A centuries old philosophy holds true in the modern age: Stoicism remains a useful tool for living a good life. When you keep in mind the four stoic virtues in your everyday actions you’ll find peace and meaning during your short time on this earth.
These virtues do require a stoic to contemplate their life’s work and evaluate regularly how we hold up to these high ideals.
So as we go about our day, we remind ourselves to be wise and just and to do so with courage and temperance.
Wisdom
First and foremost we must pursue wisdom. Everything we are comes from what we know and understand. All our choices stem from the knowledge in our heads.
wisdom they define as the knowledge of things good and evil and of what is neither good nor evil…
Diogenes Laërtius
There is much contained in that simple quote: knowing good and evil aids in your ability to mete out Justice. Knowing what is neither aids in your ability to act with Courage.
Justice
Justice is the ability to analyze and respond with the right amount of what is needed for the situation. The “just” amount. Relying on on our wisdom we navigate our lives making decisions and taking action to do good and fight evil.
Courage
To speak when you conclude you should, and to be silent when that’s the better option. That is what courage provides. We often hear about heroes who acted with courage, but not those who refrained. The absence of action can be as courageous a demonstration of the Stoic Virtues as any.
Temperance
One of the more remarkable traits of a good stoic is the ability to maintain self control. Temperance in all things: consumption, and production. Avoiding excess and finding satisfaction in the least of things frees a stoic from undue concern and expands our opportunity to do good in this life.