What is Stoicism? Definition + Core Principles

Stoicism is a school of ancient philosophy, that has been studied and practised by changemakers, leaders, business icons and revolutionaries for thousands of years.

Originating in Athens by a Phoenician merchant named Zeno of Citium in 301 BC the basic premise of Stoicism is that our behaviour, rather than words, determine happiness and judgments. Indeed, we don’t control external events, but we can control our mind and choose our response. In short, it is not what happens to us but our reactions to it that matter.

Stoicism is a toolkit of concepts and ideas that have been battle tested in an unpredictable world, perfect for today’s fast-paced environment.

It had three principal leaders and core contributors Marcus Aurelius was one of the last good emperor of the Roman Empire and the most powerful man on earth. Every day, he would sit down to write down reflections in his diary about compassion, humility and restraint. This private diary it’s the most significant source of Stoic Philosophy and has been published as the book Meditations.

Epictetus endured the horrors of slavery and later founded his school where he taught many of Rome’s greatest minds, one of which was Marcus Aurelius.

Seneca was the tutor and adviser to the Roman emperor Nero. He was Rome’s best playwright and wisest power broker. When Nero turned on him and demanded his suicide, Seneca could think only of comforting his wife and friends.

This philosophy is quite helpful in our unpredictable world because (amongst other things) it teaches us to stay calm in stressful situations, to understand and control our thoughts, and to react strategically rather than defensively.

Among its many useful strategies, here are ten fundamental principles/ideas:

Live in agreement with nature.

Human beings are unique because of our mental and social abilities. It leads us to apply reason to all our actions. Indeed, we have the advantage of being able to think about our preferred response before we act. It is the Stoic way of life: to agree with our nature by using reason to direct our actions.

Live by virtue.

Virtue is the essential tenet of the stoic philosophy. Indeed, no matter what happens, we must always try to apply reason and choose to live in accord with virtue. The only thing we can control is our ability always to try to do the right thing.

Focus on what you can control, accept what you can’t.

The only thing we can manage is our mind and the actions we choose to take. We have to accept and allow all that happens because we don’t control it. If we are disturbed by what we can’t control, we become helpless victims.

Distinguish between good, bad, and indifferent things.

Virtue is the only good: living with courage, wisdom, justice, and self-discipline. The only bad is vice: cowardice, injustice, folly and intemperance. Anything else is indifferent and ultimately does not matter for a happy life.

Take action like the true philosopher.

To be a true philosopher, you must live by the ideas and be a warrior of the mind. Once you’ve acquired the stoic knowledge, you must live and practice the concepts.

Practice misfortune.

You should aim to imagine potentially dangerous scenarios in advance so they won’t catch you by surprise. If you’ve already thought of them, you can manage to face them calmly and act according to virtue.

Add a reserve clause to your actions.

The only control you have is over your actions. You can’t control your outcome. Even if you give your best, it may not bring the results you wanted. Choose to do your best to succeed but keep in mind that you should accept that the outcome is beyond your direct control.

Love everything that happens (Amor fati).

It’s critical to accept every little thing that happens instead of fighting them. You can’t control what happens to you. Instead, imagine that everything that happens occurs specifically for you. Wish for situations to unfold as they do and your life will be smoother.

Turn obstacles into opportunities.

Your perception of things is highly essential. You can look at anything that happens as an opportunity, even if it is not the ideal situation, because you can always see it as a chance to practice virtue.

Be mindful.

Learn to be fully aware of your actions. Being mindful happens when you self-monitor and observe your actions and thoughts. Learn to make rational decisions instead of acting out of emotion.

Bonus Principle: Take action on these ideas today

Back in the day, Stoic philosophers were not interested in merely understanding how to live optimally; they were committed to actually living optimally. So be a warrior, not a librarian of the mind by practising these fundamental concepts and see where and what you can optimise day in, day out.