It often requires more courage to suffer in silence than to rebel, more courage not to strike back than to retaliate, more courage to be silent than to speak.

Booker T. Washington

To suffer without complaining is his highest virtue.

Erich Fromm

Some people—we all know them, and although I’m not going to name any names [cough], some of us may be among them [cough, cough]—tend to make any bad situation worse in ways that are almost ingeniously creative. These types will have a mental breakdown if they chip a fingernail. They will burst into loud, sobbing tears on an airplane if the flight attendant ran out of those little bags of peanuts right before reaching their row.

Other people, though, can get through the most harrowing situations without batting an eyelash or breaking a sweat. They endure tremendous pain and hardship without whining or feeling sorry for themselves.

The ancient Greeks had a name for such people—stoics. Stoicism became an entire school of philosophy founded in Athens by a man named Zeno, whom it can be assumed was the polar opposite of a drama queen.

Here are the three zodiac signs most likely to show grace under fire, to be the eye in the center of a hurricane, and to weather every misfortune with the patience of a saint.

Would you expect the Bull to be anything other than a thick-skinned badass? Being an earth sign makes them practical and logical rather than emotional and superstitious. Being a fixed modality makes them grounded and centered rather than likely to freak out and start screaming at the slightest hint of trouble. Detached, long-suffering, unflappable, and indomitable, Taurus is, ironically, the sign least likely to wallow in petty bullshit. Not only have they seen it all, they’ve seen it done better. Go ahead and hit them with your hardest shot—they’ll shrug and say, “I thought they said you were strong.”

A deeply centered earth sign, the Goat is the most “If you want it done right, you have to do it yourself” of all the zodiac signs. Practical, hardworking, and logical, they never see the point in complaining. Patient and stoical, they don’t see the logic in self-pity—all the energy one wastes feeling sorry for themselves and lamenting their fate is better spent mapping out a plan to improve their lot. If they get bad news of any kind—whether romantic, financial, or medical—they skip right over depression or anger, focusing instead on the best possible solution. After all, wallowing in a problem merely creates a second problem.

Symbolized by the Water-Bearer, Aquarius never complains no matter if they’re carrying a thimbleful of water or a fifty-gallon drum—they’ll just clench their jaw and keep on carrying it to its destination. Ruled by Saturn, they are cautious, diligent, and pragmatic. They are grounded in the way that only a fixed modality can be. Highly noble, they don’t want others to see them struggling, vulnerable, or weak. Deeply considerate, they hate to impinge on others. Born with a strong distaste for drama and crybabies, they maintain a calm exterior no matter how chaotic their personal lives or inner world may be. Even if they’ve just lost their arm in battle, they’ll shrug and say, “It’s only a flesh wound.”

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About the author

January Nelson

January Nelson is a writer, editor, and dreamer. She writes about astrology, games, love, relationships, and entertainment. January graduated with an English and Literature degree from Columbia University.