This is my personal take on stoicism. It is not aimed at being a textbook that accurately represents the philosophy, its origins and the thoughts of the philosophers exactly as they intended. It is aimed at articulating the parts of stoicism that I have taken to heart, while cutting out the fat.
Stoicism is cheerful and optimistic at its core. It is a practical philosohpy built aroudn the idea that we don't have control over what happens to us, but we do control how we respond. It gives direction to how we should respond to what happens to us with the four cardinal virtues: wisdom, courage, justice and temperance.
Perception
Controlling your emotions and being objective about what you can control.
The trichotomy of control is a crucial part of clear perception. There are three types of things. Things we have complete control over (our goals, values, character), things we have no control over (the weather, the past), and things we have some control over (most of life - winning a match, running a successful startup)
Also fundamental to perception is the idea that there will be challenges, obstaclesand setbacks. Perception gives us the opportunity to turn the adversity of life into a mechanism for growth. Obstacles are fundamental components of the journey and should be seen as such. As señor Marcus put it -> "The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way."
Clear perception also requires objective judgment, steady nervesand present focus. Seeing facts rather than emotional interpretations, maintaining composure under pressure so you can think clearly, and concentrating on the immediate task rather than being overwhelmed by the bigger picture.
Ego fights clear perception. It's a lens that distorts reality, making you think you've arrived when you haven't, making you defensive when you should be curious. Wisdom isn't something you're born with, stay a student, keep learning and growing. The foundation for that growth is humility.
The world is full of noise and shit trying to get your attention, you need silence and solitude to let your thoughts settle. Being present sounds simple but it's actually very hard — it demands all of you. Many emotions also cloud your perception, like fear and anger. These are natural, everyone feels them, but they're not directives. Create space for that stillness, even if it's just a few minutes a day. That's where clarity lives. This topic is actually so deep, so central and important that I've labelled it as a different philosph altogether. Mindfulness, you can read more about it here.
Action
Taking persistent and creative action focused on what you can control.
You need to get going. initiate action even when conditions aren't perfect. Waiting for perfect conditions or for motivation to arrive means waiting forever. Start without motivation, and motivation will follow. Keep things simple and small, break challenges into manageable steps and focus on the immediate task. Channel your energy into productive action instead of unproductive emotions like anger or frustration.
Do the work, not the talking. Talking about what you're going to do feels productive but it depletes you. It scratches the itch without actually doing anything Focus on the doing, not the recognition. The work is the point.
Build a strong routine. A good routine is the stable platform from which meaningful work becomes possible. Limit the noise and amplifiy the signal in that routine. Set boundaries. Depth requires protection from distraction.
Action is the only demonstration of value, not intention. Courage, wisdom, temperance and justice are demonstrated through action. You act despite fear and uncertainty, not in its absence. When something needs to be done, do it. When something is wrong, say it. Don't wait for the perfect moment to do the right thing.
Will
Acknowledging that it takes inner strength to endure, accepting what we cannot change and finding meaning in the struggle.
Endurance, funnily enough also Shackeltons ship, is about not passively waiting, but actively suffering with purpose. Staying committed even when tired, and maintaining your values under pressure. Acceptance is about recognizing that obstacles are inherent to life, not aberrations. They can be transformed into opportunities, but first you must accept their reality. Purpose is about embracing something larger than yourself. Giving back to others keeps personal problems in perspective and fosters resilience. Your struggle means more when it serves something beyond you.
Ego makes failure feel like death, but failure is just data. It's feedback, not a final verdict. When you fail, you learn what doesn't work and that is valuable information. The people who succeed long-term are the ones who can take the hit, learn from it, and keep going without their ego making it into something it's not.
Take care of your body. Sleep, food and activiy are the foundation. Push to sleep well, eat healthy and stay active.
Discipline is the foundation of freedom. Self-mastery over your desires and impulses is what makes sustained willful action possible. Without it you're a slave to every whim and distraction. With it you can actually build something.
Stoic Techniques
Negative visualization. A few times each day or a few times each week a Stoic will pause in his enjoyment of life to think about how all this, all these things he enjoys, could be taken from him.
Work the trichotomy of control in your favor. Set internal rather than external goals. Don't set the goal of playing tennis to win a match, set the goal of planning tennis to at your maximum.
Avoid fatilistic attitudes about what happens to you. We can either spend moments wishing they could be different, or we can embrace them. If we habitually do the former, we will spend much of our life in a state of dissatisfaction, if we habitually do the latter, we will enjoy our life.
Seek a bit of discomfort. Periodiclly cause yourself to experience discomfort that could easily have been avoided. You'll harden yourself against misfortunes that might befall in the future. You'll also grow more confident that you can withstand major discombforst, so the prospect of experiencing them in the future will not be a source of anxiety in the present. It also helps you appreciate what you already have.
Disagreements
Logos. We reason, just like gods. Stoicism is true.