Stoicism — A Brief Beginners Guide

7 min readJul 7, 2021

Introduction — What is Stoicism?

The philosophy of Stoicism, in my opinion, is the epitome of self-improvement and personal growth.

Stoicism is a philosophy that focuses on rationally thinking and acting in accordance with nature.

It helps cultivate genuine happiness and self-mastery of the highest level. Not only that, but it helps you become more virtuous and rationally see the world for what it is.

If you want to be happy, build self-mastery, become a better person or deal with the world rationally, Stoicism is for you.

Brief history of Stoicism

In 300 BCE, a merchant by the name of Zeno was shipwrecked in Athens. The boat sank along with all of his cargo. How would you feel in such a situation? Sad? Angry? Frustrated? Such feelings would be understandable, but Zeno got on with life.

Zeno began studying the work of various philosophers, such as Socrates. He then went on to find philosophers in Athens for further discussion and learning. Eventually, Zeno had enough knowledge to create and teach his philosophy, now known as Stoicism.

Zeno taught his philosophy in a public site known as Stoa Poikile, hence the name ‘Stoicism’. A public site was chosen so that anybody could attend and learn.

Stoic schools faded away over time, but many of the key principles and teachings stuck around. We have now seen Stoicism massively increase in popularity, centuries after the disappearance of Stoic schools.

Dichotomy of Control

The main principle of Stoicism is the dichotomy of control, which refers to what can and cannot be controlled. The Stoics believe worrying about and focusing on what you cannot control is a waste of time.

It is only what we can control which should be our focus.

Our thoughts and beliefs.
Our actions and reactions.

We seem to worry too much about what we cannot control.

Other’s beliefs and opinions.
Other’s actions.
Every other external event.
Your body.
The past.

We can influence external events, but they are generally not in our control. The same applies to our bodies; we can work on becoming healthier, but a virus or illness may be out of our hands.

External events do not cause you distress or misery. It is your reaction to the event and your thoughts that do so.

Suppose Tom and John worked hard to prepare for the same job interview. In the end, neither were hired. Tom was frustrated. He indulged in endless complaining and self-loathing. John, on the other hand, knew that he had tried his best. He was aware that the decision was entirely down to external forces. He continued to work hard for his next interview. John, unlike Tom, had didn’t worry about what he couldn’t control.

A change in mindset is not easy. It could take some time to change existing thought patterns and reduce your focus on what you cannot control. This is especially the case for those who suffer from Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria, or similar disorders, as rejection is mostly out of our control. However, simply being aware of the dichotomy of control is a good start.

There is only one way to happiness and that is to cease worrying about things which are beyond the power of our will.
Epictetus

The Four Virtues of Stoicism

The Stoics believe we should approach the world with courage, temperance, wisdom, and justice. The philosophy is built on these four virtues.

Courage

Without courage, we are cowardly. When cowardly, we run away from the challenges in life and live in fear.

When we live life in such a state, we are not courageous enough to go after what we want. We miss out on opportunities and our dreams.

Living without courage could result in low self-esteem and self-worth; therefore, a lower quality and less happy life.

On the contrary, when going through life with courage, we fight for what we believe. We do not hide; instead, we take action.

Nobody admires a coward. Everybody respects a courageous person.
Ryan Holiday

Temperance

Temperance refers to moderation and self-control. Everything should be balanced and done in moderation.

Everyone should be courageous, but that doesn’t mean going as far as being reckless. We shouldn’t put anything that matters to us at great risk.

When it comes to most events and experiences within life, too much or too little can be disadvantageous.

There is nothing wrong with indulging in pleasurable activities such as watching Netflix. However, when you spend an endless number of hours staring at the TV screen, you’re jeopardising your health. Not only that, but you’re wasting a lot of time that could be spent on your goals.

I often preach about working on your goals, but it must be done in moderation. Working too little results in slow or no progress. Working overly hard results in burnout, poor mental health and a poor social life.

Perfectly Balanced Thanos GIF from Perfectlybalanced GIFs

Wisdom

Wisdom is about education, gaining understanding and pursuing knowledge. It is also about applying what you learn, otherwise what good is any of it?

We should be able to determine what is good and what is evil. To apply this understanding is to choose to do good over evil.

We’ll encounter numerous events and circumstances, both good and bad. Having wisdom will allow you to respond to such events by taking appropriate action.

On the contrary, ignorance will take you nowhere. If you don’t have the knowledge and wisdom to do the right thing, to improve your life and to take action, how good can your life truly be?

You now have knowledge regarding Stoicism. Will you apply the philosophy to your life?

Wisdom is the power to put our time and our knowledge to the proper use.
Thomas J. Watson Jr.

Justice

Justice, in Stoicism, is all about doing the right thing. What is the point of not doing the right thing for both yourself and the world?

Using the virtue of wisdom, we should be able to differentiate between what is good and what is evil.

We must treat everybody fairly. We’re all humans and on the same planet. As social creatures, we rely on one another to survive and thrive.

We should avoid judging others and bringing them down. Instead, we should help each other. Show kindness and compassion. Motivate, inspire and help one another. What do we achieve from not doing so?

Just that you do the right thing. The rest doesn’t matter. Cold or warm. Tired or well-rested. Despised or honoured.
Marcus Aurelius

The Key Figures of Stoicism

Zeno of Citium

Zeno, as already discussed, was the founder of Stoicism. The once-wealthy merchant stated

I made a prosperous voyage when I was shipwrecked.

He was referring to his newfound passion for philosophy. Using wisdom from various philosophers, Zeno created and taught his own philosophy, Stoicism.

Seneca The Younger

Seneca was born in a Spanish village in 4 BC. After moving to Rome in his earlier years, Seneca was known for being a statesman, writer, philosopher and more. His impactful philosophical writings formed the understanding of Stoicism as we know it today.

Epictetus

Epictetus, born in Phrygia (Turkey) in AD 55, was a slave. Although he was a slave, he had permission to study. It was then when Epictetus discovered Stoicism through Musonius Rufus, who later became his mentor. After the death of the emperor Nero, who once had Seneca as his advisor, Epictetus was freed. He then became a teacher of philosophy. Thanks to his students, we have the Stoic teachings of Epictetus available to us today.

Marcus Aurelius

Born in 121 AD, Marcus Aurelius was destined for greatness. Emperor Hadrian chose Marcus Aurelius to be his successor as the emperor of Rome after noticing his potential. At age 40, Marcus was officially king and the most powerful man in the world for the next 19 years. Many of his predecessors, such as Nero, used their power for evil. Marcus Aurelius, with his philosophical and Stoic understanding, used his power for the opposite.

The fact that Epictetus was a slave and Marcus Aurelius was the most powerful person in the world shows Stoicism is applicable for everybody.

Ryan Holiday

Ryan Holiday is not an ancient philosopher from centuries ago. He teaches and creates content regarding Stoicism today. Ryan is an author who runs The Daily Stoic blog, YouTube channel and podcast. There isn’t a better teacher of Stoicism than Ryan Holiday in the modern-day.

Summary

Stoicism is a philosophy that focuses on rationally thinking and acting in accordance with nature.
Such a way of life helps you become more virtuous, disciplined and happy.
The main principle of Stoicism is the dichotomy of control. You should focus only on what you can control. Focusing and worrying about external events, which you cannot control, is a waste of time.
The four virtues of Stoicism are courage (be courageous with everything you do), temperance (everything is better in moderation), wisdom (build and apply knowledge) and justice (do the right thing and treat others fairly).
Some key Stoic figures are Zeno of Citium, Seneca The Younger, Epictetus, Marcus Aurelius and Ryan Holiday.