Remember that philosophy asks nothing of you except what your nature already asks. Would you want anything that goes against nature? Which do you think is more gentle and pleasant — what is natural or what goes against nature? Many people get hurt by pleasure because they think it's the most natural thing. But think about this: aren't courage, true freedom, honesty, balance, and goodness more natural? And what about wisdom itself? What could be more gentle and lovely than moving through life with your mind working clearly, without stumbling or falling?
And remember that philosophy requireth nothing of thee, but what thy nature requireth, and wouldest thou thyself desire anything that is not according to nature? for which of these sayest thou; that which is according to nature or against it, is of itself more kind and pleasing? Is it not for that respect especially, that pleasure itself is to so many men's hurt and overthrow, most prevalent, because esteemed commonly most kind, and natural? But consider well whether magnanimity rather, and true liberty, and true simplicity, and equanimity, and holiness; whether these be not most kind and natural? And prudency itself, what more kind and amiable than it, when thou shalt truly consider with thyself, what it is through all the proper objects of thy rational intellectual faculty currently to go on without any fall or stumble?