109+ Stoic Quotes [Stoicism Quotes]

Stoic quotes, or quotes derived from the philosophy of Stoicism, often embody key characteristics of Stoic teachings.

Stoicism is an ancient Greek philosophy that emphasizes personal virtue, self-control, and acceptance of one’s circumstances.

Here are some characteristics commonly found in Stoic quotes:

Focus on Virtue: Stoicism places a strong emphasis on living a virtuous life. Stoic quotes often remind individuals to prioritize virtues such as wisdom, courage, justice, and temperance. These quotes encourage individuals to cultivate their character and align their actions with moral principles.
Acceptance of the Present Moment: Stoicism teaches the importance of accepting the present moment and not being overly attached to external outcomes. Stoic quotes often remind people to focus on what is within their control, namely their thoughts, attitudes, and actions, rather than becoming consumed by external circumstances or events.
Inner Tranquility: Stoicism promotes inner tranquility or peace of mind. Stoic quotes often encourage individuals to cultivate inner calmness, to not be swayed by external disturbances, and to maintain an equanimous state of mind even in the face of adversity.
Impermanence and Detachment: Stoic philosophy acknowledges the impermanence of all things. Stoic quotes often remind individuals to detach themselves from material possessions, external success, and even their own mortality. They encourage individuals to find contentment in the present moment and not to be overly attached to transient things.
Resilience and Endurance: Stoicism places great importance on developing resilience and enduring hardships with courage. Stoic quotes often inspire individuals to persevere in the face of challenges, to view obstacles as opportunities for growth, and to develop a mindset that can weather the storms of life.
Self-Reflection and Self-Improvement: Stoicism encourages self-reflection and self-improvement. Stoic quotes often prompt individuals to examine their thoughts, emotions, and actions critically. They promote self-awareness, introspection, and the pursuit of continuous personal growth and development.
Universal Reason and Unity: Stoicism teaches that there is a universal reason or divine order that governs the universe. Stoic quotes often emphasize the interconnectedness of all things and the unity of humanity. They promote a sense of empathy, compassion, and the recognition of our shared humanity.

Stoic quotes capture the essence of these characteristics, offering guidance and inspiration to live a life of virtue, resilience, and inner peace.

They encourage individuals to adopt a philosophical mindset that can lead to a more fulfilling and meaningful life.

Table of Contents

Stoic Quotes [Stoicism Quotes]

Here are some Stoic quotes, each offering a unique perspective on life and wisdom:

