Epictetus Quotes
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Living a good life leads to enduring happiness. Goodness in and of itself is the practice AND the reward.
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Never say of anything I have lost it, only say that I have given it back.
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He who is not happy with little will never be happy with much.
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Happiness and freedom begin with a clear understanding of one principle: Some things are within our control, and some things are not.
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If you wish to be a writer, write.
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Once you know who you are and to whom you are linked, you will know what to do.
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The beginning of philosophy is the recognition of the conflict between opinions.
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It's not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.
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It is wicked to withdraw from being useful to the needy, and cowardly to give way to the worthless.
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It is more necessary for the soul to be cured than the body; for it is better to die than to live badly.
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Authentic happiness is always independent of external conditions.
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It’s time to stop being vague. If you wish to be an extraordinary person, if you wish to be wise, then you should explicitly identify the kind of person you aspire to become.
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Let silence be your general rule; or say only what is necessary and in few words.
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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.
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If a man would pursue Philosophy, his first task is to throw away conceit. For it is impossible for a man to begin to learn what he has a conceit that he already knows.
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If a person gave your body to any stranger he met on his way, you would certainly be angry. And do you feel no shame in handing over your own mind to be confused and mystified by anyone who happens to verbally attack you? (28) tr. Elizabeth Carter
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It is impossible for a man to learn what he thinks he already knows.
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When you have decided that a thing ought to be done and are doing it, never avoid bein seen doing it, though many shall form an unfavorable opinion about it. For if it is not right to do it, avoid doing the thing; but if it is right, why are you afraid of those who shall find fault wrongly?
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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.
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Things true and evident must of necessity be recognized by those who would contradict them.
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As in walking it is your great care not to run your foot upon a nail, or to tread awry, and strain your leg; so let it be in all the affairs of human life, not to hurt your mind or offend your judgment. And this rule, if observed carefully in all your deportment, will be a mighty security to you in your undertakings.
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If you seek Truth, you will not seek to gain a victory by every possible means; and when you have found Truth, you need not fear being defeated.
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When your thoughts, words, and deeds form a seamless fabric, you streamline your efforts and thus eliminate worry and dread.
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It is no easy thing for a principle to become a man's own unless each day he maintains it and works it out in his life.