Here's how you can tell the difference between three types of people. A shallow person never looks to himself for help or blame — he only looks to outside things. A philosopher looks to himself for everything — all help and all blame. A student who's making progress shows these signs: He doesn't criticize anyone. He doesn't praise anyone. He doesn't blame anyone or accuse anyone. He doesn't talk about himself like he's important or knows everything. When something blocks his way, he blames himself. When someone praises him, he quietly smiles at that person. When someone criticizes him, he doesn't defend himself. He moves carefully, like someone recovering from illness. He's cautious about messing with anything that's going well but isn't completely secure yet. He controls his desires. He only dislikes things that get in the way of using his will properly. He uses his energy wisely in everything he does. If he seems stupid or ignorant, he doesn't care. In short, he watches himself like he's watching an enemy who might attack.
The condition and characteristic of a vulgar person is that he never looks for either help or harm from himself, but only from externals. The condition and characteristic of a philosopher is that he looks to himself for all help or harm. The marks of a proficient are that he censures no one, praises no one, blames no one, accuses no one; says nothing concerning himself as being anybody or knowing anything. When he is in any instance hindered or restrained, he accuses himself; and if he is praised, he smiles to himself at the person who praises him; and if he is censured, he makes no defense. But he goes about with the caution of a convalescent, careful of interference with anything that is doing well but not yet quite secure. He restrains desire; he transfers his aversion to those things only which thwart the proper use of our own will; he employs his energies moderately in all directions; if he appears stupid or ignorant, he does not care; and, in a word, he keeps watch over himself as over an enemy and one in ambush.