How Stoicism Can Help You Become a Better Programmer

Programming is a challenging field that requires a lot of focus, patience, and problem-solving skills. As programmers, we need to be able to manage complex code, navigate difficult bugs and errors, and respond to unexpected challenges in a calm and rational way. That’s where Stoicism comes in. This ancient philosophy offers a number of valuable principles that can be applied to programming, helping you to stay focused, maintain perspective, and approach challenges with confidence and calmness.

In this article, we will explore five Stoic principles that every programmer should know, and show you how to apply them to your programming work for greater success, productivity, and inner peace.

Focus on what you can control

This is one of the main Stoic principles. It refers to the idea that we should direct our attention and efforts toward the things that are within our power to influence, and let go of the things that are outside of our control. This principle is based on the belief that there are many factors in life that are beyond our influence, such as the actions of other people, the natural world, and even our own bodies and emotions. By focusing on these things, we waste our energy and become anxious, frustrated, and unhappy.