Feeling stuck or blocked? These Stoic quotes help you reflect on frustration, shift your mindset, and return to clarity.
Updated on
July 8, 2025
Frustration often comes when reality refuses to match your expectations. The plans don’t work. People disappoint. Everything feels just out of reach.
These quotes were selected by Jon Filitti, a Licensed Mental Health Counselor, to help you reflect when you feel stuck, blocked, or about to snap. You’ll also find them in the Stoic app’s Emotion Check-In, where they show up right when they’re most needed.
“Your mind will take the shape of what you frequently hold in thought, for the human spirit is colored by such impressions.”
— Marcus Aurelius
“Each time we face our fear, we gain strength, courage, and confidence in the doing.”
— Theodore Roosevelt
“Self-confidence is the memory of success.”
— David Storey
“Nothing builds self-esteem and self-confidence like accomplishment.”
— Thomas Carlyle
Why do Stoics talk about frustration?
Because frustration is often a signal—not a failure. Stoicism teaches us to use it as a mirror for growth, not as a wall we hit.
Can quotes really help when I feel frustrated?
Yes. The right words help you shift from reaction to reflection. They give shape to the swirl and offer a path through it.
Should I journal with these quotes?
Absolutely. Pick one quote, write it down, and ask yourself: What does this reveal about what I’m facing right now?
Updated at: Jul 9, 2025
Licensed Mental Health Counselor in private practice in Dubuque, Iowa. He has been providing mental health counseling to individuals and families in the Dubuque area since 1999 and earned his Mental Health Counselor license in 2005. Jon offers outpatient counseling in a private practice setting, primarily working with individuals aged 17 through adulthood.
Use the Stoic app to journal through your emotions with guidance and clarity. Quotes like these appear when you need them most.