Discourses, To Those Who Are Desirous of Passing Life in Tranquillity

Epictetus — The Slave

There's only one path to happiness. Keep this rule ready morning, noon, and night: Don't focus on things outside your control. Think that nothing truly belongs to you. Hand everything over to God, to Fortune — let them manage what Zeus has put them in charge of. You should pay attention only to what's actually yours, what can't be blocked or stopped. When you read, connect it back to this rule. Same with your writing and listening.

Epictetus — The Slave Original

There is only one way to happiness, and let this rule be ready both in the morning and during the day and by night: the rule is not to look towards things which are out of the power of our will, to think that nothing is our own, to give up all things to the Divinity, to Fortune; to make them the superintendents of these things, whom Zeus also has made so; for a man to observe that only which is his own, that which cannot be hindered; and when we read, to refer our reading to this only, and our writing and our listening.

Epictetus — The Slave

Instead of saying "Today I read so many lines, I wrote so much," you should say: "Today I acted the way philosophers teach. I didn't let my desires run wild. I only avoided things that are actually under my control. I wasn't afraid of that person. I didn't give in when someone begged me to do something wrong. I practiced patience. I practiced self-control. I worked well with others." This is what you should thank God for.

Epictetus — The Slave Original

To-day I have read so many verses, I have written so many; but (we should say), To-day I have employed my action as it is taught by the philosophers; I have not employed my desire; I have used avoidance ([Greek: echchlisei]) only with respect to things which are within the power of my will; I have not been afraid of such a person, I have not been prevailed upon by the entreaties of another; I have exercised my patience, my abstinence, my co-operation with others; and so we should thank God for what we ought to thank him.