Epictetus
Cues
Showing 20 of 23 cues
“How long are you going to wait before you demand the best for yourself?”
“First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do.”
“That’s why the philosophers warn us not to be satisfied with mere learning, but to add practice and then training. For as time passes we forget what we learned and end up doing the opposite, and hold opinions the opposite of what we should.”
QuoteDeliberate effort and plateausProcrastination and delaying action2 more related links
Lenses
Modules
“The chief task in life is simply this: to identify and separate matters so that I can say clearly to myself which are externals not under my control, and which have to do with the choices I actually control. Where then do I look for good and evil? Not to uncontrollable externals, but within myself to the choices that are my own ...”
“Every habit and capability is confirmed and grows in its corresponding actions, walking by walking, and running by running ... therefore, if you want to do something make a habit of it, if you don’t want to do that, don’t, but make a habit of something else instead. The same principle is at work in our state of mind. When you get angry, you’ve not only experienced that evil, but you’ve also reinforced a bad habit, adding fuel to the fire.”
“If you didn’t learn these things in order to demonstrate them in practice, what did you learn them for?”
“‘But I get to wear a crown of gold.’ If you have your heart set on wearing crowns, why not make one out of roses; you will look even more elegant in that.”
“You regard it as a misfortune to die without seeing such sights. But when there is no need to travel at all, and where you are already, and Zeus is present in his works; will you not desire to contemplate these things and understand them? Will you never perceive either who you are, or for what you have been born, or the purpose for which this vision has been given to you?”
“Seek not for events to happen as you wish but wish events to happen as they do and your life will go smoothly.”
“Nothing important comes into being overnight; even grapes or figs need time to ripen. If you say that you want a fig now, I will tell you to be patient. First, you must allow the tree to flower, then put forth fruit; then you have to wait until the fruit is ripe. So if the fruit of a fig tree is not brought to maturity instantly or in an hour, how do you expect the human mind to come to fruition, so quickly and easily?”
“For a start, don’t be carried away by [the impression’s] vividness, but say: Wait for me a bit, impression; let me take a look at you and what you are about, let me test you. Next, don’t let it lead you on by painting a picture of what comes next. Otherwise, it is off and away, taking you wherever it wishes. Instead, confront it with another impression, a fine and noble impression, and dismiss this foul one.”
“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.”
“For, unless you perfectly understand the principle from which anyone acts, how should you know if he acts ill?”
“No man is free who is not master of himself.”
QuoteSelf-discipline and impulse controlSmartphone and notification distraction2 more related links
Lenses
Modules
“Make the best use of what is in your power, and take the rest as it happens. Some things are up to us and some things are not up to us.”
“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 ... Dig deeply. You possess strengths you might not realize you have. Find the right one. Use it.”
“Put up with being laughed at on occasion; look around you, and give yourself a good shaking to find out who you really are.”
“Some things are up to us and some are not up to us. Our opinions are up to us, and our impulses, desires, aversions - in short, whatever is our own doing. Our bodies are not up to us, nor are our possessions, our reputations, or our public offices ...”
“It is not things that trouble us, but our judgements about things.”
“Begin therefore from little things. Is a little oil spilt? A little wine stolen? Say to yourself, “This is the price paid for equanimity, for tranquillity, and nothing is to be had for nothing.”