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Learn to distinguish what you can and can't control. Within our control are our own opinions, aspirations, desires and the things that repel us. They are directly subject to our influence.
Epictetus
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Epictetus
Philosopher
Epictetus of Hierapolis
Life
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Repel
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Any person capable of angering you becomes your master.
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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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Confidence in nonsense is a requirement for the creative process.
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It is the part of an uneducated person to blame others where he himself fares ill to blame himself is the part of one whose education has begun to blame neither another nor his own self is the part of one whose education is already complete.
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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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When you close your doors, and make darkness within, remember never to say that you are alone, for you are not alone nay, God is within, and your genius is within. And what need have they of light to see what you are doing?
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The cause of all human evils is the not being able to apply general principles to special cases.
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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.
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It is the sign of a dull mind to dwell upon the cares of the body, to prolong exercise, eating and drinking and other bodily functions. These things are best done by the way all your attention must be given to the mind.
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Fortify yourself with contentment, for this is an impregnable fortress.
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Seek not the good in external thingsseek it in yourselves.
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In a word, neither death, nor exile, nor pain, nor anything of this kind is the real cause of our doing or not doing any action, but our inward opinions and principles.
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No matter where you find yourself, comport yourself as if you were a distinguished person.
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You may fetter my leg, but Zeus himself cannot get the better of my free will.
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Never call yourself a philosopher, nor talk a great deal among the unlearned about theorems, but act conformably to them. Thus, at an entertainment, don't talk how persons ought to eat, but eat as you ought. For remember that in this manner Socrates also universally avoided all ostentation.
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You ought to choose both physician and friend, not the most agreeable, but the most useful.
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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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In theory there is nothing to hinder our following what we are taughtbut in life there are many things to draw us aside.
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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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