"It's not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters."
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Epictetus quotes (page 2 of 24)
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"First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do."
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"We should not moor a ship with one anchor, or our life with one hope."
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"It is our attitude toward events, not events themselves, which we can control. Nothing is by its own nature calamitous -- even death is terrible only if we fear it."
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"If evil be spoken of you and it be true, correct yourself, if it be a lie, laugh at it."
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"What matters most is what sort of person you are becoming. Wise individuals care only about whom they are today and who they can be tomorrow."
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"It is difficulties that show what men are. For the future, in case of any difficulty, remember that God, like a gymnastic trainer, has pitted you against a rough antagonist. For what end? That you may be an Olympic conqueror; and this cannot be without toil."
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"It takes more than just a good looking body. You've got to have the heart and soul to go with it."
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"People are not disturbed by things, but by the view they take of them."
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"At this time is freedom anything but the right to live as we wish? Nothing else."
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"It's so simple really: If you say you're going to do something, do it. If you start something, finish it."
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"Be careful to leave your sons well instructed rather than rich, for the hopes of the instructed are better than the wealth of the ignorant."
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"Only the educated are free."
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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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"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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"No matter what happens, it is within my power to turn it to my advantage."
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"And be silent for the most part, or else make only the most necessary remarks, and express these in few words. But rarely, and when occasion requires you to talk, talk, indeed, but about no ordinary topics. Do not talk about gladiators, or horseraces, or athletes, or things to eat or drink - topics that arise on all occasions; but above all, do not talk about people, either blaming, or praising, or comparing them."
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"We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak."
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"Books are the training weights of the mind."
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"Who exactly do you want to be? What kind of person do you want to be? What are your personal ideals? Whom do you admire? What are their special traits that you would make your own It's time to stop being vague. If you wish to be an extraordinary person, if you wish to become wise, then you should explicitly identify the kind of person you aspire to become. If you have a daybook, write down who you're trying to be, so that you can refer to this self-determination. Precisely describe the demeanor you want to adopt so that you may preserve it when you are by yourself or with other people."
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