The Art of Living: The Classical Mannual on Virtue, Happiness, and Effectiveness

Things and people are not what we wish them to be nor what they seem to be. They are what they are.

What really frightens and dismays us is not external events themselves, but the way in which we think about them. It is not things that disturb us, but our interpretation of their significance.

To do anything well you must have the humility to bumble around a bit, to follow your nose, to get lost, to goof. Have the courage to try an undertaking and possibly do it poorly. Unremarkable lives are marked by the fear of not looking capable when trying something new.

The real test of personal excellence lies in the attention we give to the often neglected small details of our conduct. Regularly ask yourself, “How are my thoughts, words, and deeds affecting my friends, my spouse, my neighbor, my child, my employer, my subordinates, my fellow citizens? Am I doing my part to contribute to the spiritual progress of

Stoicism is superb at exposing the social fallacies and personal delusions that hinder our ability to feel connected to others, that undermine meaningfulness, or that reward the trivial at the expense of the vital and true. Stoicism teaches us to distinguish between true satisfaction and mere gratification, between self-reliant joy and nervous prom

The marks of good reasoning are clarity, consistency, rigor, precision of definitions, and avoidance of ambiguity. Hasten to your training in clear thinking so you can confidently enter a complex argument and not be thrown by it.

Wherever you find yourself and in whatever circumstances, give an impeccable performance. If you are supposed to be a reader, read; if you are supposed to be a writer, write.

Sex is not a game. It gives rise to very real enduring emotional and practical consequences. To ignore this is to debase yourself, and to disregard the significance of human relationships.

What is really your own? The use you make of the ideas, resources, and opportunities that come your way. Do you have books? Read them. Learn from them. Apply their wisdom. Do you have specialized knowledge? Put it to its full and good use. Do you have tools? Get them out and build or repair things with them. Do you have a good idea? Follow up and f