How to Train Yourself to Be More Stoic

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How do we train ourselves to be more stoic? My favorite technique is a what's called negative visualization. So imagine that you've lost your job, and then snap out of it and go on with life. You're one of the luckiest individuals ever inhabit the universe. And yet, if you have the wrong frame of mind, you know, poor, poor, pitiful me,. somebody feels sorry for me. Look how terrible it is.

Author and philosophy professor William Irvine goes in-depth on Stoicism, and why the fundamental tenets of this ancient philosophy can provide answers to some of the toughest problems in today’s society. On this episode Irvine offers a definition and some useful background on Stoicism and its origins, the original Stoics, their thoughts on failure, their advice on decision making, and how we can train ourselves to be more stoic.

Irvine has written seven books including the wildly popular 2008 release A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy, and the 2019 follow-up, The Stoic Challenge: A Philosopher's Guide to Becoming Tougher, Calmer, and More Resilient. Irvine also teaches philosophy and logic courses at Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio.

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