Masters of Habit: Rituals, Lessons, and Quotes from Marcus Aurelius

When you arise in the morning think of what a privilege it is to be alive, to think, to enjoy, to love…

On living a good life…Your mind will be like its habitual thoughts; for the soul becomes dyed with the color of its thoughts. Soak it then in such trains of thoughts as, for example: Where life is possible at all, a right life is possible.

On asking for help…Don't be ashamed to need help. Like a soldier storming a wall, you have a mission to accomplish. And if you've been wounded and you need a comrade to pull you up? So what?

Waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be. Be one.

On taking action…It is not death that a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live.

I have often wondered how it is that every man loves himself more than all the rest of men, but yet sets less value on his own opinion of himself than on the opinion of others.

You don't have to turn this into something. It doesn't have to upset you. Things can't shape our decisions by themselves.

Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth.

On dealing with criticism…You have power over your mind — not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.