Stoic Wisdom For Mental Toughness

The ancient Stoics aimed to be resilient towards the things beyond their control and were determined on their path of virtue. Mental toughness is necessary to be truly ‘good’ in the Stoic sense. We need to be strong enough to control destructive desires, to choose virtuous activities over vulgarity and to anchor ourselves in the present moment. Mental toughness can help us to live better lives, achieve our goals and navigate through life when we’re in dire straits.

In this video, I’ll share what ancient Stoic texts can teach us on how to be stronger between the ears. (1) You’re more powerful than a god (when it comes to your own faculty). Seneca and Socrates died in a similar fashion. Both were sentenced to death and, in both cases, the execution or ‘forced suicide’ included the consumption of poison. But the most striking shared characteristic was the equanimity in which they left the world. Death is just another phenomenon that isn’t up to us since nature creates and takes life at will.

The same goes for losing the people we’re attached to, things we might be offended by, and injustice that may befall us. In the end, it’s nature that decides the workings of the external world. Not us. For many people, this realization could evoke a sense of powerlessness. For a part, this is just. The good news, however, is that the greatest strength of all is within our control, which is the power over our own faculty. This power is the essence of mental toughness and also a muscle that can be trained.

Complete power over our own actions, as far as that power stretches in a certain moment, makes our will untouchable, even by the gods. People can inflict damage onto us, humiliate us. But still, we do maintain the power over our reasoning and the actions that come from that. In his discourses, Epictetus pointed out that people can influence his life only to a certain extent: the realm that’s outside of him. I quote: "I must die: must I, then, die groaning too? I must be fettered: and wailing too? I must go into exile: does anyone, then, keep me from going with a smile and cheerful and serene? Tell your secrets."

I say not a word; for this is under my control. "But I will fetter you." What is that you say, man? Fetter me? My leg you will fetter, but my moral purpose not even Zeus himself has power to overcome. End quote. Side note: shortly I’ll publish a book that I’ve written about becoming resilient to what other people say - from insults to mere opinions we don’t agree with - using philosophical ideas. I’ll keep you updated.

(2) Laziness and procrastination are unnatural. As human beings, we’ve never been so comfortable. But too much comfort can lead to stagnation and even the deterioration of the human spirit, as observed by Marcus Aurelius, once emperor of the world’s most powerful empire. Now, the following may not be for everyone since it’s heavily based on Stoic beliefs about nature. I’ve made a separate video about this if you’re interested.

The Stoics aim for living in accordance with nature. And our human nature has set limits (that vary per person) to how much sleep we need, how much food we need, how much movement we need, et cetera, in order to function properly. Most people that spend days on the couch watching Netflix with a bucket of ice cream do this, probably, because it feels nice and comfy. But according to Marcus Aurelius, this is not the natural way of living for a human being and, therefore, it’s wrong.

I quote: "So you were born to feel 'nice'? Instead of doing things and experiencing them? Don’t you see the plants, the birds, the ants and spiders and bees going about their individual tasks, putting the world in order, as best they can? And you’re not willing to do your job as a human being? Why aren’t you running to do what your nature demands?" End quote.

According to the Stoics, you don’t love yourself enough if you’re lazy, because if you did, you’d love your nature too. And it’s your nature, they believe - this flame within, that shouts at you to make something out of your life in a virtuous manner. An antidote for laziness is the cultivation of courage; a Stoic type of virtue that can be subdivided into endurance, confidence, high-mindedness, cheerfulness, and industriousness. These states are part of the eudaimonic experience, that can be loosely translated as ‘flourishing’ or, the Stoic concept of happiness.

So, considering that laziness and procrastination are unnatural and that we’re born to play a part in the whole, or to be concerned with “putting the world in order” as Marcus states, can be a huge mental boost. Simply put: we do feel our best when we flourish. We do not feel our best when we’re lazy and stagnant.

(3) Contentment breeds mental stability. Surely, the mind is very unstable when it depends on external things to fulfill its desires and to stay away from what it averses. That’s why Stoic sages don’t want anything from the world but merely use what they encounter on their path, granted by Fortune. Foolish people, on the other hand, are in a constant state of wanting, while being oblivious for what they truly need.

So, what do we truly need to be happy? Not much, as far as the Stoics are concerned. Because when the mind is content with its own self and knows that the pursuit of externals is not a way to happiness, it can truly be free. As Seneca puts it: "For anything that can be added to is imperfect; anything that can suffer loss is not lasting; but let the man whose happiness is to be lasting, rejoice in what is truly his own." End quote.

In this completeness and state of ‘not needing’ anything more, lies great strength. From the perspective of our modern times, it’s the strength of not being encumbered with social expectations and peer pressure in regards to consumerism. It will also make one resilient towards the ups and downs of life on the rollercoaster of constantly changing circumstances, equipped with a healthy detachment.

Thus, so-called ‘indifferents’ (preferred or dispreferred) come and go, and will neither add nor subtract to the sage’s state of contentment. The concept of mental toughness in Stoicism may be slightly different from what we hear and see in today’s popular culture, which is highly geared towards external achievement. However, the sharp focus on our own actions, the consideration of our nature and a healthy detachment from externals, might help us live life more fully nonetheless. Thank you for watching.