Plain
Epictetus — The Slave

I can't call someone hardworking just because they read and write. Even if they stay up all night reading, I won't call them hardworking if they don't know why they're doing it. You wouldn't call someone hardworking for staying awake all night for a romantic interest. Neither would I. If someone reads and writes for reputation, they love reputation. If they do it for money, they love money — not work. If they do it to learn, they love learning. But if they put their effort toward managing their own mind — keeping it healthy and living according to their nature — only then do I call them truly hardworking.

Discourses, To Those Who Are Desirous of Passing Life in Tranquillity 337 of 388
Knowing Yourself What Matters Most
Epictetus — The Slave Original

For this reason I cannot call the man industrious, if I hear this only, that he reads and writes; and even if a man adds that he reads all night, I cannot say so, if he knows not to what he should refer his reading. For neither do you say that a man is industrious if he keeps awake for a girl, nor do I. But if he does it (reads and writes) for reputation, I say that he is a lover of reputation. And if he does it for money, I say that he is a lover of money, not a lover of labor; and if he does it through love of learning, I say that he is a lover of learning. But if he refers his labor to his own ruling power that he may keep it in a state conformable to nature and pass his life in that state, then only do I say that he is industrious.

Discourses, To Those Who Are Desirous of Passing Life in Tranquillity 337 of 388
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.

Discourses, To Those Who Are Desirous of Passing Life in Tranquillity 336 of 388
Freedom & Control What Matters Most
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.

Discourses, To Those Who Are Desirous of Passing Life in Tranquillity 336 of 388
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Ancient philosophy, in plain English.

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