“The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts.” – Marcus Aurelius
“Happiness and freedom begin with a clear understanding of one principle: Some things are within our control, and some things are not.” – Epictetus
“It is not events that disturb people, it is their judgments concerning them.” – Epictetus
“The best revenge is not to be like your enemy.” – Marcus Aurelius
“The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.” – Marcus Aurelius
“Waste no more time arguing about what a good person should be. Be one.” – Marcus Aurelius
“You have power over your mind, not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.” – Marcus Aurelius
“The more we value things outside our control, the less control we have.” – Epictetus
“He who fears death will never do anything worth of a man who is alive.” – Seneca
“The key is to keep company only with people who uplift you, whose presence calls forth your best.” – Epictetus
“You have to learn to get up from the table when love is no longer being served.” – Epictetus
“Difficulties strengthen the mind, as labor does the body.” – Seneca
“If it is not right, do not do it. If it is not true, do not say it.” – Marcus Aurelius
“No man is free who is not master of himself.” – Epictetus
“We suffer more in imagination than in reality.” – Seneca
“You are a little soul carrying around a corpse.” – Epictetus
“The world turns aside to let any man pass who knows where he is going.” – Epictetus
“If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to your estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment.” – Marcus Aurelius
“The first rule is to keep an untroubled spirit. The second is to look things in the face and know them for what they are.” – Marcus Aurelius
“No person has the power to have everything they want, but it is in their power not to want what they don’t have.” – Seneca
“Don’t seek for everything to happen as you wish it would, but rather wish that everything happens as it actually will—then your life will flow well.” – Epictetus
“Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants.” – Epictetus
“The soul becomes dyed with the color of its thoughts.” – Marcus Aurelius
“Caretake this moment. Immerse yourself in its particulars. Respond to this person, this challenge, this deed. Quit evasions. Stop giving yourself needless trouble. It is time to really live; to fully inhabit the situation you happen to be in now.” – Epictetus
“We should always be asking ourselves: Is this something that is, or is not, in my control?” – Epictetus
“The whole future lies in uncertainty: live immediately.” – Seneca
“To be everywhere is to be nowhere.” – Seneca
“The mind that is anxious about future events is miserable.” – Seneca
“You are afraid of dying. But come now, how is this life of yours anything but death?” – Seneca
“He suffers more than necessary, who suffers before it is necessary.” – Seneca
“We are more often frightened than hurt; and we suffer more from imagination than from reality.” – Seneca
“Don’t explain your philosophy. Embody it.” – Epictetus
“It is the power of the mind to be unconquerable.” – Seneca
“It is not he who reviles or strikes you who insults you, but your opinion that these things are insulting.” – Epictetus
“Man conquers the world by conquering himself.” – Zeno of Citium
“The greater the difficulty, the more glory in surmounting it.” – Epicurus
“No evil is honorable: but death is honorable; therefore death is not evil.” – Epictetus
“Don’t be concerned with other people’s impressions of you. They are dazzled and deluded by appearances. Stick with your purpose.” – Marcus Aurelius
“He who has a why to live can bear almost any how.” – Friedrich Nietzsche
“We are more often frightened than hurt, and we suffer more from imagination than from reality.” – Seneca
“When something happens, the only thing in your power is your attitude toward it; you can either accept it or resent it.” – Epictetus
“It is not the man who has too little, but the man who craves more, that is poor.” – Seneca
“Be content to be thought foolish and stupid.” – Epictetus
“The only way to happiness is to cease worrying about things which are beyond the power of our will.” – Epictetus
“Everything that happens is either endurable or not. If it’s endurable, then endure it. Stop complaining. If it’s unendurable… then stop complaining. Your destruction will mean its end as well.” – Marcus Aurelius
“If anyone tells you that a certain person speaks ill of you, do not make excuses about what is said of you but answer, ‘He was ignorant of my other faults, else he would not have mentioned these alone.'” – Epictetus
“No person has the power to have everything they want, but it is in their power not to want what they don’t have.” – Epictetus
“We are more often frightened than hurt, and we suffer more from imagination than from reality.” – Seneca
“Freedom is secured not by the fulfilling of men’s desires, but by the removal of desire.” – Epictetus
“The wise man is neither raised up by prosperity nor cast down by adversity; for always he has striven to rely predominantly on himself, and to derive all joy from himself.” – Seneca
“Happiness is not achieved by the conscious pursuit of happiness; it is generally the by-product of other activities.” – Aldous Huxley
“Life is very short and anxious for those who forget the past, neglect the present, and fear the future.” – Seneca
“The greatest blessings of mankind are within us and within our reach. A wise man is content with his lot, whatever it may be, without wishing for what he has not.” – Seneca
“To be even-minded is the greatest virtue.” – Heraclitus
“The soul becomes dyed with the color of its thoughts.” – Marcus Aurelius
“You are only as strong as your weakest link.” – Thomas Reid
“It does not matter what you bear, but how you bear it.” – Seneca
“If you really want to escape the things that harass you, what you’re needing is not to be in a different place but to be a different person.” – Seneca
“It is not death that a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live.” – Marcus Aurelius
“The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts.” – Marcus Aurelius
“He who fears death will never do anything worth of a man who is alive.” – Seneca
“The greater the difficulty, the more glory in surmounting it.” – Epicurus

These Stoic quotes encapsulate the core principles of Stoicism, offering insights into how to live a virtuous, fulfilling, and resilient life.

