Temperance is a kind of power

We often think of temperance as denial, as a strict rule that strips joy from the moment. But the Stoics saw it quite differently: as the steady hand on the wheel, guiding us away from distraction, compulsion, and excess— and toward a life that reflects our highest values. For those engaged in Stoic practice, temperance wasn't punishment; it was freedom.

There is only one way to happiness and that is to cease worrying about things which are beyond the power of our will. - Epictetus, Enchiridion, 1

And what lies beyond the power of our will? The outcome of an argument. The pull of desire. The temptation to indulge, to overdo, to overstate, to overspend. It's easy to surrender to excess when we feel powerless. But temperance reminds us: we can feel temptation and not succumb to it. We do have power—if we choose to focus on what we can control.

More is not better

In a culture that equates “more” with success, practicing temperance can feel like swimming upstream. We’re told fulfillment comes from accumulation—of things, of praise, of influence. But the Stoics offer a counterweight: real satisfaction comes from knowing when enough is enough.

The greatest wealth is a poverty of desires.
- Seneca, On the Happy Life

This isn’t a call to asceticism—it’s an invitation to alignment. What we eat, what we say, how we spend our time: these are the raw materials that build our character. Temperance is choosing wisely, even when it’s inconvenient.

The quiet reward

When I think of temperance, I think of self-trust. Talking about values is easy; living them consistently is harder. But that consistency builds confidence. It strengthens the bridge between intention and action. It turns habit into virtue.
The more I practice temperance, the less I’m surprised by my impulses. I’m learning to pause and ask: “Is this necessary? Is this helpful? Is this mine to do?”

You have power over your mind—not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.
- Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, 6.8

That pause is powerful. In the space between stimulus and response, I often hear my better self, asking me to be patient.

A radical act

In today’s world, moderation can feel like rebellion. We are encouraged to amplify, indulge, hustle, consume. Choosing restraint takes courage and clarity. It demands responsibility for our inner life, even as the outer world pulls us in every direction.

Drunkenness is nothing but voluntary madness.
- Seneca, Moral Letters, 83.18

That said, temperance doesn’t mean we live in denial of pleasure, ambition, or joy. It means we aren’t ruled by those feelings. We allow them, but we don’t let them dictate the terms of our lives.

Temperance in daily life

Temperance isn’t only personal—it’s collective. In my work focused on food systems, I spend much of my time trying to create solutions that feed more hungry people while reducing food waste and keeping edible food out of landfills. Globally, we produce more than enough food to feed everyone, yet many go hungry while others throw edible meals away. This isn’t just a logistical failure—it’s an ethical one. It’s a failure of temperance in consumption, and a failure of justice in distribution.

The Stoics understood this too: that temperance isn’t about scarcity for its own sake. It’s about right use. It’s about limits, and honouring them—not just in our appetites, but in our systems. When we consume without awareness, we create imbalance. Gluttony and waste on one end, hunger and lack on the other.

Gluttony is nothing other than lack of self-control with respect to food, and human beings prefer food that is pleasant to food that is nutritious.
- Musonius Rufus, Lectures and Sayings

The practice of temperance, then, becomes an act of social responsibility. When we waste less, we share more. When we take only what we need, we create space for others to thrive.

Returning to the moment

When I slip—saying too much, reaching for what I don’t need—I return to my practice to realign and to remind myself that I always have a choice. And that choice, repeated over time, becomes a life.

Temperance isn’t about restraint for its own sake. It’s about balance, justice, and care. About asking, what is enough?—and trusting that enough is, in fact, plenty.

Because in that small act of temperance is the seed of something steady, strong, and free—not just for me, but for the world I’m helping to shape by living more in accordance with nature.

Andi Sciacca serves as the Chief Academic Officer and as the Director of Accreditation & Assessment for the European Graduate School. She is also the Environmental Sustainability Program Coordinator for the FEED MKE Program for the City of Milwaukee.

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