How many problems does modern man face today? So many that we could fill this entire text just listing them. It’s enough to say: there are many—too many. To begin with, there are existential problems. It is well known what a person needs just to survive—food, water, a roof over their head… Unfortunately, we live in a world where many don’t even have the basics. And among those who do, peace and calm are hard to come by—largely due to a constant fear, conscious or subconscious, that even those basic needs we currently have could be lost tomorrow. We live in a time dominated by uncertainty, which in turn causes large amounts of stress, suffering, and worry.
Furthermore, we live in a world bombarded with information of all kinds—often negative, depressing, and frustrating. On top of that, the world today doesn’t really have a concrete idea of how to live. Individualism has triumphed, and while it can bring specific advantages and certainly personal freedoms, something has been lost along the way. Everyone may describe that “something” differently, but many would agree it’s akin to a “compass”—a set of values to live by—which is now absent.
This is especially evident among younger people, particularly the generation that came of age alongside or even after the major technological boom. The technological revolution put exact facts front and center, with the triumph of logic and rationality over emotional or spiritual considerations. While there are definite benefits to that, for many—perhaps for everyone—this shift has also created a strange kind of emptiness.
New generations can no longer retreat into the sanctuary of religion as their parents or grandparents once could. One could even argue that the fading of “traditional belief” is, for many, an unwanted side effect—not something they arrived at after deep contemplation on humanity, God, Earth, and the universe. These are people who realize that with the loss of religion, they’ve also lost a form of protection, peace of mind, tranquility… when facing both life’s challenges and its ultimate limitation: death.
Naturally, returning to religion is not an option for many, as religion itself often undermines its own credibility through political involvement and an inability to provide the concrete facts people now expect. Does this mean that this growing number of people is doomed to drift in the “winds of fate” and make do however they can?
In a way, yes—but many are not managing. We shouldn’t shy away from the fact that, as a species, we’ve become deeply psychologically affected—there’s a sharp rise in people suffering from depression, anxiety, fear, and a sense that the world has become too big and too heavy to carry. Sadly, such mental suffering can even lead to the worst-case scenario: suicide, which is also on the rise. Society responds to these individuals as best it can—psychotherapy and medicine acknowledge the problem and offer solutions. Of course, there are many other groups and individuals offering their own “solutions.” We’re witnessing a flood of self-help books, self-proclaimed gurus, new religious sects seeking to “reclaim the lost sheep.” Some may find something that helps in all that noise, but often these approaches work like a crash diet—any lost weight comes right back, just as the psychological issues do.
Why? Because the solutions are often incomplete or poorly constructed. Psychology, for example, includes many schools of thought—some focus only on the future, others endlessly dig through the past, and so on. It can be argued that one school may suit a particular person better than another, but still none offer a complete solution—a comprehensive life philosophy.
So what is a complete life philosophy? Many wise people throughout history would say it’s what the individual ultimately creates and defines for themselves. And they’d be right—it is ultimately so. But building something so all-encompassing without a solid foundation can be extremely complicated or even futile. That’s why today we’ll reflect on one such philosophy—one that is comprehensive and has proven its “effectiveness” through two millennia of existence: Stoicism.
You’ve likely heard the term often—when someone says “he endured that stoically.” It means someone bore something—often something difficult—with strength, without being shaken, disturbed, or broken. Yes, in short, that’s Stoicism—and that “something difficult” is, in fact, life itself. Stoicism is a guide for how to live, and how to face life with quality, regardless of the circumstances, misfortunes, problems, or challenges. Let’s be clear: Stoicism is definitely not a “masochistic” approach to life, nor does it invite suffering. Quite the opposite—Stoicism promotes a life filled with happiness, peace, joy, and freedom. At the same time, it is an exceptionally powerful defense mechanism—an inner armor—against all of life’s problems, even the worst ones. One could even say that Stoicism is a kind of “superpower” that makes the individual—its practitioner—unbreakable, indestructible.
Importantly, the core principles of Stoicism are not complex or in need of lifelong study (though that wouldn’t hurt); they are, in essence, simple, practical, and accessible to everyone.
As you might guess, Stoicism is a philosophical school from Ancient Greece. It was founded by Zeno of Citium, with notable thinkers including Chrysippus, Seneca the Younger, Epictetus (a former slave), and of course, the most powerful Stoic of all—and the most powerful man of his time—Emperor Marcus Aurelius.
