We need to regularly stop and take stock; to sit down and determine within ourselves which things are worth valuing and which things are not; which risks are worth the cost and which are not. Even the most confusing or hurtful aspects of life can be made more tolerable by clear seeing and by choice.

Epictetus

Categorized in : Choices Risk Gratitude

Don't be concerned with other people's impressions of you. They are dazzled and deluded by appearances. Stick with your purpose. This alone will strengthen your will and give your life coherence.

purpose giving people

When something happens, the only thing in your power is your attitude toward it. It is not the things that disturb us, but our interpretation of their significance. Things and people are not what we wish them to be nor are they what they seem to be. They are what they are.

wish attitude people

Any person capable of angering you becomes your master. by Epictetus

Any person capable of angering you becomes your master.

emotional anger masters

Happiness and freedom begin with a clear understanding of one principle: Some things are within our control, and some things are not. It is only after you have faced up to this fundamental rule and learned to distinguish between what you can and can't control that inner tranquility and outer effectiveness become possible.

effectiveness understanding principles

It is impossible for a man to learn what he thinks he already kno... by Epictetus

It is impossible for a man to learn what he thinks he already knows.

change inspiring inspirational

Do not laugh much or often or unrestrainedly. by Epictetus

Do not laugh much or often or unrestrainedly.

philosophical laughing

Be careful whom you associate with. It is human to imitate the habits of those with whom we interact. We inadvertently adopt their interests, their opinions, their values, and their habit of interpreting events.

opinion events motivational

I have to die. If it is now, well then I die now; if later, then now I will take my lunch, since the hour for lunch has arrived - and dying I will tend to later.

hours lunch dying

Progress is not achieved by luck or accident, but by working on y... by Epictetus

Progress is not achieved by luck or accident, but by working on yourself daily.

working-on-yourself progress luck

It's not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matter... by Epictetus

It's not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.

moving-on attitude happiness

You become what you give your attention to...If you yourself don't choose what thoughts and images you expose yourself to, someone else will, and their motives may not be the highest.

may attention giving

If someone speaks badly of you, do not defend yourself against the accusations, but reply; "you obviously don't know about my other vices, otherwise you would have mentioned these as well

accusation vices speak

Now is the time to get serious about living your ideals. Once you have determined the spiritual principles you wish to exemplify, abide by these rules as if they were laws, as if it were indeed sinful to compromise them. Don't mind if others don't share your convictions. How long can you afford to put off who you really want to be? Your nobler self cannot wait any longer.

self spiritual life

When we blather about trivial things, we ourselves become trivial, for our attention gets taken up with trivialities. You become what you give your attention to.

taken attention giving

Every difficulty in life presents us with an opportunity to turn inward and to invoke our own submerged inner resources. The trials we endure can and should introduce us to our strengths.

inward trials opportunity

Man is not worried by real problems so much as by his imagined an... by Epictetus

Man is not worried by real problems so much as by his imagined anxieties about real problems

anxiety real men

From this instant on, vow to stop disappointing yourself. Separate yourself from the mob. Decide to be extraordinary and do what you need to do -- now.

vow disappointing needs

Freedom is the only worthy goal in life. It is won by disregarding things that lie beyond our control. Stop aspiring to be anyone other than your own best self: for that does fall within your control.

self lying fall

The people have a right to the truth as they have a right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

honesty truth happiness

First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you hav... by Epictetus

First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do.

motivational inspirational life