“In regard to intellectual impressions it is generally agreed that good and evil depend upon us and not upon external things. No one calls the proposition, ‘It is day’, good, or ‘It is night’, bad, or ‘Three is four’, the greatest of evils. No, they say that knowledge is good and error evil, so that good may arise even in regard to what is false; that is, the knowledge that it is false. The same ought to be true in practical life.” –Epictetus
“The first difference between the philosopher and the uneducated man is that the latter says, ‘Woe is me for my child, for my brother, woe is me for my father’, and the other, if he is compelled to speak, considers the matter and says, Woe is me for myself.’ For nothing outside the will can hinder or harm the will; it can only harm itself. If then we accept this, and, when things go amiss, are inclined to blame ourselves, remembering that judgement alone can disturb our peace and constancy, I swear to you by all the gods that we have made progress.” Epictetus Discourses Book 3, Chapter 19
In this excerpt, Epictetus reemphasizes that our impressions Continue reading
“Therefore do not confound the processes, nor seek to spend effort on one thing and make progress in another.”
I am currently making great effort to make great effort at a lot of things. I wonder if I should make a better effort to make a greater effort at much fewer things.
Translation: Maybe I am spread to thin!
(Note: This is a foreshadowing of my next post…stay tuned.)
From Epictetus Discourses Book 3, Chapter 8:
As we train ourselves to deal with sophistical questions, so we ought to train ourselves day by day to deal with impressions: for these too propound questions to us.
Continue reading
We should all be so lucky to find our dream calling. That thing that we are so called to doing that we are “self-actualized” (see Maslow’s Hierarchy; also see The Problem with Maslow). I wonder if any of you have had a self-dialogue like I have had similar to the ones below:
“As soon as I find my calling, then I’ll be happy. Certainly, what I am doing now certainly is not it. I am definitely not fully satisfied doing this/being here. I need to find my dream job/life/place to live/love/home/etc., and then I will find happiness.” YOU ARE STUCK IN A TASK THAT IS NOT YOUR LOVE.
or maybe you’re here: