Book SummaryA Guide to the Good Life, by William B. Irvine

1-Page Summary1-Page Book Summary of A Guide to the Good Life

What’s a good life—and how can you live one? According to William B. Irvine, those are the basic questions at the heart of Stoic philosophy, an ancient Greek and Roman school of thought whose answers, he says, are just as relevant today as they were almost 2,000 years ago. In A Guide to the Good Life, Irvine offers a brief history of Stoicism, an overview of its philosophical tenets, and a step-by-step guide to Stoic techniques designed to help you live well—which means being happier, calmer, and more fulfilled.

A Guide to the Good Life was published in 2008 and predates other contemporary reinterpretations of Stoicism such as Ryan...

A Guide to the Good Life Summary Part 1: Why Stoicism Matters Today

Before we get into specific techniques for practicing Stoicism, it’s worth unpacking just what we mean when we say that Stoicism is a guide for living well. In this section, we’ll discuss what Stoicism is (and isn’t), how the ancient Stoics conceived of a good life, and how you might benefit from developing a Stoic practice.

What Stoicism Is—and Isn’t

To better understand Stoic thought—and to avoid some contemporary misconceptions about what it means to be “stoic”—we’ll briefly consider the historical context and basic tenets of Stoicism. As we’ll see, Irvine’s version of Stoicism involves developing joy and minimizing unhappiness by controlling your desires and finding internal—rather than external—sources of fulfillment.

The Pursuit of the Good Life

Stoicism began in Greece around 300 BC and spread to Rome around 140 BC. Irvine describes it as a “philosophy of life.” In other words, Stoicism isn’t interested in abstract theoretical questions—it’s interested in how to live well. Irvine argues that ancient Stoic philosophers were concerned with dispensing practical advice about how you should think and behave in order to achieve a good life. (Shortform...

A Guide to the Good Life Summary Part 2: How to Practice Stoicism

Now that we’ve discussed what Stoicism is and how it might benefit you, we’ll take a look at how you can actually develop a Stoic practice by following six basic techniques Irvine derives from ancient Stoic philosophy. Irvine recommends practicing one technique at a time, only adding a new technique when you’re comfortable with the previous one. You can learn these practices in any order you like, though Irvine recommends that new Stoics begin with Practice #1 (learn to want what you already have) before moving on to Practice #2 (focus on what you can control).

Practice #1: Learn to Want What You Have Using Negative Visualization

Because one of the main goals of Stoicism is to tame desire, one key skill to learn is how not to want things you don’t have. According to Irvine, one of the best ways to do so is to learn to want the things you already have by taking time each day to imagine losing them. Irvine says that this practice, known as negative visualization, teaches you to appreciate what you already have and helps you deal with actual loss when it happens. The point isn’t to dwell on negative thoughts or generate anxiety about what could go wrong—it’s to...

Shortform Exercise: Plan Your Own Stoic Practice

Irvine describes Stoicism as a hands-on, practical philosophy. In this exercise, reflect on what it would be like to develop your own Stoic practice.

How might a Stoic practice benefit you? What specific problems or challenges do you think Stoicism could help you with?