Of course, we could write at great length about the history of Stoicism, but it’s more interesting to jump into the heart of the idea. Stoicism teaches us to accept the moment exactly as it presents itself. The moment happens outside of us—we might be facing a layoff, going through a divorce, worrying about the state of the world due to pandemics or climate disasters, or maybe someone just cut us off in traffic. Anything can be “the moment”—but—and this is the key—we are the ones who process it mentally. It’s up to us to decide how we’ll respond. We determine, in our minds, whether something will affect us, leave us indifferent, inspire change, or break us.
Perhaps the most famous Stoic, Seneca, once said:
“We suffer more often in imagination than in reality.”
This quote may best capture what Stoicism really is. The messages are short, clear, and potentially life-changing. Let’s pause. What does it mean that we suffer more in imagination? We often interpret situations more negatively than necessary. We are overcome with fear, anger, or helplessness—even over trivial things. Why? Maybe it’s a habit, maybe we’ve neglected our mental hygiene—but the truth remains: we create scenarios of catastrophe, panic, and hopelessness in our minds.
The Stoics would suggest a different approach: instead of giving in to these sufferings, ask yourself: What’s the worst that could happen?
Say you made a serious mistake at work. The worst might be losing your job. And? Will you die? How likely is it that you’ll find another job? A worse job? Why would it be worse? And if it is, use that as motivation to find a better one again. Besides, that fear of losing your job might be completely unfounded.
But still you’re scared? Tomorrow your boss will decide what to do with you and you can’t sleep? Stoicism would say that doesn’t make sense. First, you’re not your boss—he’ll make the decision regardless of how much you sleep. Second, if you must worry, then worry tomorrow when it’s relevant—not tonight when nothing has happened yet.
As you’ve likely noticed, Stoicism is intensely focused on the present. Doesn’t that make perfect sense? Everything in the past—yesterday or ten years ago—is something you cannot change, no matter how hard you think about it. Does that mean we should practice some kind of self-induced amnesia? No. Stoicism never advocates that. Regarding the past, its position is clear: whatever has happened—good or bad—acknowledge it, extract a lesson (preferably a useful one), and then move on. There’s no point returning to it because you don’t live in the past—you live in the present.
And how should you face the present? Fully accept it, just as it is. But not in a way that resigns to it as permanent. Realistically assess what you dislike about your current situation and move forward with the intention to change it—day by day.
Also remember: you likely won’t achieve all your goals—that wouldn’t be realistic. Live primarily for today, as if each day were a new life, in harmony with nature and the world around you. Stoicism teaches us not to be ruled by extremes—neither by the desire for comfort nor the fear of pain. Moderation is key, along with justice, honesty, and courage. These are the “pillars” of the Stoic way of life.
Let’s look at a few more quotes—sticking with Seneca for now:
- “True happiness is to enjoy the present, without anxious dependence upon the future.”
- “Life is like a play: it’s not the length, but the quality that matters.”
- “Every night before bed, ask yourself: What weakness did I overcome today? What virtue did I gain?”
- “Difficulties strengthen the mind, just as labor strengthens the body.”
- “Associate with those who will make you better.”
- “A man is not affected by events, but by the view he takes of them.”
- “You want to live, but you don’t know how to live? You fear death—but tell me, is such a life any different from death?”
- “It’s not that we have little time, but that we waste much of it. Life is long enough—we just squander it.”
- “If you truly wish to escape the things that torment you, it is not the place you need to change, but yourself.”
- “He suffers more than necessary who suffers before it is necessary.”
Let’s end this brief review of Stoic wisdom with a beautiful quote from Emperor Marcus Aurelius:
“When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive—to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.”
Indeed, this is a mindset suitable for both emperor and pauper—then and now. Naturally, adopting a Stoic way of life isn’t accomplished by reading a few quotes from wise men 2,000 years ago. It takes practice and learning—but both are surprisingly easy. One core idea is this: Why turn this into something? “This” refers to some annoyance or inconvenience. You arrive on a hot day at a store only to find it closed. Will you turn “this” into “something”? Will you let such a trivial matter ruin your day? It may sound small, but you’d be surprised how often people lose their temper over even smaller things.
Being a Stoic doesn’t mean being emotionless. Look again at that quote from Marcus Aurelius—does it sound like the words of a cold, robotic man? Absolutely not! Stoicism celebrates life and the enjoyment of life. It glorifies the present. At the same time, it teaches emotional resilience to all of life’s misfortunes. The emphasis is on resilience, not detachment.
