Plain
Epictetus — The Slave

So what if you've given up on this fight for happiness and good fortune? No one stops you from starting the fight again. You don't have to wait four years for the next Olympics. As soon as you recover your strength and bring back your passion, you can start fighting again. If you give up again, you can start again after that. Once you win, it's like you never gave up at all. Just don't make giving up a habit. Don't start enjoying it. Don't be like a bad athlete who gets beaten at every competition and runs around defeated like escaped fighting birds.

Discourses, To Those Who Fall Off (desist) from Their Purpose 300 of 388
Facing Hardship Knowing Yourself
Epictetus — The Slave Original

Well then, even if we have renounced the contest in this matter (for good fortune and happiness), no man hinders us from renewing the combat again, and we are not compelled to wait for another four years that the games at Olympia may come again; but as soon as you have recovered and restored yourself, and employ the same zeal, you may renew the combat again; and if again you renounce it, you may again renew it; and if you once gain the victory, you are like him who has never renounced the combat. Only do not through a habit of doing the same thing (renouncing the combat), begin to do it with pleasure, and then like a bad athlete go about after being conquered in all the circuit of the games like quails who have run away.

Discourses, To Those Who Fall Off (desist) from Their Purpose 300 of 388
Epictetus — The Slave

The fight we're in isn't like wrestling or mixed martial arts. In those sports, you can win or lose and still be a good person. You might get lucky or unlucky. But our fight is different. We're fighting for our actual well-being and happiness.

Discourses, To Those Who Fall Off (desist) from Their Purpose 299 of 388
Facing Hardship What Matters Most
Epictetus — The Slave Original

For the combat before us is not in wrestling and the Pancration, in which both the successful and the unsuccessful may have the greatest merit, or may have little, and in truth may be very fortunate or very unfortunate; but the combat is for good fortune and happiness themselves.

Discourses, To Those Who Fall Off (desist) from Their Purpose 299 of 388
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Ancient philosophy, in plain English.

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