Stoicism is a school of philosophy dating back to the third century BCE. Founded by Zeno of Citium, the philosophy soon grew to include some of the most influential thinkers of the Greek and Roman era. The Stoic philosophers teach that happiness and fulfillment can be achieved by refusing to be influenced by desire, societal pressures, or anything outside your control. Stoicism is about accepting moments as they arise, and the power of logical thinking.
Below you'll find a list of the best Stoicism quotes. These quotes come from various Stoic philosophers, including the three most influential: Seneca, Epictetus, and Marcus Aurelius. Stoicism is still a thriving philosophy today. If you're curious about what it is, and how to incorporate it into your daily life, these quotes are the perfect place to start.
Best Stoicism Quotes from Seneca
's many writings include , , and , . Below you'll find a sampling of his most inspiring, thought-provoking, and influential quotes about Stoicism, drawn from across his body of work.
1. "The greatest obstacle to living is expectancy, which hangs upon tomorrow and loses today. You are arranging what lies in Fortune’s control, and abandoning what lies in yours. What are you looking at? To what goal are you straining? The whole future lies in uncertainty: live immediately." (from On the Shortness of Life)
2. “For those who follow nature, everything is easy and straightforward, whereas for those who fight against her life is just like rowing against the stream.” (from Letters from a Stoic)
3. "Floods will rob us of one thing, fire of another. These are conditions of our existence which we cannot change. What we can do is adopt a noble spirit, such a spirit that befits a good person, so that we may bear up bravely under all that fortune sends us and bring our wills into tune with nature’s." (from Letters From a Stoic)
4. “No person has the power to have everything they want, but it is in their power not to want what they don’t have, and to cheerfully put to good use what they do have.” (from Moral Letters)
5. "Let us meet with bravery whatever may befall us. Let us never feel a shudder at the thought of being wounded or of being made a prisoner, or of poverty or persecution. " (from Letters From a Stoic)
6. "Begin at once to live, and count each separate day as a separate life." (from Letters From a Stoic)