One of the “tricks” Stoics use is to imagine worst-case scenarios in advance—death of loved ones, illness, poverty, loss… These things, unfortunately, will happen to us sooner or later. Tragedy and pain can’t be avoided—but we can be more prepared by accepting them as inevitable parts of life. The point isn’t to obsess over loss, but rather to appreciate the presence of those we love while we still have them.
Imagine being in a car accident and becoming disabled. A dark thought, yes—but it happens to people every day. If you survive, you keep living—life isn’t over until it’s over. Fear and false hopes steal from life. It may sound radical, but a Stoic in a wheelchair may live a fuller and more meaningful life than someone fully able-bodied who “doesn’t know how to live.”
To live… is above all else. It is unique—and fragile. Seneca once said:
“You don’t know where death awaits you—so be ready for it everywhere.”
It’s fascinating to see how much of Stoic thought has remained unchanged for over two millennia. Stoicism arose as a teaching of how to remain unbroken in the face of life’s problems—and it remains entirely relevant to modern humans overwhelmed by today’s world. Stoicism is direct and sharp—it doesn’t sugarcoat. Life is meant to be lived now, not after reading 50 books about how to do it. Our problems are often imaginary—we worry about the past or the future and cause ourselves harm.
If we adopted just one Stoic truth—that suffering is almost always greater in our minds than in reality—our lives would change.
From the smallest to the greatest of troubles, Stoicism stands as a pillar of strength and resistance. We can apply its teachings to minor daily annoyances or life’s biggest tragedies. Think of something you once worried about that now belongs to the past—and turned out just fine. What did all that worrying get you? Probably nothing—except maybe a few more wrinkles or a stomachache. Not to mention wasted time.
The past is past. The future will come. Let’s do what we can and recognize: we’re not miracle workers. Things will go wrong sometimes, despite our best efforts. But that doesn’t have to break us.
Stoicism doesn’t require expensive courses, “secret mantras,” or new editions…
In fact, if we take a closer look at all those self-help manuals, we quickly realize that they often draw from fundamental ideas which are then frequently contaminated with nonsense and “new age” ideas. Why seek out a “wise man” who gave himself that title yesterday, when we have titans from the past—men whom the centuries have already confirmed as such? Seneca, Marcus Aurelius, Epictetus, and others are “alive” and better teachers than someone who turns human suffering into self-help seminars or endless therapy sessions.
A Stoic is always focused on what he can change or improve but doesn’t worry about what he knows he cannot control. A Stoic treats every problem as an opportunity.
German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche (to whom we should definitely dedicate an entire article at some point in the future) wrote about the concept of amor fati, or “love of fate.” The idea is that an individual not only accepts everything that happens in life—including (and especially) the bad things—but embraces it and is grateful that it happened. This is not just an extension of the idea that “what doesn’t kill us makes us stronger,” but it opens entirely new perspectives and ways of viewing life, making it more real—and us more alive.
Above all, the Stoic does not fear death. He is resilient to the fear of death and uses its inevitability to give life value and joy. Seneca says:
“Greet each coming day as the best day that has ever come—make it your own possession.”
Marcus Aurelius always advocated seeing the “bigger picture” and viewing every situation “from above.” This is a very useful technique for putting problems into perspective.
“Imagine how vast the universe is and how small a space you occupy in it,” the famous Roman emperor would say.
And finally—a Stoic always learns something new. His mind does not rest. And it’s never too late, no matter your age, to start learning something new today. What matters is being open to new knowledge, always—even if we think we already know enough. As Epictetus puts it:
“A man cannot learn what he thinks he already knows.”
Is Stoicism for you?
Of course, in the end, everyone chooses their own path, but in times like these, it wouldn’t hurt to give Stoicism a chance—or at least to incorporate segments of this philosophy into what should ultimately become one’s own personal life philosophy.
One more quote from Seneca to close, which seems quite fitting—you’ll surely agree:
“What stops us from saying that a happy life is to have a mind that is free, elevated, fearless, and unshakable—a mind placed beyond the reach of fear, beyond the reach of desire, a mind that recognizes only virtue as the sole good, baseness as the sole evil, and everything else as merely an indifferent mass of things that come and go without increasing or diminishing what is good, or adding to or taking away from the happiness of life? A man grounded in this way must, whether he wills it or not, be followed by constant cheerfulness and a joy that is deep and springs from deep within—for he finds delight in what he is, and seeks no greater pleasure than his own inner joy.”
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