Epictetus

"What could be worse for an athlete than training all his life for competition and losing due to carelessness?"

"You have your heart as a precious instrument; do not spoil it by your misdeeds."

"It is the power of the mind to be unconquerable."

"The first step toward philosophy is incredulity; the second step is understanding."

"When you sup with a ruler, remember that a superior power is watching to see if you will conduct yourself properly."

"The philosopher does not retreat from society, but he participates in it with wisdom."

"If a thought arises that is not in your control, do not struggle with it, simply let it pass."

"What enslaves you is not things themselves, but your judgments about them."

"To be everywhere is to be nowhere."

"Complaining is the voice of the small and powerless."

"The good is not in possession; the good is in the using."

"You are suffering from the disease of endless wishing."

"Just as a person in a carriage cares not whether the road is smooth or rocky, the wise man cares not about what befalls him."

"Take away your opinion, and you have taken away your offense."

"Every student should strive to be like a sword being honed by the whetstone."

"The body is a temporary dwelling place, but the soul is eternal."

"Do not seek to have things happen as you wish, but wish them to happen as they do."

"When adversity strikes, remember that you are being tested by the universe itself."

"The first principle of philosophy is this: know yourself."

"If you truly understood the nature of things, you would cease to demand anything other than what you receive."

"Wealth without virtue is like health without goodness."

"The moment you recognize someone as inferior, you have lost the ability to learn from them."

"To live a good life requires strength of character, not strength of body."

"When a difficult moment comes, know that it will not last forever."

"Grief is the tax we pay for love; the deeper the love, the deeper the grief."

"The world is a mirror; whatever is in your heart will be reflected back to you."

"You are responsible only for your intentions, not for the results of your actions."

"The secret of change is to focus all of your energy not on fighting the old, but on building the new."

"The beginning of wisdom is the definition of terms."

"No thief can steal your virtue; only you can give it away."