Phil Van Treuren is the author of The Urban Enchiridion, A Dog Who Follows Gadly, The Little Book of Stoic Quotes and many more works on modern Stoicism.
“Human beings are the same joyful, resilient, imperfect people today that we were 100 years ago, 1,000 years ago, and 10,000 years ago. We have the same 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘶𝘭 minds.” (Source)
“Whether they realized it or not, the actions of those who loved us in our youth are often more valuable than the written words of any ancient philosopher.” (Source)
“When driving by certain places that played a painful role in my past life, I used to get a feeling of dread and think to myself ‘thank God I’m not 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 anymore.’ Now, I get a feeling of gratitude and think to myself ‘thank God I 𝘨𝘰𝘵 to be there, because it allowed me to be 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 today.'” (Source)
“The good is in how you lift them.” (Source)
“If you’re indulging in nostalgia, be careful not to fall into the trap of thinking ‘today must be bad, because yesterday was better.'” (Source)
“When the only thing left to do is die, then die well.” (Source)
“You’ll never catalog every drop of water in the sea or wrest control from tempests, so don’t be distracted by the endless mysteries and terrors of the abyss. Instead, focus on the simple, vital task of rowing your boat.” (Source)
“Eagles weren’t given wings just to walk everywhere . . . and you weren’t born with resilience and a beautiful mind just to have an easy life.” (Source)
“Those of us who are able to accept a quickly changing world and learn new ways of doing things are going to have a huge advantage as this century unfolds. We shouldn’t be afraid to embrace new technologies that make it easier to do the things we love and magnify our natural talents.” (Source)
“Stoic thought wasn’t created by philosophers, it was identified by them . . . Even if we lost every word that was ever written about Stoicism, the concepts would be re-discovered by human beings again and again.” (Source)
“Pursuing knowledge is like navigating an ocean: we should learn how to traverse the water’s surface, but diving too deep beneath the waves will only bend us away from living.” (Source)
“We’re rarely given the teachers we need when life’s inevitable hardships leave us crestfallen and confused. Fortunately, we have the ability to linger among humanity’s noblest minds and choose mentors for ourselves.” (Source)
“Your actions might be up to you, but the outcomes are not. So stop judging yourself on whether or not you hit your targets. Instead, focus on how well you prepared for it. Focus on the process, not the outcome.” (Source)
“‘What’s the meaning of life?’ There are few questions that are more human — and few that are more arrogant to ask. It’s a bit like going to a job interview and demanding to know what they can do for you, rather than showcasing why you’re perfect for the position.” (Source)
“We don’t like to admit it, but there’s a small part inside all of us that still feels like a child, confused by the world and unsure how to act. That part of us wants to do the right thing, but hasn’t yet learned what the right thing is.” (Source)
“Fury is the weak person’s idea of strength, and saber-rattling is the simpleton’s idea of strategy. Focused calmness wins battles.” (Source)