The Pyramid of Stoic Thought

I’m about to join the exemplary bastion of Stoic thinkbois.

You know the kind. The ones that stumbled upon Stoicism reading Tim Ferris a decade ago. They read Seneca and Marcus Aurelius “to learn from the source.” They picked up one of Ryan Holiday’s bangers. The Obstacle is the Way was my choice. 

The study of Stoicism has gone from novel, to tech-circles-mainstream, to a descriptor in a wider pejorative (Patagonia vests, Teslas, and Oura rings are part of this family as well). It’s a shame that we’ve looked past the virtues of Stoicism to virtue signal the same way we’ve gone from knowing all the words to Nickelback’s anthem How you Remind Me, to ridiculing anyone that professes their fondness for them (“Never made as a wise man…” you know the rest). 

However, I don’t know anyone that wouldn’t benefit from a school of thought that brings awareness to our agency over our perspective, imparts the importance of living richly over being rich, and asks us to constantly reflect on the congruence between our values and our behavior.

We live in a crisis of belief despite the impression that social media has made us more dogmatic. Perhaps, it is the fact that we are presented with so many dogmas that leads us to not being intentional about which ones we bring into our value system. We fall to the same paralysis analysis as choosing what kind of chocolate we want at the supermarket.

So let me give you a closer look at Stoicism through a framework which I believe captures its main lessons while remaining practical. At best, this will encourage you to explore Stoicism disregarding the stigma that’s developed around it. At worst, it may make you more conscious about the beliefs you have (or lack) and will encourage you to be more intentional. 

My favorite pyramid 

One of the OGs of Stoicism, Epictetus, outlined the seven functions of the mind. He writes in Discourses:

“The proper work of the mind is the exercise of choice, refusal, yearning, repulsion, preparation, purpose, and assent. What then can pollute and clog the mind’s proper functioning? Nothing but its own corrupt decisions.”

If we focus on these seven elements, our thinking will be more clear and our lives will be regulated by the practicality of Stoic philosophy. I present to you the pyramid of Stoic thought.

Assent is the foundation of all these functions. It refers to having clarity about what we can and cannot control. For those things we cannot control, assent also refers to practicing acceptance at our inability to influence external forces. If we can discern what we can and cannot control in our lives, it will clear up 80% of the mental junk that clouds our thinking. Practicing assent takes our mind from being overcast with thoughts to a sunny day with sporadic clouds.

From there on, preparation and yearning build on top of assent. Preparation refers to being adaptable to any situation that comes. This adaptability comes from being process oriented instead of outcome driven, as well as being intentional. Yearning refers to the desire for self-improvement. Both of these are coupled because they benefit from the clarity assent provides, and reinforce each other. Our yearning to be better drives the need to be more resilient and adaptable, and the more we practice preparation, the more we will continue to yearn for self-improvement. 

Both of these elements help drive purpose. Purpose is the north star by which we live our life. If your purpose is as clear as a Picasso painting, don’t fret. You can think of your purpose in what you are doing today, particularly what brings you joy, even if it seems mundane or banal. Starting there will drive more clarity. 

Repulsion and Refusal are the shields that allow the triad of preparation-yearning-purpose to thrive. Repulsion is about managing the bad influences that can derail us. It is all about setting boundaries. And Refusal is about self-control. Repulsion is protection from the enemies outside and Refusal is protection from the enemies within.

Finally, Choice is the expression of our purpose. The choices we make need to be congruent with our purpose. If one violates this congruence, it’s felt in the body; it’s that tension where one realizes that they are not living life as they want it to be, or catch themselves in clear contradictions of thought and behavior. 

Stoicism is both overrated and underrated in today’s society. But in a world where our polarization is fracturing what we know to be true, I’ve found Stoicism to be a strong anchor, and I’ve found this framework a great reference to help me think clearly and give my mind more sunny days.