Why Self-Compassion Is Essential for Stoic Progress

Welcome to the Via Stoica Podcast, the podcast on Stoicism.
In this episode, we explore why self compassion matters if we want to make real progress. Stoicism is demanding, and it can easily turn into a quiet kind of perfectionism, where every mistake feels like failure. But the Stoics were never asking us to be finished, they were asking us to keep training.

Marcus Aurelius begins his reflections on Antoninus Pius with a simple lesson:

“compassion.”

Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, 1.17

For the Stoics, this wasn’t about being soft or excusing yourself, but about staying fair, steady, and willing to learn. When Marcus points to compassion, he isn’t encouraging comfort for its own sake, but reminding us that harsh self judgment clouds reason, and makes it harder to correct course.

You will hear practical reflections on the difference between being nice and being kind, how to use the Pause to step back instead of spiraling, and how the four virtues can guide honest self review without self punishment. The goal is not to lower the standard, but to keep moving toward it, as a student, one decision at a time.

Listen to the full episode now and discover how self compassion can transform the way you think, act, and see your life.

Read the related article: https://viastoica.com/why-stoic-progress-requires-self-compassion/

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