Monday’s can be difficult.
You wake up, it’s the start of a new week and you might be feeling a bit anxious.
Your mind is racing ahead to all the things you need to do and all the challenges you need to overcome.
It can be a bit daunting.
So here’s a mood booster for you.
A reason why you don’t need to feel so bad, why you should be grateful for your life and why today is a great day to be you.
Hopefully, this week isn’t too bad as (if you’re in the UK), you’ve got Monday to relax.
May has been great for bank holidays, which also means it’s been great for reflection. Time away from work gives us space to think about our lives and how we live them.
And for me, it means I get to read more philosophy, which is always a good thing.
It’s this bank holiday reading that has sparked my post today on Stoic happiness.
I think they are the only school of thought to get close to what it means to be happy.
I’m not sure it’s perfect, but it’s the closest I’ve come across.
In essence, they argue that happiness comes solely from virtuous actions and thoughts.
Therefore, there is nothing external that can bring happiness. Externals being everything from money to job promotions to holidays.
It’s a difficult thought to comprehend, and we’ll work through it in this post slowly.
So let’s delve into the timeless wisdom of Stoic philosopher Seneca, particularly his essay “On the Happy Life.”
Who Was Seneca?
Briefly, Lucius Annaeus Seneca, known simply as Seneca, was a Roman Stoic philosopher, statesman, and playwright who lived from 4 BCE to 65 CE. He was an advisor to the Emperor, and his writings have had a lasting impact on philosophy.
The Stoics, including Seneca, Marcus Aurelius and Epictetus, believed that virtue is the highest good. Their philosophy emphasizes rationality, self-control, and the understanding that many aspects of life are beyond our control.
Why Externals Don’t Bring Happiness
According to the Stoics, external pursuits such as wealth, status, and pleasure are considered “indifferents.”
This doesn’t mean they are bad, but they are not necessary for happiness.
To prove this point they simply ask you to ponder how many ‘rich’ people you know who are unhappy. And how many ‘poor’ people you know are happy.
Feel free to replace rich and poor with important/unimportant job, expensive/cheap holiday or big/small house.
If these externals were conducive to happiness, you would see far more happy rich, important people with expensive holidays and big houses. But you don’t. If anything, they tend to be the most miserable people.
The Stoics further argue that these external goods should be detached from because they can be easily lost and are outside of our control.
You may lose your house to a natural disaster, or your money in a bad investment.
Therefore, to place happiness upon these external things is a fool’s pursuit.
We are much better off treating them as indifferent.
If they come into our hands, great. Indeed, we may prefer to have these externals. But we acknowledge that they are neither necessary nor sufficient for happiness.
If they don’t come into our hands, that’s great too. Because we don’t need them for happiness.
What’s important is that we focus on what remains within our control; our judgments, desires, and actions. Essentially our character and virtue.
Action Tip: Reflect on what truly matters to you beyond material possessions. Set goals that focus on personal growth and character development rather than just accumulating things (like how kind you are to other people). Practice gratitude daily for what you have, emphasizing experiences and relationships over objects. Do a visualisation exercise where you lose your house or job; how would you react?
Virtue: The Only True Good
Seneca argues that the only thing truly worth pursuing is virtue in our actions and thoughts.
Virtue here encompasses courage, justice, temperance, and wisdom.
He states, “Virtue is the only good that is unassailable, and which remains ever unshaken.”
What he means by this, is that it is the only thing truly within our control.
Virtue provides a steady, reliable foundation for happiness because it is within our control.
No matter what external circumstances we face, we can always choose to act virtuously.
If we have a lot of money, we can use this money to help charities. If we have little money, we can use our time to help others.
The external is indifferent to the virtue we can show.
By focusing on virtue, the Stoics argue, we can cultivate a stable and enduring happiness that external goods can never provide.
Action Tip: Identify situations in your daily life where you can practice these virtues:
- Courage: Stand up for what you believe in, even when it’s difficult.
- Justice: Treat others fairly and speak out against injustice.
- Temperance: Exercise self-control, especially in situations that test your patience.
- Wisdom: Make thoughtful decisions based on knowledge and experience.
Why Virtue Brings Lasting Happiness (Different to Joy)
Happiness, which we will feel by focusing on virtue over anything else, is different from joy.
Joy is fleeting, often derived from temporary pleasures like buying a new car or enjoying a delicious meal.
At this point, you might be thinking ‘okay then, but I like feeling joy. You haven’t convinced me to forgo my nice meals and holidays for virtue. I can’t see how virtue will bring me happiness in any shape or form.’
Fair enough. It’s here that we bring in Kahneman.
Daniel Kahneman explains that humans have two selves; an experiencing self and a remembering self.
Joy is tied to the experiencing self, which enjoys momentary pleasures.
Your experiencing self wants to taste rich food, drive an expensive car, buy a big house and have the status of a powerful job.
Your remembering self, which reflects on our life as a whole, finds contentment in a life well-lived. It finds happiness in the stories we tell ourselves about our lives. Therefore, it finds happiness in looking back on good, virtuous things you have done.
This remembering self is the one who will be with you on your death bed.
And this remembering self is the one who is chiefly responsible for your happiness.
Therefore, if we want to be happy, we must do things that please the remembering self.
We must do things like take food round to an elderly neighbour and stop for a chat. Or be patient with our partner during an argument. Or remember our friends birthday and get them a thoughtful gift.
When this charade we call life is all over, it will be these virtuous moments that bring you happiness.
It’s the remembering self that takes charge and tells you if you’re happy.
If we want to be happy, we must act for the remembering self.
Fail to do this, and your experiencing self will take over. You’ll have a big house and a fancy job, but no memories or happiness to go with them.
Action Tip: Focus on creating lasting memories that reflect your values. Instead of spending money on temporary pleasures, invest time in activities that build your character and strengthen your relationships. Journal regularly to reflect on your actions and decisions, ensuring they align with your virtues.
A Life Well Lived
The happiness that virtue brings is not a series of fleeting pleasures but a deep, abiding contentment.
It’s the peace of mind that comes from knowing you have acted justly, shown courage in the face of adversity, exercised temperance in your desires, and applied wisdom in your decisions.
Seneca assures us, “A good character is the only guarantee of everlasting, carefree happiness.”
By prioritizing virtue, we naturally extend kindness to others and put their needs above our fleeting desires. This not only enriches our lives but also fosters a sense of community and mutual support.
Action Tip: Look for opportunities to help others daily. Volunteer, offer support to friends and family, and practice random acts of kindness. Notice how these actions enhance your sense of purpose and fulfillment.
A Shift in Perspective
Adopting this Stoic approach requires a shift in how we value things in life. Seneca advises us to see external goods as secondary to our pursuit of virtue.
He states, “Begin at once to live, and count each separate day as a separate life.”
Each day offers a new opportunity to live virtuously, bringing us closer to true happiness.
Action Tip: Start each day with a moment of reflection or meditation, setting an intention to live virtuously. Remind yourself that each day is an opportunity to practice and embody these virtues, regardless of external circumstances.
Conclusion: The Path to True Happiness
Seneca’s wisdom in “On the Happy Life” guides us toward a more profound, enduring happiness rooted in virtue.
By shifting our focus from fleeting pleasures to the cultivation of courage, justice, temperance, and wisdom, we can achieve a life well-lived, filled with lasting contentment and peace of mind.
As you embark on your week, remember that the pursuit of virtue is the key to true happiness.
Be kind, be courageous, act justly, and apply wisdom in your daily life. In doing so, you will find a happiness that endures beyond the momentary joys of external possessions.
Love, as always,
Max
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