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Circumstances don’t make the man, they only reveal him to himself.

Epictetus

In trying to please other people, we find ourselves misdirected toward what lies outside our sphere of influence. In doing so, we lose our hold on our lifes purpose.
EPICTETUS

Goals Influence Lie Life Please Purpose
Progress is not achieved by luck or accident, but by working on yourself daily.
EPICTETUS

Accident Achievement Improvement Inspirational Luck Progress
Don’t consent to be hurt and you won’t be hurt – this is a choice over which you have control.
EPICTETUS

Choice Consent Control Healing Hurt Inspirational
You have been given your own work to do. Get to it right now, do your best at it, and don’t be concerned with who is watching you. Create your own merit.
EPICTETUS

Concern Creation Giving Motivational Watch Work
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
Authentic happiness is always independent of external conditions.
EPICTETUS

Authentic Condition Happiness Independence Inspirational
Demand not that things happen as you wish, but wish them to happen as they do, and you will go on well.
EPICTETUS

Demand Happen Inspirational Satisfaction
If you want to improve, be content to be thought foolish and stupid.
EPICTETUS

Content Fools Improvement Stupid Want
A ship should not ride on a single anchor, nor life on a single hope.
EPICTETUS

Anchor Hope Inspirational Life Ride Ship
Difficulty shows what men are.
EPICTETUS

Character Difficult Men One Liner
It is unrealistc to expect people to see you as you see yourself.
EPICTETUS

Deep Expectation People Reality Yourself
Have the wisdom to know what cannot be changed, and the strength to change what can.
EPICTETUS

Business Change Inspirational Strength Success Wisdom
If you would be a reader, read; if a writer, write.
EPICTETUS

Book Poet Reading Writing
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
I laugh at those who think they can damage me. They do not know who I am, they do not know what I think, they cannot even touch the things which are really mine and with which I live.
EPICTETUS

Attitude Damage Laugh Live Thinking
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

Circumstances don’t make the man, they only reveal him to himself.

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Circumstances don’t make the man, they only reveal him to himself.

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Popular Authors

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