Inspirational Stoic Quotes [Stoicism Quotes]

Inspirational Stoic Quotes:

“The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts.” – Marcus Aurelius
“Waste no more time arguing about what a good person should be. Be one.” – Epictetus
“The mind that is anxious about the future is miserable.” – Seneca
“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.” – Seneca
“Choose not to be harmed, and you won’t feel harmed. Don’t feel harmed, and you haven’t been.” – Marcus Aurelius
“It does not matter what you bear, but how you bear it.” – Seneca
“He who fears death will never do anything worth of a man who is alive.” – Seneca
“The soul becomes dyed with the color of its thoughts.” – Marcus Aurelius
“True happiness is to enjoy the present, without anxious dependence upon the future.” – Seneca
“Don’t explain your philosophy. Embody it.” – Epictetus

Short Stoic Quotes [Stoicism Quotes]

Short Stoic Quotes:

“Memento mori.” – Latin phrase meaning “Remember you must die.”
“Amor fati.” – Latin phrase meaning “Love of fate.”
“Control your perceptions. Direct your actions properly. Willingly accept what’s outside your control.” – Epictetus
“If it’s not right, don’t do it. If it’s not true, don’t say it.” – Marcus Aurelius
“What’s mine is yours. And what’s yours is yours.” – Seneca
“The obstacle is the way.” – Marcus Aurelius
“Happiness and freedom begin with a clear understanding of one principle: Some things are within our control, and some things are not.” – Epictetus
“Choose, therefore, a life that is worth living.” – Epictetus
“You have power over your mind, not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.” – Marcus Aurelius
“Be tolerant with others and strict with yourself.” – Marcus Aurelius

Funny Stoic Quotes [Stoicism Quotes]

Funny Stoic Quotes:

“I was once a philosopher, until I discovered that stoicism wasn’t an excuse to wear a toga and eat grapes all day.” – Unknown
“If you find a Stoic who never complains, check their pulse. They might be dead.” – Unknown
“Life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes.” – Epictetus (Not really, but it’s a humorous interpretation!)
“Stoicism: Because sarcasm alone can’t save you from life’s troubles.” – Unknown
“The Stoics would say, ‘Don’t worry, be happy.’ But they’d say it with a straight face.” – Unknown
“When life gives you lemons, use Stoicism to make lemonade. Then accept that lemonade is just lemons and water, and life is still a bit sour.” – Unknown
“Stoics don’t need a weather app. They can just look outside and say, ‘Ah, another indifferent day.'” – Unknown
“If a Stoic falls in the woods and no one is around to hear it, do they make a sound? Probably not, because they’d just calmly get up and carry on.” – Unknown
“The secret to Stoicism: Laugh at everything, especially yourself, and then realize that laughter is an indifferent external.” – Unknown
“A Stoic and a pessimist walk into a bar. The Stoic says, ‘This place is nice but it will probably burn down.’ The pessimist replies, ‘Yeah, and the drinks are probably overpriced too.'” – Unknown

Famous Stoic Quotes [Stoicism Quotes]

Famous Stoic Quotes:

“We suffer more often in imagination than in reality.” – Seneca
“No man is free who is not master of himself.” – Epictetus
“You have power over your mind, not outside events.” – Marcus Aurelius
“Difficulties strengthen the mind, as labor does the body.” – Seneca
“The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts.” – Marcus Aurelius
“It is not death that a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live.” – Marcus Aurelius
“Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.” – Seneca
“He who fears death will never do anything worth of a man who is alive.” – Seneca
“Don’t explain your philosophy. Embody it.” – Epictetus
“The whole future lies in uncertainty: Live immediately.” – Seneca

Deep Stoic Quotes [Stoicism Quotes]

Deep Stoic Quotes:

