The 7 Habits of Highly Stoic People

People who don’t practice Stoicism get easily surprised. Especially by the behavior of others. “I can’t believe they did that!” is something you will frequently hear from the non-Stoic.

But a Stoic prepares themselves for the bad behavior of others. Why? Because they know that it is natural for people to behave badly. That is what people do, all the time, every single day. And Stoics never allow themselves to get upset over things that occur frequently and naturally.

Someone who isn’t a Stoic will panic when things go wrong. Things tend to catch them off guard. When things don’t go according to plan, they get confused, lost. Unsure how to respond to unforeseen circumstances.

But a Stoic remains calm when things go sideways. They know that getting upset will not do anything to help a bad situation. So they remain at ease, accept things as they are, and get to work on a solution.

Non-Stoics are busy, chasing more, (more money, more possessions, more attention). They think that they will be happy if they get that next possession or achievement. Then they get it, realize they are still unhappy, and chase the next thing. A vicious cycle of chasing but never catching.

The Stoic stands out by standing still. They don’t chase after possessions. You will not see them driving in a fancy car or wearing the latest fashions. They realize that they already have everything that truly matters. They know that when you are happy with what you have, you never need more than what you hav

People who don’t practice Stoicism are always upset with their current situation. They think the weather is too hot, or too cold .Or when the store is out of something they wanted to buy. Every small first-world problem turns into a crisis that they feel sorry for themselves over.

The Stoic, accepts things exactly as they are. They know there is no possible way things could be different than they are at this very moment. Why get upset over it? The weather is what the weather is. They put their focus on how they can influence the future and accept the present moment, just as it is.

Most people talk more than they listen. In a conversation, they will be the ones who talk over the other person. Or they are bursting at the seems for the next nanosecond pause to blurt out what they have to say. Or they simply dominate the conversation, never giving their conversation partner a chance to speak.

But Stoics hold conversations differently. They are the quiet one who listens intently. They give the other person space to speak. They know that by speaking they will not learn anything new, they can only learn by listening.

The typical person fears death. They don’t want to talk about it. They don’t want to think about it. The specter of their own death hangs over them and they refuse to face the fact they will die.

But a Stoic actually thinks about their own death…often. They take time to reflect upon their mortality and the fact that they will one day die. It sounds depressing, but actually, it is inspiring. Stoics know that reflecting on their own death helps them to appreciate their life that much more.