Marcus Aurelius

"The primary principle of philosophy is that understanding one's problems precedes their solution."

"Reject your sense of injury and the injury itself disappears."

"If it is not right do not do it; if it is not true do not say it."

"Everything that happens is either endurable or not. If it is endurable, then endure it. Stop complaining."

"Take away your opinion, and then there is taken away the complaint, 'I have been harmed.'"

"Objective judgment, now, at this very moment. Unselfish action, now, at this very moment. Willing acceptance—now, at this very moment—of all external events."

"Concentrate every minute like a Roman on doing what's in front of you with precise and genuine seriousness."

"Forget everything else. Keep hold of this alone and remember it: Each of us lives only now, this brief instant. The rest has been lived already, or is impossible to see."

"When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive—to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love."

"Everything is temporary."

"If you work hard and act honorably, your success is assured; if you do so dishonestly, your failure is assured."

"You have the power to strip away many useless things that clutter your mind, and your life will expand vastly if you do so."

"How small a part of the boundless and unfathomable time is assigned to every man."

"The best measure of a person is how they treat someone who can do them absolutely no good."

"Ask not that events happen as you will, but let your will be that events happen as they do, and you shall have peace."

"Fear is only an opinion; pain is only an opinion. In a moment it is gone."

"How much less in making one a good and worthy person? Or, what is really required? To hold to principles, make consistent decisions, discipline the soul."

"Ponder for a moment: Is any of your burdens truly intolerable?"

"The greatest wealth is a poverty of desires."

"You will find peace not by trying to escape your problems, but by confronting them courageously."

"Nowhere can a man be more alone than when he is alone with his thoughts."

"To live is to suffer, but in suffering we find our strength."

"Stop whatever you're doing for a moment and ask yourself: Am I afraid of death because I won't be able to do this anymore?"

"Dig within. Within is the wellspring of Good and it is always ready to bubble up, if you just dig."

"In this world there is only one way to happiness and that is to cease worrying about things which are beyond our control."

"It can ruin your life only if it ruins your character. Otherwise it cannot harm you, inside or out."

"Ambition means tying your well-being to what other people say or do. Sanity means tying it to your own actions."

"Just that you do the right thing. The rest doesn't matter."

"When faced with a difficult person, remind yourself that they are what they are because of their ignorance of good and evil."

"You could leave life right now—or it could be taken from you before you leave it. Make your choice accordingly."