We all strive for success in some capacity, at every age, and in every era. But it also looks different to each of us. For a 3-year-old, success might be making everyone in the room laugh. For a 21-year-old, it could be pursuing a PhD. Others might define it as getting married and raising kids. But whatever it may be, it’s something all of us want in some way or another.
So, if we consider this, it must mean that there isn’t one way to achieve success. However, that’s not the case. Stoicism is a one-size-fits-all solution to reaching your goals. But what is it, and how does it help? Let’s look at how to practice Stoicism, its benefits, and what principles it teaches.
What is Stoicism?
Stoicism is a philosophy of life designed to maximize positive emotions, reduce negative ones and help people live out the best possible version of their lives. It hails from ancient Rome and Greece at the start of the third century BC.
This school of thought was introduced during this time. It was highly valued because Stoics provided compelling solutions to fear, stress, anxiety, and existential dread. They’d created an operating system dealing with the trials and tribulations of the human condition.
Though Stoicism was an answer to many philosophical and psychological issues back in ancient times, its teaching can be applied even today. Throughout history, renowned figures such as Thomas Jefferson, Tim Ferriss, Arianna Huffington, George Washington and more tried out the Stoic way of life, and you can see where that got them.
How To Achieve Success in Your Personal Life Using Stoicism
For Stoics, success is a way of life, a way of thinking, rather than an end goal. So, discussing how Stoicism can help you succeed in all areas of your life may sound counterintuitive. However, your definition of success will become much broader if you learn how to practice Stoicism. So, here’s how Stoicism can help you achieve personal success.
1. Learning To Embrace Mortality
Most of us deem success to be living a long life. Immortality is something we’ve seen talked about in both scientific and fictional realms, with people wanting to clutch onto the life they’ve always known without realizing that it will all end someday.
One of the core ways Stoicism helps us feel successful in life is by reminding us about the fragility and impermanence of life. Each of us will die someday; it’s a fact. Many believe that talking about this fact is nihilistic or pessimistic. Still, it’s speaking the truth and one that can help set us free.
Realizing how your life can end at any moment will help you make the most of every little thing, whether it’s a conversation, a chore, or a small task. If you live each day like it’s your last, you will live more purposefully, without regrets.
2. Each Day We Live Brings with It a Purpose
Stoics had the belief that every single day that we encounter has a key purpose. Therefore, if you want to live a life you can deem ‘successful,’ then you will need to remind yourself that with each day, you get the possibility to learn a new lesson or take up a unique opportunity.
Every single event, action, and conversation in a day can help shape your life’s trajectory. So, you need to view each day as a vial of possibilities. It also applies to bad days, as it makes you realize that the day came and went and does not define you for the rest of your days. Finally, it helps you know that every day is an opportunity to start anew.
3. Get A Mentor
All classical Stoics had mentors. For example, Attalus was Seneca’s mentor, Sarpadon Cato’s and Cleanthes Zeno’s, etc. So, having a mentor can help you in your journey of becoming a Stoic. And, since we are in the age of information, you can easily search online for those living the Stoic way of life willing to teach you what you need to know so you may find professional success.
4. Follow The Virtues
Stoics follow four major virtues:
· Temperance
· Wisdom
· Justice
· Courage
These core virtues are at the center of every successful character. Temperance helps us practice self-control to focus on working hard rather than indulging in unimportant things. Wisdom allows us to search for the truth and take time to understand it. Justice helps us take the right actions, and Courage emphasizes being brave in facing adversity.
These virtues are necessary for professionals chasing true success.
Stoic Exercises- How to Practice Stoicism
The Stoic school of thought holds that the best way to deal with difficult situations is to remain calm and rational. The goal is to be in control of one’s emotions and not be swayed by them. To achieve this, Stoics recommend various mental and physical exercises. One way to get started with Stoicism is to practice some of these exercises on a regular basis. Some basic Stoic exercises include:
1. Negative visualization: This involves picturing oneself in a difficult situation, such as being laid off from work, in order to become more prepared for it emotionally. By doing this, one is less likely to be caught off guard and overwhelmed by such a situation if it actually does occur.
2. The Dichotomy of Control: This involves recognizing the things in life that one can and cannot control. For example, one can control how hard one works, but one cannot control whether or not one gets promoted. Once you have identified which areas of your life are within your control, you can focus your energy on those areas and let go of the things that are out of your control.
3. The Stoic Week: This is a week-long challenge in which participants live according to Stoic principles for one week. This challenge can be found online and includes daily readings, exercises, and journaling prompts.
4. The Stoic Mindfulness App: This app provides daily Stoic quotations and exercises to help users cultivate a Stoic mindset.
5. Morning and Evening Reflections: Every morning, reflect on what things you are thankful for in your life. Every evening, reflect on how your day went and what things you could have done better.
By practising these exercises on a regular basis, you will develop a Stoic mindset and be better equipped to deal with difficult situations when they arise.
Other ways you can learn how to practice Stoicism include:
· Practice virtuousness
· Not judge others despite their judgments
· Remind yourself about the unpredictability and inevitability of death
· Only control your own beliefs, actions and thoughts
· Practice “love of fate” (Amor Fati)
What Are the Benefits of Learning how to practice Stoicism Regularly?
The benefits of Stoicism are endless and life-changing. If you learn how to practice Stoicism, here are some of the advantages you’ll reap:
· You could navigate life’s obstacles more smoothly
· Self-discipline will become a way of life for you
· You will prioritize hard work over pleasure
· You’ll be able to adapt outside your comfort zone more easily
· You’ll get distracted less and focus on the tasks at hand more
How Do You Deal with Difficult Situations And Emotions Using Stoicism Principles?
One of the main principles of Stoicism is that you need to relinquish control over what happens to you. We must remember that we only have control over how we respond to situations. So, a Stoic would not perceive a difficult scenario as unfortunate.
For example, if you’ve just been let go, you’d feel extremely depressed. As you acknowledge and process the negative emotions you’re feeling; you’ll need to take a break, reassess, and then set other goals. If you want to learn how to practice Stoicism in your daily life, the best way is to consider every step is a new opportunity, and it’s in your hand to let the situation either ruin you or make you stronger.
Final Thoughts
By practising stoicism, you’ll be able to live life with humility, ridding yourself of pride and finding deep contentment. And with that, success will come automatically.
If you want to see more content on self-improvement and lifestyle, check out my website’s blog section where I have plenty of content like this waiting for you. And as always, if you have any questions or thoughts, feel free to reach out.