“True happiness is to enjoy the present, without anxious dependence upon the future.” – Seneca
“He suffers more than necessary, who suffers before it is necessary.” – Seneca
“The greatest obstacle to living is expectancy, which hangs upon tomorrow and loses today.” – Seneca
“If you really want to escape the things that harass you, what you’re needing is not to be in a different place but to be a different person.” – Seneca
“Curb your desire—don’t set your heart on so many things and you’ll get what you need.” – Epictetus
“A ship should not ride on a single anchor, nor life on a single hope.” – Epictetus
“How does it help… to make troubles heavier by bemoaning them?” – Seneca
“Remember, it is not enough to be hit or insulted to be harmed, you must believe that you are being harmed. If someone succeeds in provoking you, realize that your mind is complicit in the provocation.” – Epictetus
“The first step in healing is to let go of the belief that the past cannot be changed.” – Epictetus
“What upsets people is not things themselves but their judgments about these things.” – Epictetus

What Is Stoicism?

Stoicism is a philosophical school of thought that originated in ancient Greece and later became influential in ancient Rome.

It was founded by Zeno of Citium in the 3rd century BCE. Stoicism offers a practical philosophy for living a good life and finding inner peace and happiness.

At its core, Stoicism teaches that virtue, wisdom, and inner tranquility are the keys to living a fulfilling life.

Stoics believe that we cannot control external events or other people, but we have complete control over our own thoughts, attitudes, and actions.

They emphasize the importance of focusing on what is within our control and accepting with equanimity what is not.

Stoicism encourages individuals to cultivate virtues such as wisdom, courage, justice, and self-discipline.

It teaches the importance of living in accordance with reason and nature, and it encourages people to live in harmony with the natural order of the universe.

Stoics emphasize the practice of self-reflection, mindfulness, and self-improvement.

One of the central teachings of Stoicism is the distinction between things that are within our control (internal) and things that are outside our control (external).

Stoics argue that our true happiness and peace of mind come from focusing on developing our inner virtues and qualities, rather than seeking external rewards or relying on external circumstances for our well-being.

Stoicism also promotes the practice of negative visualization, where individuals contemplate and prepare for potential hardships or losses in order to develop resilience and gratitude for what they currently possess.

Stoics advocate for living in the present moment, cultivating gratitude, and maintaining a calm and balanced state of mind in the face of challenges and adversity.

Stoicism has had a lasting impact on Western philosophy and continues to be studied and applied in modern times.

Its principles and teachings resonate with individuals seeking personal growth, resilience, and a philosophy of life that focuses on internal strength and contentment.

What Lessons Can Be Learned from Stoicism and Stoic Quotes?

Stoic quotes serve as profound reminders of the principles and teachings of Stoicism, an ancient philosophy that emphasizes virtue, inner tranquility, and acceptance of one’s circumstances.

These quotes encapsulate the characteristics of Stoicism, such as focusing on virtue, accepting the present moment, cultivating resilience, and seeking self-improvement.

They encourage individuals to adopt a philosophical mindset that prioritizes inner peace, self-control, and the pursuit of a meaningful life.

Stoic quotes offer timeless wisdom and guidance, reminding us to live in accordance with our values, face challenges with courage, and find contentment within ourselves.

By embodying the lessons contained within these quotes, we can cultivate a resilient and fulfilling way of life.

Conclusion

Stoic quotes encapsulate the essence of Stoic philosophy and offer profound insights into how to navigate life’s challenges with wisdom, resilience, and inner peace.

These quotes emphasize the importance of focusing on what is within our control, cultivating virtues, and accepting the impermanence of external circumstances. Stoic quotes inspire self-reflection, personal growth, and the pursuit of a virtuous life.

They remind us to prioritize our thoughts, actions, and character, and to find contentment within ourselves rather than relying on external factors.

By embracing the principles embedded in Stoic quotes, we can cultivate a mindset that allows us to face adversity with courage, find tranquility amidst chaos, and lead a life of virtue and fulfillment.