Definition
Flourishing translates the Greek term eudaimonia, the goal that ancient ethics took to be the point of a human life. It is not a passing feeling of pleasure but a settled condition of living well as a whole.
For the Stoics, flourishing consists entirely in virtue — in possessing and exercising wisdom, justice, courage, and temperance. A person who acts well flourishes regardless of fortune; a person who acts badly does not flourish even amid wealth and praise.
Why it matters
How it works
The Stoic argument runs in steps. Only what is always beneficial can be the human good; externals are sometimes harmful, so they cannot be it; virtue alone is unconditionally beneficial; therefore flourishing is virtue.
In practice, flourishing is built through the daily disciplines — examining impressions, reserving desire for what is in one's power, and acting justly toward others. It is less a destination than a way of conducting each choice.