By Michael McGill
The Stoics had a name for a person who fully realized the virtues of Stoicism. A person who overcame all of their personal defects to achieve a life of complete tranquility and goodness. The perfect Stoic, if you will.
They referred to this person as the Stoic Sage.
Now, the Stoic Sage was purely aspirational. The Stoics knew that no one could ever hope to achieve such a state of perfection. However, they knew that is was possible to get CLOSER to being a sage. By changing our thinking about the world around us we can emulate the beautiful life of the Stoic Sage. And even if Stoic perfection isn’t available to us, we can always live much better lives.
How do we accomplish this?
By leveraging a set of Stoic mindsets.
The Stoics were mindset masters, and throughout the years, Stoicism has empowered countless individuals to transform their lives through these powerful Stoic mindsets.
Let’s explore the five potent mindsets of Stoicism that can help you cultivate for a happier, more balanced life; and get you a few steps closer to being a Stoic Sage.
Focus on What You Can Control
“In life our first job is this, to divide and distinguish things into two categories: externals I cannot control, but the choice I make with regard to them I do control. Where will I find good and bad? In me, in my choices.”
Epictetus
One of the fundamental beliefs of Stoicism is that some things are under our control, and other things are not. It’s called the Dichotomy of Control. It’s a simple premise, but a powerful one as well.
So many people get upset over things they cannot control: the weather, politics, what other people think and do. The Stoics believed that anything external to us is outside of our control. We can only control our response to those external circumstances. By accepting what we cannot control, we eliminate unnecessary worry and anxiety. By concentrating on what we can control, we achieve greater peace and tranquility in our lives.
A simple, but empowering Stoic mindset: Accept the things you cannot control. Act on the things you can control.
Put Your Initial Impression to the Test
“Don’t let the force of impression when it first hits you knock you off your feet; just say to it, ‘Hold on a moment; let me see who you are and what you represent. Let me put you to the test.'”
Epictetus
Stoicism gets a bad rap sometimes. The biggest misconception about Stoicism is that it’s about bottling up your emotions and always being stone-faced. This isn’t the case at all. Stoicism isn’t about rejecting your emotions, it’s about managing your emotions.
Getting mad, sad, or nervous is a natural part of being a human. The problem is when we let anger turn to rage, sadness turn to depression, or nervousness into anxiety. Stoicism helps us to put our initial emotional response to a situation to the test to choose a healthier second response.
The next time you get upset about something, try this Stoic mindset: Put it to the test! Take a brief moment to ask yourself if your initial response it appropriate. Is it helpful? Do you have all the data you need? Just briefly check yourself and course correct in a more positive direction.
View Obstacles as Opportunities
“The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.”
Marcus Aurelius
The Stoics offer us an empowering perspective on the obstacles we face in life. Instead of seeing them as challenges to back down from, we should see them as opportunities for growth. Everything good in life lies on the other side of an obstacle. Our obstacles are beacons directing us in the direction we must go.
Think of life like an obstacle course that you have chosen to run. When you come to a high wall on an obstacle course you don’t sit down and say “this is unfair!” No, you grab the rope and climb over it. Life is full of obstacles, don’t back down from them. The only way you can succeed on an obstacle course is to face the obstacles head on.
The same goes for your life.
Remind Yourself that Things Could Be Worse
“What harm is it, just when you are kissing your little child to say: Tomorrow you may die. Or, to your friend similarly: Tomorrow one of us will go away, and we shall not see one another anymore?”
Epictetus
Our lives are full of “first world problems.” Things that we make a big deal over that, in the grand scheme of things, are trivial and not worth getting upset over. The Stoics encourage us to remind ourselves how good we got it by occasionally reminding ourselves how bad it could be. It sounds kind of depressing, but it’s actually a powerful mindset to help us get over these first world problems.
There are countless people out there who would absolutely love to have our problems instead of their problems. Sometimes it’s helpful to remind ourselves of this.
Are your kids annoying you? Imagine for a moment that they were sick. The job getting on your nerves? Imagine for a moment that you were unemployed and struggling to find work.
Things can always be worse. Use this mindset to be grateful for how good you really have it.
Pursue Virtue and Personal Excellence
“No matter what anyone says or does, my task is to be good. Like gold or emerald or purple repeating to itself, ‘No matter what anyone says or does, my task is to be emerald, my color undiminished.’”
Marcus Aurelius
The ultimate goal of Stoicism was to obtain virtue. Everything else is considered an “indifferent.” Some indifferents are “preferred”, such as health and wealth. Some indifferents are “dispreferred”, such as illness and poverty. But in the end, the only thing that truly matters to a Stoic is obtaining virtue.
Now, to the modern person, the pursuit of virtue may not resonate. But it’s such a powerful mindset.
Instead of thinking of it as virtue, think of it as pursuing personal excellence. To be the best in everything you do. To be the person you aspire to be. To help others and be a force for good in the world.
What a beautiful way to live!
Conclusion: Beginning Your Stoic Journey
The ancient wisdom of Stoicism has stood the test of time, providing invaluable guidance for personal growth and emotional well-being. By embracing these powerful mindsets, you can harness the transformative power of Stoicism, cultivate inner peace, and lead a more balanced and fulfilling life.
Begin your Stoic journey today, leverage these powerful mindsets of Stoicism . . .
And unleash the Stoic Sage that lies within you!
Michael McGill is the Chief Information Officer with Medical Service Company and has been in the IT industry for more than 20 years. He writes about Stoicism and thriving in tech.