Because of its roots in ancient Greece, stoicism is a philosophy for achieving a life of wisdom, inner peace and satisfaction. It appeared in Athens, founded by Zeno of Citium, around 300 BC.
Unlike mindfulness, Stoicism holds ancient wisdom that can inspire those walking today’s mindful paths. Above all, it reminds us to live in cooperation with nature and to lock ourselves in the present moment.
This article highlights 100 stoic quotes attributed to philosophers such as Epictetus, Seneca, and Marcus Aurelius. May these stoic philosophy quotes inspire you on your personal journey in life.
What are the important principles of stoicism, and how are they reflected in stoic quotes?
To better understand what stoicism is, its fundamental virtues and other guiding principles can be considered. This philosophical school of thinking has identified four basic virtues: wisdom, courage, justice, and restraint. Within these comprehensive virtues, we can find subdivisions that include, but are not limited to, good sense, confidence, discipline, and sincerity.
Another stoic education that is very relevant to people who are on a mindful journey is acceptance. Stoisic teaches us to focus our attention on what we have control over in life and accept (or abandon our attempts to control) what we cannot. Overcoming emotional awareness, self-control, and desires that contribute to our suffering is also part of the heart of stoicism.
These principles (and others working with stoic philosophy) can be seen to be embedded in the stoicist quote below. These words of wisdom remind us to arrange our thoughts and actions to virtues, intentions, self-awareness and other fulfilling contributors in a fulfilling life.
100 Stoicism Quotes for Everyday Life
Epictetus Quotes:
“It’s not what happens to you, it’s about how you react to it.”“Freedom is the only valuable goal in life. We win by ignoring that we are beyond our control.”“I can’t escape death, but at least I can escape the fear of it.”“He laughs at himself and never misses things to laugh.”“Don’t explain your philosophy. Embody it.”
“First, find out who you are and decorate yourself accordingly.”
“A ship should not be on a single anchor or risking life on a single hope.”
“The key is to keep the company only with those who will lift you up.”
“First, tell yourself what happens to you, then do what you have to do.”
“There is only one way to happiness: stop worrying about things that go beyond our power and our will.”
“Wealth is made up of less desire, not of having big possessions.”
“Don’t ask for everything as you want. Rather, you want everything to happen so that it actually happens, and your life will go well.”
“You will be the one that gives you your attention.”
“It is the nature of the wise to resist joy, but to them it is foolish to be a slave.”
“The more you value things outside of control, the less control you have.”
“Nothing is better than a bunch of grapes and figs.”
“Difficulty indicates a person’s personality.”
“Nature gave men one tongue, but two ears.
“Men are interrupted by their views that take things, not by things.”
“When someone is properly based on their lives, they don’t need to look outside for approval.”
“Whether you’re alone or at the company, settle on the type of person you want to be and stick to it.”
“When you’re offended by any person’s fault, look to yourself and study your own failures. Then you forget your anger.”
“Don’t ask for what is to happen the way you want it to be. But you will have a quiet flow of life, hoping it will happen.”
“Practice yourself with little things for heaven. Then go even bigger.”
“Anyone who can make you angry will become your master. He can only make you angry when you allow him to be interrupted.”
“The situation doesn’t make a man, they just reveal him to themselves.”
“First, I’ll learn what you mean and then I’ll talk about it.”
“He is a clever man who doesn’t grieve what he doesn’t have, but he rejoices what he has.”
Seneca quote
“We struggle with imagination more than reality.”“Ignorance is the cause of fear.”“Stop hope, and you will stop being afraid.”“A gift consists of the intentions of the giver or actor, not of what has been made or given.”“Good luck is what happens when preparation meets the opportunity.”
“Being anywhere means not going anywhere.”
“The difficulties stem from our lack of confidence.”
“That’s not because it’s difficult for us to not be brave, because we don’t dare to be difficult.”
“Start living at once and count each separate day as a separate life.”
“What really ruins our character is the fact that none of us looks back on his life.”
“The biggest cure for anger is delayed.”
“If a man knows which ports will sail, the wind doesn’t like it.”
“The whole future lies in uncertainty: live quickly.”
“He is brave and free.”
“It’s not anyone’s power to have anything he wants, but he has in his power that he doesn’t want what he doesn’t have.
“Wealth is the slave of the wise man. Master of the fool.”
“By coincidence, no one was wise.”
“The flood takes us away from what is, and what else is. These are the conditions for our existence. All we can do is adopt a spirit worthy of a good person.
“The greatest wealth is the poverty of desire.”
“Work with people who are likely to improve you.”
“Life is very short and unsettling for those who forget the past, ignore the present, fear the future.”
“True happiness… enjoying the present without relying on anxiety about the future.”
“Anger, if not restrained, is often more harmful to us than the injuries that cause it.”
“No one has polished the gems without friction, no one has completed them without trial.”
