How striving for moral excellence produces an authentic life

What are we, at our foundation? What is the fundament of human nature? Time and time again, people have pondered this question throughout civilization over millennia. And despite the vast distances of time and space, they always came back to one thing: character. Man is a moral creature. We thrive not by seeking out what is best for ourselves, but by caring for and cooperating with others. We are, at our core, evolved to make choices that weave the tapestry of our lives and are woven into the lives of others. Our character defines us more than our thoughts, more than our words, more than our possessions.

It is from that fundamental observation of human nature that we can conclude the path to a fulfilling life lies not in accruing wealth or power or health everlasting, but in sculpting for ourselves a persona composed of our convictions. Our choices, the moral code by which we live our lives, make us who we are. And a moral code that values fairness and kindness and courage – one that does not crumble to the pressure of expectation or to the coercive allure of comfort – is the means by which we live a good life.

That which cannot be taken

But we have been conditioned to believe that the pursuit of amoral ends will produce a life worth living. We have been taught that health, wealth, and reputation matter more than our character. Yet none of those things are truly yours. You may be a pinnacle of physical wellbeing one moment, then stricken with debilitating disease in the next. You may be the wealthiest person in the world with riches that you yourself could not spend in ten lifetimes or more, but lose it all in the blink of an eye. You may be adored and respected by all, but have your reputation tarnished by lies and slander.

Fear of doing the right thing

When you value these things above who you are, you sacrifice yourself to the whims of fate and circumstance. This false value stirs up a fear in us that doing the right thing will harm us, that being a good person matters less than the comfort of making the easy choices. That misplaced fear causes us to compromise our character. Instead, we clutch desperately to that which can be taken from us in an instant. But that changes us over time. We become timid, afraid of losing the comfortable existence we have eked out by giving up on doing the right thing.

And yet, we do not have to live in fear if we embrace what cannot be taken from us: our choices. Even if we are physically decrepit, financially bankrupt, and bereft of power, we still have our choice. And in every moment, a choice comes our way. We can choose to do the right thing or the wrong thing. We choose for ourselves if we will be a good person or not. Nobody else can take this choice from us, nobody else can make the choice for us. It is ours to choose and ours alone. And by placing value in the power of our choice, by choosing to cultivate our capacity to make the right choice, we place value in the only thing that cannot be taken – the only thing with any true value in our lives.

Excellence is not perfection

The more we choose the moral thing – the good thing – the more fulfilling our life becomes and the more our character shines. It seems intimidating at first. But it begins by acknowledging that our moral character is the only thing we truly have. It progresses by gradually unlearning the vapid values that society has instilled in us. Ultimately, it requires us to embody what the Stoics called virtue.

Yet while the pursuit of moral excellence leads to a good life, we should not mistake that for perfection. There will inevitably come a time when we err. Excellence comes from consistency of character and choice and conviction. It doesn’t come from never erring, but in gradually doing so less frequently and less severely.

You are your choices and habits

Your habits determine who you become; for the soul is dyed by the colour of its thoughts. - Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, 5.15

You are your choices. When you look back on the tapestry of your life – would you prefer it to have been colored by the muted tones of comfort and convenience, or the strong hues of a consistent character?

As Stoics, we understand that placing importance on things we ultimately cannot control is a losing proposition to our well-being. 

John Kuna is a Stoic prokopton, writer, and dog lover. He likes digging deep into Stoic theory, but also writing accessible and inspiring Stoic content.

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