Epictetus

"There is only one way to happiness and that is to cease worrying about things which are beyond the power or our will."

"Now is the time to get serious about living your ideals. How long can you afford to put off who you really want to be? Your nobler self cannot wait any longer. Put your principles into practice – now. Stop the excuses and the procrastination. This is your life! You aren’t a child anymore. The sooner you set yourself to your spiritual program, the happier you will be. The longer you wait, the more you’ll be vulnerable to mediocrity and feel filled with shame and regret, because you know you are capable of better. From this instant on, vow to stop disappointing yourself. Separate yourself from the mob. Decide to be extraordinary and do what you need to do – now."

"Freedom is the only worthy goal in life. It is won by disregarding things that lie beyond our control."

"It is the mark of a cude disposition to spend most of one's time on bodily functions such as exercise, eating, drinking, defecating and copulating. These are the things to be done just incidentally. All your attention should be on your mind."

"Only the educated are free."

"“Know you not that a good man does nothing for appearance sake, but for the sake of having done right?”"

"“What really frightens and dismays us is not external events themselves, but the way in which we think about them. It is not things that disturb us, but our interpretation of their significance.”"

"“Most of what passes for legitimate entertainment is inferior or foolish and only caters to or exploits people's weaknesses. Avoid being one of the mob who indulges in such pastimes. Your life is too short and you have important things to do. Be discriminating about what images and ideas you permit into your mind. If you yourself don't choose what thoughts and images you expose yourself to, someone else will, and their motives may not be the highest. It is the easiest thing in the world to slide imperceptibly into vulgarity. But there's no need for that to happen if you determine not to waste your time and attention on mindless pap.”"

"“Remember, it is not enough to be hit or insulted to be harmed, you must believe that you are being harmed. If someone succeeds in provoking you, realize that your mind is complicit in the provocation. Which is why it is essential that we not respond impulsively to impressions; take a moment before reacting, and you will find it easier to maintain control.”"

"“Freedom is the only worthy goal in life. It is won by disregarding things that lie beyond our control.”"

"“Don't explain your philosophy. Embody it.”"

"“If anyone tells you that a certain person speaks ill of you, do not make excuses about what is said of you but answer, He was ignorant of my other faults, else he would not have mentioned these alone.”"

"Is freedom anything else than the right to live as we wish? Nothing else."

"When you are offended at any man's fault, turn to yourself and study your own failings. Then you will forget your anger."

"Men are disturbed not by things, but by the view which they take of them."

"Not every difficult and dangerous thing is suitable for training, but only that which is conducive to success in achieving the object of our effort."

"It's not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters."

"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."

"Imagine for yourself a character, a model personality, whose example you determine to follow, in private as well as in public."

"It takes more than just a good looking body. You've got to have the heart and soul to go with it."