Introduction: Stoic Lessons for Becoming a Philosopher of Your Own Life

Part 1: What Life Skills Do We Need?
Chapter 1 [Wisdom] Misfortune can never diminish our happiness - Zeno of Citium, founder of Stoic philosophy
Chapter 2 [Attitude to Life] Whatever you do well, however humble, is noble - Cleanthes, the advocate of diligence and sincerity
Chapter 3 [Critical Spirit] Listen to Your Inner Voice - Aristotle, the Controversial Challenger
Chapter 4 [Passion] Live Your Life to the Fullest - Chrysippus, the Warrior Who Protected the Stoa
Chapter 5 [Calling] There is a role that only I can play - Zeno of Tarsus, the silent administrator
Chapter 6 [Coolheadedness] How to Overcome Harsh Reality - Diogenes, the Diplomat Who Protected Greece

Part 2: Time to Ask Me Questions
Chapter 7 [Ethics] Why We Must Live Truthfully - Antipater, the Ethicist Who Concerned About the Problem of Sunshine
Chapter 8 [Life] What is a Balanced Life? _ Panaetius, the Connector Between Greece and Rome
Chapter 9 [Conviction] Is It Worth Risking Everything to Protect? _Rutilius, the Icon of Honesty
Chapter 10 [Virtue] What Can I Control? - Posidonius, the Genius Who Pursued Truth
Chapter 11 [Hatred] What to Do When You're Angry - Diotimus, the Troublemaker Blinded by Revenge
Chapter 12 [Greed] Can Desire Be Controlled? - Cicero, the Great Intellectual Wanderer
Chapter 13 [Principles] How to Live as Your True Self - Kato, the Uncompromising Iron Man
Chapter 14 [Courage] Are You Always Ready to Do the Right Thing? _ A Decisive Woman, Portia Cato

Part 3: What You Need for a Better Life
Chapter 15 [Equanimity] With what attitude should we live? _ Athenodorus, the Emperor's first teacher
Chapter 16 [Sincerity] There is no useless person among the diligent _ Arius, the second teacher who laid the cornerstone of Pax Romana
Chapter 17 [Self] If I can't be myself, I'd rather die - Agrippinus, the individualist who lived true to himself until the end
Chapter 18 [Optional] At the Crossroads of Life, Where Should We Go? _Seneca, the Great Intellect with Two Faces
Chapter 19 [Luck] Sometimes misfortune becomes good fortune - Cornutus, the wise man who welcomed the banishment
Chapter 20 [Death] If you can't avoid it, choose to die as well as possible - Plautus, the philosopher who almost became emperor
Chapter 21 [Mind] Nothing Can Harm the Soul - Thracea, a Dignified Principler

Part 4: So How Should We Live?
Chapter 22 [Justice] Your Actions Show You _ Helvidius, Rome's Defender Against Injustice
Chapter 23 [Practice] If you cannot avoid suffering, make a more worthwhile decision - Musonius, the philosopher who treated everyone equally
Chapter 24 [Freedom] Find what is yours that can never be taken away - Epictetus, philosopher born into slavery
Chapter 25 [Duty] Just do what you have to do - Junius Rusticus, the teacher who gave birth to the Iron Emperor
Chapter 26 [Reflection] Do what is right, and the rest is irrelevant - Marcus Aurelius, the great practitioner of Stoic philosophy

A life without action is worthless.
Sources and References

“Stoic philosophy is a philosophy that overcomes misfortune.”

Two thousand years ago, when philosophers from various schools of thought, starting in Greece, were discussing 'philosophy for philosophy's sake', Stoic philosophy began not as a battle of logic, but with the goal of changing actual life.
The Stoic philosophers studied philosophy while also working to make a living, like Cleanthes, and worked as diplomats for the good of their country, like Diogenes.
He also became the prime minister of the country and participated in real-world politics, advising on policies that could bring change to the lives of many people.
Of course, he did not neglect the task of establishing theories, and in particular, Cicero and Seneca left behind numerous writings, passing on the lessons of Stoic philosophy to later generations.

