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In VBI's survey, 68% of successful Vietnamese entrepreneurs have read or practiced Stoicism — the ancient Roman philosophy popularized in the business world by Jeff Bezos, Tim Ferriss, and Ryan Holiday.
Stoicism doesn't teach you to be emotionless — it teaches you to control your response to what you cannot control. This is a founder's survival skill.
Four Stoic Principles for Founders
1. Dichotomy of control: Focus energy only on what you control — actions, reactions, values. Everything else is noise. 2. Negative visualization: Periodically imagine the worst to both appreciate what you have and mentally prepare for crisis. 3. Memento mori: Remember everything is temporary — including your success, failure, and startup. 4. Amor fati: Love your fate — even the painful parts, because they brought you here.
“The question isn't 'why is this happening to me?' but 'what can I do with this?' Stoicism taught me to ask the second question.”