50 Motivational Stoicism Quotes on Life (PURPOSE)

Updated onDecember 2, 2023

Top 10 Most Famous Stoicism Quotes

“Complaining does not work as a strategy. We all have finite time and energy. Any time we spend whining is unlikely to help us achieve our goals. And it won’t make us happier.”
Randy Pausch

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 — 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

I begin to speak only when I’m certain what I’ll say isn’t better left unsaid. - Cato — I begin to speak only when I’m certain what I’ll say isn’t better left unsaid. – Cato

Make the mind tougher by exposing it to adversity. - Robert Greene — Make the mind tougher by exposing it to adversity. – Robert Greene

Warriors should suffer their pain silently. - Erin Hunter — Warriors should suffer their pain silently. – Erin Hunter

We should always be asking ourselves Is this something that is, or is not, in my control - Epictetus — We should always be asking ourselves: “Is this something that is, or is not, in my control?” – Epictetus

To be even-minded is the greatest virtue. - Heraclitus — To be even-minded is the greatest virtue. – Heraclitus

It is the power of the mind to be unconquerable. - Seneca — It is the power of the mind to be unconquerable. – Seneca

Your perspective on life comes from the cage you were held captive in. - Shannon L. Alder — Your perspective on life comes from the cage you were held captive in. – Shannon L. Alder

A Stoic is someone who transforms fear into prudence, pain into transformation, mistakes into initiation, and desire into undertaking. - Taleb Nassim Nicholas — A Stoic is someone who transforms fear into prudence, pain into transformation, mistakes into initiation, and desire into undertaking. – Taleb Nassim Nicholas

9 Wise Stoicism Quotes About Life To Help You Be In Control

“Until we have begun to go without them, we fail to realize how unnecessary many things are. We’ve been using them not because we needed them but because we had them.”
Lucius Annaeus Seneca

The most common act of violence is the relentless mental violence we perpetrate upon ourselves with nothing other than our thoughts. - Bill Madden — The most common act of violence is the relentless mental violence we perpetrate upon ourselves with nothing other than our thoughts. – Bill Madden

Too many people believe that everything must be pleasurable in life. - Robert Greene — Too many people believe that everything must be pleasurable in life. – Robert Greene

Be tolerant with others and strict with yourself. - Marcus Aurelius — Be tolerant with others and strict with yourself. – Marcus Aurelius

Self-control is strength. Right thought is mastery. Calmness is power. - James Allen — Self-control is strength. Right thought is mastery. Calmness is power. – James Allen

Man is mostly a collection of emotions, most of which he would do better not to be feeling. - Neel Burton — Man is mostly a collection of emotions, most of which he would do better not to be feeling. – Neel Burton

Waste no more time arguing what a good man should be. Be One. - Marcus Aurelius — Waste no more time arguing what a good man should be. Be One. – Marcus Aurelius

Don’t explain your philosophy. Embody it. - Epictetus — Don’t explain your philosophy. Embody it. – Epictetus

It never ceases to amaze me: we all love ourselves more than other people, but care more about their opinion than our own. - Marcus Aurelius — It never ceases to amaze me: we all love ourselves more than other people, but care more about their opinion than our own. – Marcus Aurelius

14 Inspirational Stoicism quotes

Never let the future disturb you. You will meet it, if you have to, with the same weapons of reason which today arm you against the present. - Marcus Aurelius — Never let the future disturb you. You will meet it, if you have to, with the same weapons of reason which today arm you against the present. – Marcus Aurelius

A gem cannot be polished without friction, nor a man perfected without trials. - Seneca — A gem cannot be polished without friction, nor a man perfected without trials. – Seneca

Problems only exist in the human mind. - Anthony de Mello — Problems only exist in the human mind. – Anthony de Mello

How long are you going to wait before you demand the best for yourself? - Epictetus — How long are you going to wait before you demand the best for yourself? – Epictetus

Discomfort is the currency of success. - Brooke Castillo — Discomfort is the currency of success. – Brooke Castillo

In life, it doesn’t matter what happens to you or where you came from. It matters what you do with what happens and what you’ve been given. - Ryan Holiday — In life, it doesn’t matter what happens to you or where you came from. It matters what you do with what happens and what you’ve been given. – Ryan Holiday

Life is very short and anxious for those who forget the past, neglect the present, and fear the future. - Seneca — Life is very short and anxious for those who forget the past, neglect the present, and fear the future. – Seneca