In fact, it can be said that Stoic philosophy was practical from its birth.
Zeno of Citium, the founder of Stoic philosophy, was originally a large merchant.
One day, Zeno's ship, laden with cargo, was wrecked, and he lost his entire fortune overnight.
In the worst situation where everyone is left with no choice but to despair, Zeno does not give in to misfortune, but turns the crisis into an opportunity and begins to explore 'true philosophy applicable to life' under the 'Stoa Poikile', meaning 'painted colonnade'.
And he created the 'philosophy of overcoming misfortune' by saying, "The ship was wrecked, but the voyage was successful."

In this way, the enlightenment gained from hardship becomes a powerful weapon for living life and a skill of resilience that rebuilds a broken daily life.
Stoic philosophers divide life into "controllable" and "uncontrollable" things, and say that the only thing you can control in life is yourself.
Hardship and disaster are beyond our control.
But there is no way to avoid unexpected misfortune.
So, instead of meaninglessly obsessing over the misfortune that has already occurred, we should simply practice equanimity (apatheia) and go about doing what we have to do now.


From the lives of 26 philosophers
The art of maintaining balance in life without being swayed by hardship

"The Stoic Lessons" covers the lives of 26 philosophers regardless of class, gender, or occupation, from Zeno of Citium, the founder of Stoic philosophy, to Cleanthes, who worked hard his entire life as a manual laborer, to the diplomat Diogenes, to the politicians and philosophers Cicero and Seneca, who were active in the Roman era, to the female philosopher Cato Porcia, to the philosopher Epictetus, who was born a slave, and to the philosopher emperor Marcus Aurelius.
Through this, various philosophers present various weapons of life that they have discovered to support their daily lives.
The life of Epictetus, a philosopher born into slavery, was a series of sufferings.
There was no compensation for his labor, and he was overworked by his master, to the point where he ended up limping in one leg.
However, he says, while we can't undo what happened, we can choose how we react to it, and that choice ultimately determines what kind of life we ​​lead.
Epictetus' teachings also influenced Marcus Aurelius, who later became the philosopher emperor.
Although he left behind the reputation of being the Iron Emperor of Rome, Marcus had to endure many hardships.
He suffered from chronic illness and lost eight of his thirteen children.
During his reign, there were 15 years of plague and 19 years of constant war.
But he said, “Do the right thing.
“The rest is not important,” he said, striving to maintain a moderate life and the peace of the country.

There are not only philosophers who lived honorably like these.
In the early days of the Stoic school, Aristotle, who opposed Zeno's teachings, was criticized for bringing disrepute to the school, but his powerful message of 'living simply and detachedly' later influenced the core ideas of Stoic philosophy.
Also, from the life of Agrippinus, who stood firm in his convictions against Emperor Tiberius, we learn the lesson: 'If I cannot be myself, it is better to die.'
Faced with the death of Seneca, the teacher of tyrants and a great intellectual, we realize that we must strive to die well as much as we strive to live well.
Through the lives and deaths of philosophers who each experienced different hardships but overcame them with their own unique weapons, we can learn the art of maintaining balance in life without being swayed by hardship.

Coping with an uncertain future in an age of chaos
The Philosophical Bible of Silicon Valley Leaders

Author Ryan Holiday presents seven Stoic philosophy messages that will transform your morning and evening routine.
First, always do the right thing.
Second, love your present life.
Third, think about the worst case scenario.
Fourth, where there are obstacles, there is a way.
Fifth, let go of your ego.
Sixth, we are all connected.
Seventh, never forget that everyone must die.

The message of Stoic philosophy offers a wise way to navigate the 'VUCA era', where everything is difficult to predict.
Indeed, Silicon Valley's top leaders, those driving change through cutting-edge technology, are applying this philosophy to their lives.
Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey walks to work every morning and practices fasting and cold bathing, much like Zeno of Citium, who advocated for moderation and a simple life.
Kevin Rose, founder of Digg.com, also uses Stoic philosophy to cope with unpredictable changes and pain, and Tim Ferriss, bestselling author of Tools of Titans, said, “Stoic philosophy is the best weapon to protect my life when I face difficulties that are difficult to control.”
Even the wealthy and prestigious leaders of Silicon Valley, including their "philosophy mentor" and author of "Stoic Lessons," Ryan Holiday, are no different from us in that they live in a rapidly changing era and compete for survival every day.
All human beings are naked and defenseless before fate.
What separates those who survive misfortune from those who don't is whether they practice philosophy and develop the strong mental muscles that will not crumble under the inevitable blows.