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It is better to die of hunger having lived without grief and fear, than to live with a troubled spirit, amid abundance.

Epictetus

When we blather about trivial things, we ourselves become trivial, for our attention gets taken up with trivialities. You become what you give your attention to.
EPICTETUS

Attention Character Giving Inspirational Ourselves
The greater the difficulty, the more glory in surmounting it. Skillful pilots gain their reputation from storms and tempests.
EPICTETUS

Difficult Motivational Pilot Reputation Skill Storm
Any person capable of angering you becomes your master; he can anger you only when you permit yourself to be disturbed by him.
EPICTETUS

Angry Disturb Master Permit Person Yourself
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.
EPICTETUS

Alone Appearance Impression Life People Strength
Circumstances don’t make the man, they only reveal him to himself.
EPICTETUS

Circumstance Deep Himself Man Mask Reveal
When something happens, the only thing in your power is your attitude toward it; you can either accept it or resent it.
EPICTETUS

Acceptance Attitude Happen Ignorance Power
Imagine for yourself a character, a model personality, whose example you determine to follow, in private as well as in public.
EPICTETUS

Character Determination Imagination Personality Role Model Yourself
The key is to keep company only with people who uplift you, whose presence calls forth your best.
EPICTETUS

Company Friendship Key People Presence
Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants.
EPICTETUS

Consist Greatness Minimalism Possession Want Wealth
Don’t live by your own rules, but in harmony with nature.
EPICTETUS

Harmony Inspirational Live Nature Rule
Other people’s views and troubles can be contagious. Don’t sabotage yourself by unwittingly adopting negative, unproductive attitudes through your associations with others.
EPICTETUS

Adopt Association Attitude Negative People Trouble
Don’t explain your philosophy. Embody it.
EPICTETUS

Explanation Express Philosophy
Try not to react merely in the moment. Pull back from the situation. Take a wider view. Compose yourself.
EPICTETUS

Moments Patience Reaction Situation Try Yourself
First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do.
EPICTETUS

Believe Motivational Yourself
We suffer not from the events in our lives but from our judgement about them.
EPICTETUS

Event Judgement Life Live Suffering
Keep your attention focused entirely on what is truly your own concern, and be clear that what belongs to others is their business and none of yours.
EPICTETUS

Attention Belong Business Concern Focus True

It is better to die of hunger having lived without grief and fear, than to live with a troubled spirit, amid abundance.

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It is better to die of hunger having lived without grief and fear, than to live with a troubled spirit, amid abundance.

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Popular Authors

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