Crows pick out the eyes of the dead, when the dead have no longer need of them; but flatterers mar the soul of the living, and her eyes they blind.
EpictetusRead
It is the nature of the wise to resist pleasures, but the foolish to be a slave to them.
Interpretation
Wise individuals prioritize self-control over immediate pleasures, while foolish ones succumb to them.
This quote by Epictetus highlights the difference in behavior between wise and foolish individuals regarding the pursuit of pleasures. Those who are wise recognize that true fulfillment comes from self-discipline and resisting fleeting temptations, while the foolish allow themselves to be dominated by their desires, leading to a lack of control and ultimately, dissatisfaction.
In practice
In a motivational speech about personal growth.
Crows pick out the eyes of the dead, when the dead have no longer need of them; but flatterers mar the soul of the living, and her eyes they blind.
Learn to distinguish what you can and can't control. Within our control are our own opinions, aspirations, desires and the things that repel us. They are directly subject to our influence.
Men are disturbed not by the things that happen, but by their opinion of the things that happen.
Nothing truly stops you. Nothing truly holds you back. For your own will is always within your control. Sickness may challenge your body. But are you merely your body? Lameness may impede your legs. But you are not merely your legs. Your will is bigger than your legs. Your will needn't be affected by an incident unless you let it.
The people have a right to the truth as they have a right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Practice yourself, for heaven's sake, in little things, and thence proceed to greater.
To boast of a performance which I cannot beat is merely stupid vanity. And if I can beat it that means there is nothing special about it. What has passed is already finished with. What I find more interesting is what is still to come.
It is inevitable when one has a great need of something one finds it. What you need you attract like a lover.
Go beyond everything. Don't collect anything. _x000D_ A king does not need to go shopping in his own _x000D_ kingdom. Nor does he beg. _x000D_ Remember, you are the inner reality-pure awareness only. _x000D_ All that arises are appearances in consciousness. _x000D_ Don't bother with all that. Rest only as the awareness. _x000D_ This is the secret.
I was trying to prove to them and to myself that I was still who I had always been. I was beautiful, if fat. I was smart, if loud. I was good, if ruined.
People need trouble - a little frustration to sharpen the spirit on, toughen it. Artists do; I don't mean you need to live in a rat hole or gutter, but you have to learn fortitude, endurance. Only vegetables are happy.
We have this myth that extroverts are better salespeople. As a result, extroverts are more likely to enter sales; extroverts are more likely to get promoted in sales jobs. But if you look at the correlation between extroversion and actual sales performance - that is, how many times the cash register actually rings - the correlation's almost zero.
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