Epictetus Quotes
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If you would cure anger, do not feed it. Say to yourself: 'I used to be angry every day; then every other day; now only every third or fourth day.' When you reach thirty days offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving to the gods.
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Neither should a ship rely on one small anchor, nor should life rest on a single hope.
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First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do.
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If what philosophers say of the kinship of God and Men be true, what remains for men to do but as Socrates did:-never, when asked one’s country, to answer, 'I am an Athenian or a Corinthian,' but 'I am a citizen of the world.' (15).
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No man is able to make progress when he is wavering between opposite things.
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It was the first and most striking characteristic of Socrates never to become heated in discourse, never to utter an injurious or insulting word -- on the contrary, he persistently bore insult from others and thus put an end to the fray.
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All philosophy lies in two words, sustain and abstain.
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The key is to keep company only with people who uplift you, whose presence calls forth your best.
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Men are disturbed not by the things that happen, but by their opinion of the things that happen.
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The pleasure which we most rarely experience gives us greatest delight.
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Lampis the ship owner, on being asked how he acquired his great wealth, replied, My great wealth was acquired with no difficulty, but my small wealth, my first gains, with much labor.
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In order to please others, we loose our hold on our life's purpose.
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Consider the bigger picture.....think things through and fully commit!
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Either God wants to abolish evil, and cannot; or he can, but does not want to.
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Sickness is a hindrance to the body, but not to your ability to choose, unless that is your choice. Lameness is a hindrance to the leg, but not to your ability to choose. Say this to yourself with regard to everything that happens, then you will see such obstacles as hindrances to something else, but not to yourself.
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To pay homage to beauty is to admire Nature; to admire Nature is to worship God.
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The flourishing life cannot be achieved until we moderate our desires and see how superficial and fleeting they are.
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Appear to know only this,-never to fail nor fall.
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To live a life of virtue, you have to become consistent, even when it isn't convenient, comfortable, or easy.
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Although we can't control which roles are assigned to us, it must be our business to act our given role as best we possibly can and to refrain from complaining about it. Where ever you find yourself and in whatever circumstances, give an impeccable performance.
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Be not swept off your feet by the vividness of the impression, but say, 'Impression, wait for me a little. Let me see what you are and what you represent. Let me try you.'
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There is only one thing for which God has sent me into the world, and that is to develop every kind of virtue or strength, and there is nothing in all the world that I cannot use for this purpose.
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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.
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Nothing truly stops you. Nothing truly holds you back. For your own will is always within your control. Sickness may challenge your body. But are you merely your body? Lameness may impede your legs. But you are not merely your legs. Your will is bigger than your legs. Your will needn't be affected by an incident unless you let it.