Plain
Epictetus — The Slave

Haven't you heard there's only one path to this goal? You must give up the things that aren't under your control. Step back from them. Accept that they belong to other people. So when someone else has an opinion about you — what kind of thing is that? It's something outside your control. So is it anything to you? It's nothing. But when you still get upset and disturbed by it, do you really think you understand what's good and what's bad?

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Freedom & Control Calm Your Mind
Epictetus — The Slave Original

Have you not heard then that there is only one way which leads to this end, to give up (dismiss) the things which do not depend on the will, to withdraw from them, and to admit that they belong to others? For another man then to have an opinion about you, of what kind is it? It is a thing independent of the will—Then is it nothing to you? It is nothing. When then you are still vexed at this and disturbed, do you think that you are convinced about good and evil?

Discourses, Against Those Who Lament Over Being Pitied 357 of 388
Epictetus — The Slave

But the first way is both impossible and takes too long. It means trying to do something Zeus himself couldn't do — convince everyone what's good and bad. Do you have that power? No. You only have the power to convince yourself. And you haven't even done that yet. So why are you trying to persuade other people? Who has spent more time with you than you have with yourself? Who has more power to convince you than you do? Who cares more about you than you do? So why haven't you convinced yourself to learn? Right now, isn't everything backwards? Is this really what you've been working on — learning to be free from pain, free from worry, and free from shame?

Discourses, Against Those Who Lament Over Being Pitied 356 of 388
Knowing Yourself Freedom & Control
Epictetus — The Slave Original

But the first way is both impracticable and long, to attempt the very thing which Zeus has not been able to do, to convince all men what things are good and bad. Is this power given to you? This only is given to you, to convince yourself; and you have not convinced yourself. Then I ask you, do you attempt to persuade other men? and who has lived so long with you as you with yourself? and who has so much power of convincing you as you have of convincing yourself; and who is better disposed and nearer to you than you are to yourself? How then have you not yet convinced yourself in order to learn? At present are not things upside down? Is this what you have been earnest about doing, to learn to be free from grief and free from disturbance, and not to be humbled (abject), and to be free?

Discourses, Against Those Who Lament Over Being Pitied 356 of 388
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Ancient philosophy, in plain English.

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