The Stoic View on Overcoming Difficulties: What Epictetus Teaches Us About Strength

“Difficulties are the things that show what men are.”

Epictetus, The Discourses, Book 1, Chapter 24.1

Life will test you. Sometimes quietly, like a slow leak in your plans. Other times, like a tidal wave, fast and unforgiving. But to the Stoics, none of this is reason to despair. In fact, challenges are exactly what shape us.

Epictetus makes this clear: our character is revealed not when things are easy, but when they are hard. The Stoic view on overcoming difficulties is not about escaping hardship. It is about meeting it with dignity.

In Stoicism, adversity is the forge of virtue. Just as fire tests gold, trials test the soul. The Stoic doesn’t ask for a lighter burden but for broader shoulders.

The Stoic View on Overcoming Difficulties

To Epictetus, every obstacle is an opportunity to practice the virtues we claim to admire: wisdom, courage, justice, and moderation. It’s one thing to read Meditations. It’s another thing to live it, especially when your plans unravel or life throws you a curveball.

Here’s how to live this out in your day-to-day life:

1. Turn inward first
   When difficulty hits, don’t rush to blame external things. Ask, “What’s in my control?” As Marcus Aurelius wrote, the impediment to action becomes the action.
   
2. Reframe the challenge
   Don’t just endure. Interpret. What lesson is hidden in this hardship? How would a Stoic see this? What virtue is this moment asking of you?
   
3. Practice in the small things
   You don’t have to wait for a crisis to train. Use traffic, delays, and small frustrations as practice grounds for patience and strength.
   

Masculinity and Adversity: A Stoic Model

Epictetus wasn’t just talking about humanity in general, his language directly addresses what it means to be a man. In the ancient world, masculinity was defined not by dominance or success, but by how one met hardship. That still holds true today.

The modern Stoic man isn’t someone who avoids struggle. He’s someone who transforms it. If you want to deepen your understanding of how Stoicism speaks to male strength, read our article on What is the Stoic Man?.

We’re not defined by what happens to us, but by how we respond. And if we respond with wisdom, courage, and calm, we become stronger with each test.

🔗 Want to explore more Stoic strategies? Book a free consultation with one of our Stoic Coaches or read more on the Epictetus Quotes page. You can also listen to the Via Stoica podcast on Spotify or Apple Podcasts or watch it on YouTube.