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You can be happy if you know this secret: Some things are within your power to control and some things are not.

Epictetus

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.
EPICTETUS

Attitude Control Death Fear Nature Terrible
Happiness and personal fulfillment are the natural consequences of doing the right thing.
EPICTETUS

Consequences Fulfillment Happiness Positive
Don’t demand or expect that events happen as you would wish them do. Accept events as they actually happen. That way, peace is possible.
EPICTETUS

Acceptance Demand Expectation Happen Peace Possible
To live a life of virtue, match up your thoughts, words, and deeds.
EPICTETUS

Deed Inspirational Life Live Virtue
It’s time to stop being vague. If you wish to be an extraordinary person, if you wish to be wise, then you should explicitly identify the kind of person you aspire to become.
EPICTETUS

Aspire Extraordinary Inspirational Time Vague Wise
By accepting life’s limits and inevitabilities and working with them rather than fighting them, we become free.
EPICTETUS

Acceptance Fight Freedom Life Limitation Work
Don’t explain your philosophy. Embody it.
EPICTETUS

Explanation Express Philosophy
We all carry the seeds of greatness within us, but we need an image as a point of focus in order that they may sprout.
EPICTETUS

Carry Focus Greatness Inspirational Need Seed
Seek not the good in external things; seek it in yourselves.
EPICTETUS

Goodness Inspirational Life Seek Wisdom Yourself
No great thing is created suddenly. There must be time. Give your best and always be kind.
EPICTETUS

Business Entrepreneur Giving Inspirational Patience Time
Nature hath given men one tongue but two ears, that we may hear from others twice as much as we speak.
EPICTETUS

Ears Giving Hear Nature Speak Tongue
Freedom and happiness are won by disregarding things that lie beyond our control.
EPICTETUS

Believe Beyond Control Freedom Happiness Win
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
In prosperity it is very easy to find a friend; but in adversity it is the most difficult of all things.
EPICTETUS

Adversity Difficult Finding Friendship Prosperity
Give me by all means the shorter and nobler life, instead of one that is longer but of less account!
EPICTETUS

Account Giving Inspirational Life Positive
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

You can be happy if you know this secret: Some things are within your power to control and some things are not.

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You can be happy if you know this secret: Some things are within your power to control and some things are not.

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Popular Authors

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