“The poor are not too few, they hunk after more.”
“The biggest obstacle to life is expectations, and we’ll droop down tomorrow and lose today.”
“As labor is in the body, difficulties strengthen the mind.”
“How much better to heal than seek revenge from an injury.”
“It’s miserable to be worried about future events.”
“Time alone cannot heal a reason.”
“The speed of life continues while we postpone.”
Marcus Aurelius quote
“We don’t waste any more time discussing what a good person should be.“It’s very little necessary to create a happy life. It’s all within yourself, in your way of thinking.”“Don’t let the future interfere with you. If you have to, you will meet it with the same weapon of rationality that will make you against the present today.”“Don’t procrastinate in your actions. Don’t be confused in your conversation. Do not be passive or aggressive in your thoughts, in your soul.”“The happiness in your life depends on the quality of your thoughts.”
“The best revenge is different from the injured guy.”
“You’re trying to see what his neighbors are saying, thinking, thinking, and so on, just by doing his own thing, how much time will you get to make it?”
“Accept what destiny holds you in, and love those whom destiny bring you.”
“Our life is what our ideas make up.”
“My soul is dyed with the colour of that idea.”
“A barrier to action is to move forward. What gets in the way becomes the path.”
“The purpose of life is not to be on the majority side, but to escape finding yourself in the ranks of crazy people.”
“You have power in your mind, not in the outside event. When you realize this, you find strength.”
“Loss is nothing but change. Change is the joy of nature.”
“The universe is changing. Our lives are what our ideas make up.”
“Nothing happens to someone who he essentially can’t stand.”
“The best way to revenge yourself is not to do so.”
“I’m happy with what you are and hope that it won’t change. I’ll fear your last day, or make it longer.”
“I’m particular about the beauty of life. Look at the stars and watch them run with them.”
“If you are suffering from something outside, the pain is not due to the object itself, but from an estimate of it. And this has the power to revoke at any time.”
“The best answer to anger is silence.”
“Please lock me up in the present.”
“When you wake up in the morning, think about how precious it is to be alive – breathing, thinking, enjoying, loving.”
“Every day offers its own gifts.”
“Give yourself a gift: the present moment.”
Xeno of Citium quotes
“The goal of life is to live in unison with nature.”“Happiness can be achieved in small steps, but it’s not really a small thing.”“Happiness is a good flow of life.”“It’s better to trip with your legs than with your tongue.”“A man conquer the world by conquering himself.”
“Nothing is more hostile to grasping knowledge than self-deception.”
“Everything is part of one system called nature. Individual lives are good when they are in harmony with nature.”
“Fate is an infinite chain of causality, and by that, things are there, or the formula, why the world progresses.”
“Luxury is its own destroyer.”
“A bad feeling is a heart-warming opposed to nature and against reason.”
More Stoic Quotes
“He doesn’t want him, but he rarely needs it.” Cleanthes “Fate guides motivation, but drags unwilling.” Cleanthes “He has his wish and I hope that it is sufficient.” Cleanthes “Thoughts are the fountain of speech,” Crissipus.“Living skillfully is equivalent to living according to experiences of the actual processes of nature.” Crissipus
“He has the fewest people who are most satisfied.” Diogenes
How to incorporate stoic quotes into your daily life
The above list is an edit of some of the best stoic quotes. But how can I use them? How do these words help to enhance and inspire our daily lives? Consider these three ways to use daily stoic quotes.
Journal Practice: Choose stoic quotes that inspire you every day. Write on a new page in the journal and write what it means to you. Why did you choose this day?Bedtime Practice: If you’re going raw into bed, you can read stoic quotes from life, which will help you to enlighten and expand your mind before you go to sleep. Also, select your favorite from the short, stoic quotes, turn off the light and repeat several times.Morning Inspiration: Read this list when you wake up in the morning. Are there any particular stoicism quotes that stand out against you? Let’s use the guiding light for the day. Please come back frequently if necessary.
Why is Stoic quotes worth it in modern life?
Many stoic quotes have timeless wisdom related to the present day. Stoicism has emerged very much before, but virtues and principles such as courage, wisdom, and discipline transcend the boundaries of time.
We live in an age of enormous external pressure and constant distraction at our fingertips. Perhaps now, more than ever, we need these ancient reminders to return to the fundamentals of what makes a virtuous and fulfilling life. There is no shortage of challenges in this modern world. Stoicism can provide inspiration to meet these challenges with presence, peace and courage.
total
As we navigate the difficulties of modern life, we can turn our eyes to the words of wisdom to enhance our spirits. Stoic quotes are just one of many philosophies of wisdom that we can utilize to light the grounded and fulfilling pathways.
Use these quotes in any way that feels natural to you. Whenever you need it, go back to this list as a source of guidance and inspiration. May this ancient wisdom inject itself into this modern, often challenging and ever-changing world in which we live.
