when he had the chance.

The takeaway? “It’s not what you say that lives on after your time; it’s not what you write or even what you build. It’s the example that you set. It’s the things that you live by.” — Ryan Holiday

So, what do you want your legacy to be?