As when walking, you keep an eye out for sharp stones and fallen branches in your path; so when thinking, watch for obstacles and errors in your line of thought. Tread carefully, taking care not to stumble into illogic and unreason.

Gaining in self-possession is more satisfying than any bodily pleasure.

To find your vocation, first consider your talents and inclinations. Do you have the back, shoulders, and thighs of a wrestler? Or the potential and determination to gain them through exercise? Do you live in a way befitting a philosopher? Or are you restless, quick to anger, and a glutton for food and drink? If you truly wish to become a

Whenever distress or displeasure arises in your mind, remind yourself, “This is only my interpretation, not reality itself.” Then ask whether it falls within or outside your sphere of power. And, if it is beyond your power to control, let it go.

you meet temptation, use self-control; if you meet pain, use fortitude; if you meet revulsion, use patience. In this way, you will overcome life’s challenges, rather than be overcome by them.

you are diligent and consistent, those who ridiculed you will come to admire you.

Whenever distress or displeasure arises in your mind, remind yourself, “This is only my interpretation, not reality itself.” Then ask whether it falls within or outside your sphere of power. And, if it is beyond your power to control, let it go.

Find your significance within yourself. Within your own sphere of power—that is where you have the greatest consequence. “But I

you wish to make progress, lay aside your alibis. Stop making excuses like “If I don’t cling tightly to my money and possessions, I’ll end up on the street”; and “If I don’t get angry and punish an employee who steals from me, she’ll become a brazen criminal.” It is better to die poor, while free from fear and grief, than to live surrounded by