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If you desire to be good, begin by believing that you are wicked.
Epictetus
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Epictetus
Philosopher
Epictetus of Hierapolis
Wicked
Philosophical
Begin
Desire
Believe
Good
Believing
More quotes by Epictetus
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.
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The essence of philosophy is that a man should so live that his happiness shall depend as little as possible on external things.
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If you would be a reader, read if a writer, write.
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And have you not received faculties which will enable you to bear all that happens to you? Have you not received greatness of spirit? Have you not received courage? Have you not received endurance?
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You are but an appearance, and not absolutely the thing you appear to be.
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What is it to be a philosopher? Is it not to be prepared against events?
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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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The pleasure which we most rarely experience gives us greatest delight.
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When a man is proud because he can understand and explain the writings of Chrysippus, say to yourself, 'if Chrysippus had not written obscurely, this man would have had nothing to be proud of.'
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Your master is he who controls that on which you have set your heart or wish to avoid.
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There is but one way to tranquility of mind and happiness, and that is to account no external things thine own, but to commit all to God.
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Within our control are our own opinions, aspirations, and desires and the demons that distract us from these goals. Outside of our control are such things as what kind of body we have, whether or not we are born into wealth, and how we are regarded by others.
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You may fetter my leg, but Zeus himself cannot get the better of my free will.
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It is a mark of a mean capacity to spend much time on the things which concern the body, such as much exercise, much eating, much drinking, much easing of the body, much copulation. But these things should be done as subordinate things: and let all your care be directed to the mind.
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If you would improve, submit to be considered wihout sense and foolish with respect to externals. Wish to be considered to know nothing and if you shall seem to someone to be a person of importance, distrust yourself.
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Every place is safe to him who lives with justice.
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It were no slight attainment could we merely fulfil what the nature of man implies.
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It is impossible for a man to learn what he thinks he already knows.
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Progress is not achieved by luck or accident, but by working on yourself daily.
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Try not to react merely in the moment. Pull back from the situation. Take a wider view. Compose yourself.
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