Stoicism - a philosophy for life and business

Stoicism as a philosophy, intellectual movement and practice is relevant and applicable today in many spheres of life. Its influence is noticeable in everything, starting from the personal life of an individual (his psychological, emotional, intellectual state) and continuing with all kinds of interaction with other people, businesses, states and, in general, with humanity. Moreover, this approach is also maximally effective, especially in the modern world, which is constantly rocking on the waves of instability. It is not for nothing that Stoicism is called “the philosophy of difficult times”.

Stoicism as a philosophy, intellectual movement and practice is relevant and applicable today in many spheres of life. Its influence is noticeable in everything, starting from the personal life of an individual (his psychological, emotional, intellectual state) and continuing with all kinds of interaction with other people, businesses, states and, in general, with humanity. Moreover, this approach is also maximally effective, especially in the modern world, which is constantly rocking on the waves of instability. It is not for nothing that Stoicism is called “the philosophy of difficult times”.

The basic virtues, according to the philosophy of Stoicism, are wisdom, courage, justice and moderation. In the first place in this list is wisdom as the ability to distinguish true from false. Next is courage as the ability to change what can be influenced. Moderation is needed to realize that one does not need much to be happy. The goal of all is to achieve what the Greeks called ataraxia, tranquility - the ability to deal with the various circumstances of life in a serene, reasonable manner. The Stoics teach how to live and act even in the most difficult circumstances and still retain the ability to be happy. Today, the word “mindfulness” is most often used to describe this approach to life. “It takes peace of mind to accept what cannot be changed, courage to change what is possible, and wisdom to always distinguish one from the other.” (Massimo Pigliucci, How to be a Stoic)
Today, no one is surprised by the phrase “business philosophy” anymore. Google and Apple have philosophers on staff, and Microsoft has an entire ethics and philosophy department. This practice is gradually being adopted by other companies. And even if a company does not officially have a Chief Philosophy Officer, there is always a person who forms the company's code of ethics, formulates its values and mission. Many companies, including us, disseminate business ethics and company philosophy among their employees and, in addition, select employees who share these values. Our company's values are fully consistent with the teachings of the Stoics. We believe that a balanced, reasonable and unemotional approach to business is important. First and foremost, this means maintaining emotional stability in relationships with partners and colleagues and making informed decisions in the face of uncertainty.

Mastering the skills of wise and courageous attitude to everything around is quite achievable. Many contemporary followers of Stoic philosophy prove this. Stoics say that it is important to have a role model, some kind of ideal, a teacher or a person whom one trusts. “Choose one whose life and speech, and even whose face, in which the soul is reflected, is pleasing to you; and let him be always before your eyes, either as a guardian or as an example.” (Seneca. Moral Letters to Lucilius). It is not necessary to learn by directly interacting with the “teacher”, you can read relevant literature, watch thematic videos or listen to lectures. As the Stoics say, man differs from other animals only by the fact that he is endowed with reason. And it is necessary to be able to use it for the benefit of oneself and others.