Difficulty is what wakes up the genius. - Nassim Nicholas Taleb — Difficulty is what wakes up the genius. – Nassim Nicholas Taleb

Common man’s patience will bring him more happiness than common man’s power. - Amit Kalantri — Common man’s patience will bring him more happiness than common man’s power. – Amit Kalantri

What man actually needs is not a tensionless state but rather the striving and struggling for some goal worthy of him. - Viktor Frankl — What man actually needs is not a tensionless state but rather the striving and struggling for some goal worthy of him. – Viktor Frankl

Feeling too much is a hell of a lot better than feeling nothing. - Nora Roberts — Feeling too much is a hell of a lot better than feeling nothing. – Nora Roberts

In order to protect ourselves, we must live like doctors and be continually treating ourselves with reason. - Musonius Rufus — In order to protect ourselves, we must live like doctors and be continually treating ourselves with reason. – Musonius Rufus

Man conquers the world by conquering himself. - Zeno of Citium — Man conquers the world by conquering himself. – Zeno of Citium

When pain comes, it must not derail you from your set virtues. If it does, you have failed to practice your virtues by going with the hype of pain. - Tiisetso Maloma — When pain comes, it must not derail you from your set virtues. If it does, you have failed to practice your virtues by going with the hype of pain. – Tiisetso Maloma

3 Stoicism Quotes on Death

I have to die. If it is now, well then I die now; if later, then now I will take my lunch, since the hour for lunch has arrived – and dying I will tend to later. - Epictetus — I have to die. If it is now, well then I die now; if later, then now I will take my lunch, since the hour for lunch has arrived – and dying I will tend to later. – Epictetus

You could leave life right now. Let that determine what you do and say and think. - Marcus Aurelius — You could leave life right now. Let that determine what you do and say and think. – Marcus Aurelius

He who fears death will never do anything worth of a man who is alive. - Seneca — He who fears death will never do anything worth of a man who is alive. – Seneca

14 Stoicism Quotes that Will Make You Think

“No great thing is created suddenly, any more than a bunch of grapes or a fig. If you tell me that you desire a fig, I answer that there must be time. Let it first blossom, then bear fruit, then ripen.”
Epictetus

Imagine smiling after a slap in the face. Then think of doing it twenty-four hours a day. - Markus Zusak — Imagine smiling after a slap in the face. Then think of doing it twenty-four hours a day. – Markus Zusak

Sometimes in life we must fight not only without fear, but also without hope. - Alessandro Pertini — Sometimes in life we must fight not only without fear, but also without hope. – Alessandro Pertini

If you are pained by any external thing, it is not this thing that disturbs you, but your own judgment about it. And it is in your power to wipe out this judgment now. - Marcus Aurelius — If you are pained by any external thing, it is not this thing that disturbs you, but your own judgment about it. And it is in your power to wipe out this judgment now. – Marcus Aurelius

The things you think about determine the quality of your mind. - Marcus Aurelius — The things you think about determine the quality of your mind. – Marcus Aurelius

Always resignation and acceptance. Always prudence and honor and duty. Elinor, where is your heart - Jane Austen — Always resignation and acceptance. Always prudence and honor and duty. Elinor, where is your heart? – Jane Austen

The robbed that smiles steals something from the thief. - Othello — The robbed that smiles steals something from the thief. – Othello

I hear my silence talked of in every lane; The suppression of a cry is itself a cry of pain. - Darshan Singh — I hear my silence talked of in every lane; The suppression of a cry is itself a cry of pain. – Darshan Singh

There will never come a time when I will be able to resist my emotions. - Louise Erdrich — There will never come a time when I will be able to resist my emotions. – Louise Erdrich

We should not, like sheep, follow the herd of creatures in front of us, making our way where others go, not where we ought to go. - Seneca — We should not, like sheep, follow the herd of creatures in front of us, making our way where others go, not where we ought to go. – Seneca

We’re never unhappy until we remember why we’re supposed to be unhappy. - Daniel V. Chappell — We’re never unhappy until we remember why we’re supposed to be unhappy. – Daniel V. Chappell

Love sometimes injures. Friendship always benefits, after friendship is formed you must trust, but before that you must judge. - Seneca — Love sometimes injures. Friendship always benefits, after friendship is formed you must trust, but before that you must judge. – Seneca

The best revenge is not to be like your enemy. - Marcus Aurelius — The best revenge is not to be like your enemy. – Marcus Aurelius

Having the fewest wants, I am nearest to the gods. - Socrates — Having the fewest wants, I am nearest to the gods. – Socrates

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