There is no shortage of business owners, high-level athletes, and influencers constantly promoting the importance of discipline for success. Discipline—if we define it as “consistently doing what needs to be done to attain a particular goal”—is very important for success, to be sure.

But does discipline, particularly self-discipline, hold importance in Stoicism, or does its value stop at worldly success?

Defning Stoic success

It’s important that we revisit what it means to be a Stoic:to hold the belief that virtue is the only good, and to strive to live accordingly.

  We need to separate what success means to the Stoic from what it may mean to most people. Success in Stoicism is good character. It isn’t wealth, a fancy car, or a fancy title.

As I hope is clear, this definition is incredibly different from what most people consider success to be.

Are routines Stoic?

Routines naturally get grouped together with discipline, since the two often go hand in hand. If you are disciplined about going to the gym, you most likely have some sort of routine that helps you stay consistent.

Routines are very powerful. They allow you to fit several tasks into the same time window, helping you become more efficient and consistent. Personally, I am a huge proponent of routines.

However, it would be a stretch to say that daily routines are inherently Stoic.

To illustrate this, consider someone who wakes up at the same time every day. They exercise, dress professionally, drive to work, diligently put in a twelve-hour day, and drive home. They repeat this five days a week for years.

Now suppose this person works at a concentration camp in Nazi Germany, helping carry out its atrocities. Sure, they are disciplined and have a rock-solid routine, but one could hardly call their conduct Stoic.

All this to say: routinescanbe part of a Stoic lifestyle, but they do not determine what makes someone Stoic. What we are disciplined about matters.

Self-discipline as a Stoic

With all of the above being said, is there any place in Stoicism for self-discipline? 

The answer is a resounding “yes,” but again, we must be careful.

When considering self-discipline as a Stoic, we must do so in alignment with our understanding of Stoicism. The discipline that matters most is the discipline we apply to our character.

A disciplined Stoic is someone who consistently holds themselves to a high moral standard. In practice, this means acting appropriately on a daily basis, including in all the little moments that nobody else sees.

Let’s use an example.

Say your employer gives you a gas card, with the expectation that you will only use it for work-related travel.

Your boss frequently joins you on work trips. When he is in the passenger seat, you are very diligent about using the card only for its intended purpose. But would you do the same if he weren’t there?

If you misuse the card when your boss is absent, you are not acting in alignment with Stoic principles. Your honesty depends on being watched, rather than on the standard you hold yourself to.

Hence, self-discipline is important in Stoic practice. It is implicit in the effort to live virtuously: we must hold ourselves accountable even when nobody else will.

This doesn’t mean that a single failure makes someone cease to be a Stoic. It means that our commitment to good character must extend beyond the moments when acting well is easy or visible.

Closing remarks

As a conscientious, routine-loving engineer, my day is heavily structured. I wake at the same time every day, go to the gym most mornings, eat many of the same meals, and go to bed at the same time each night.

But the discipline that allows this to happen doesn’t make me a Stoic. What makes me a Stoic is my commitment to the belief that virtue is the only good—and my effort to act accordingly.

My routine helps me organize my day. My character determines what I do with it.

Brandon is most well-known for his podcast, The Strong Stoic Podcast, where he discusses philosophical ideas both solo and with guests. He also coaches individuals to help them be their best selves, writes articles, plays music, manages projects, and several other things.

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