Epictetus

Epictetus was a prominent Greek Stoic philosopher who lived from approximately 55 to 135 AD. Born into slavery in the ancient city of Hierapolis, he overcame immense adversity to become one of the most influential thinkers of his time. After gaining his freedom, Epictetus devoted his life to teaching philosophy in Rome and later in Nicopolis, emphasizing the importance of personal ethics, self-control, and inner freedom. His teachings, centered around the idea that while we cannot control external events, we can control our reactions and attitudes towards them, have been meticulously preserved by his student Arrian in works such as the “Discourses” and the “Enchiridion.” Epictetus’s profound insights into human nature and resilience continue to inspire and guide individuals seeking wisdom and tranquility in the face of life’s challenges.

“It is not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.” — Epictetus
“First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do.” — Epictetus
“Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants.” — Epictetus
“Men are disturbed not by things, but by the view which they take of them.” — Epictetus
“No man is free who is not master of himself.” — Epictetus
“It’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.” — Epictetus
“People are not disturbed by things, but by the views they take of them.” — Epictetus
“If you want to improve, be content to be thought foolish and stupid.” — Epictetus
“Make the best use of what is in your power, and take the rest as it happens.” — Epictetus
“The greater the difficulty, the more glory in surmounting it. Skillful pilots gain their reputation from storms and tempests.” — Epictetus
“Circumstances don’t make the man, they only reveal him to himself.” — Epictetus
“Freedom is the only worthy goal in life. It is won by disregarding things that lie beyond our control.” — Epictetus
“He who laughs at himself never runs out of things to laugh at.” — Epictetus
“To accuse others for one’s own misfortunes is a sign of want of education. To accuse oneself shows that one’s education has begun. To accuse neither oneself nor others shows that one’s education is complete.” — Epictetus
“First learn the meaning of what you say, and then speak.” — Epictetus
“Seek not the good in external things; seek it in yourselves.” — Epictetus
“He who is not happy with little will never be happy with much.” — Epictetus
“It’s not what happens to you, but how you react that matters.” — Epictetus
“The key is to keep company only with people who uplift you, whose presence calls forth your best.” — Epictetus
“Only the educated are free.” — Epictetus

“Contentment comes not so much from great wealth as from few wants.” — Epictetus
“No great thing is created suddenly, any more than a bunch of grapes or a fig. If you tell me that you desire a fig, I answer that there must be time. Let it first blossom, then bear fruit, then ripen.” — Epictetus
“It is impossible for a man to learn what he thinks he already knows.” — Epictetus
“If you would be a reader, read; if a writer, write.” — Epictetus
“Know, first, who you are, and then adorn yourself accordingly.” — Epictetus
“Man is not worried by real problems so much as by his imagined anxieties about real problems.” — Epictetus
“To live a life of virtue, you have to become consistent, even when it isn’t convenient, comfortable, or easy.” — Epictetus
“Practice yourself, for heaven’s sake, in little things; and then proceed to greater.” — Epictetus
“He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.” — Epictetus
“Men are not afraid of things, but of how they view them.” — Epictetus
“The essence of philosophy is that a man should so live that his happiness shall depend as little as possible on external things.” — Epictetus
“We are not disturbed by what happens to us, but by our thoughts about what happens.” — Epictetus
“Don’t explain your philosophy. Embody it.” — Epictetus
“There is only one way to happiness and that is to cease worrying about things which are beyond the power of our will.” — Epictetus
“The flourishing life cannot be achieved until we moderate our desires and see how superficial and fleeting they are.” — Epictetus
“Difficulties are things that show a person what they are.” — Epictetus
“Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants.” — Epictetus
“There is only one way to happiness, and that is to cease worrying about things which are beyond the power of our will.” — Epictetus
“No matter what happens, it is within my power to turn it to my advantage.” — Epictetus
“To be content with little is difficult; to be content with much, impossible.” — Epictetus

“We should always be asking ourselves: ‘Is this something that is, or is not, in my control?'” — Epictetus
“The more we value things outside our control, the less control we have.” — Epictetus
“There is nothing good or bad, but thinking makes it so.” — Epictetus
“Whoever is free from mental perturbations is in possession of happiness.” — Epictetus
“When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.” — Epictetus
“Freedom is the only worthy goal in life. It is won by disregarding things that lie beyond our control.” — Epictetus
“True happiness is not found in external things. It is not found in places or possessions. True happiness is found within.” — Epictetus
“Small-minded people blame others. Average people blame themselves. The wise see all blame as foolishness.” — Epictetus
“Do not seek to have events happen as you want them to, but instead want them to happen as they do happen, and your life will go well.” — Epictetus
“Seek not the good in external things; seek it in yourselves.” — Epictetus
“Circumstances don’t make the man, they only reveal him to himself.” — Epictetus
“He who laughs at himself never runs out of things to laugh at.” — Epictetus
“You become what you give your attention to.” — Epictetus
“Do not look for approval except for the consciousness of doing your best.” — Epictetus
“Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants.” — Epictetus
“The greater the difficulty, the more glory in surmounting it. Skillful pilots gain their reputation from storms and tempests.” — Epictetus
“No man is free who is not master of himself.” — Epictetus
“He who is not happy with little will never be happy with much.” — Epictetus
“Make the best use of what is in your power, and take the rest as it happens.” — Epictetus
“Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants.” — Epictetus

“It is our attitude towards 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
“Do not explain your philosophy. Embody it.” — Epictetus
“Man is not worried by real problems so much as by his imagined anxieties about real problems.” — Epictetus
“We are not disturbed by what happens to us, but by our thoughts about what happens.” — Epictetus
“It is not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.” — Epictetus
“The key is to keep company only with people who uplift you, whose presence calls forth your best.” — Epictetus
“You become what you give your attention to.” — Epictetus
“Difficulties are things that show a person what they are.” — Epictetus
“The greater the difficulty, the more glory in surmounting it. Skillful pilots gain their reputation from storms and tempests.” — Epictetus
“No matter what happens, it is within my power to turn it to my advantage.” — Epictetus
“True happiness is not found in external things. It is found in places or possessions. True happiness is found within.” — Epictetus
“Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants.” — Epictetus
“There is nothing good or bad, but thinking makes it so.” — Epictetus
“Seek not the good in external things; seek it in yourselves.” — Epictetus
“First learn the meaning of what you say, and then speak.” — Epictetus
“Circumstances don’t make the man, they only reveal him to himself.” — Epictetus
“He who is not happy with little will never be happy with much.” — Epictetus
“You are a little soul carrying around a corpse.” — Epictetus
“The flourishing life cannot be achieved until we moderate our desires and see how superficial and fleeting they are.” — Epictetus
“No man is free who is not master of himself.” — Epictetus

Epictetus

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