30 Epictetus phrases for those looking for happiness and quality of life

Only education sets you free.

The wise man is one who is not saddened by the things he does not have, but rejoices in the things he does have.

Desire and happiness cannot live together.

Try to clean the bowl before throwing anything into it; that is to say, before preaching virtue, reform your customs.

Nothing great is created suddenly.

If they speak ill of you with good reason, correct yourself; otherwise, make yourself laugh.

Do you want to stop belonging to the number of slaves? Break your chains and remove from you all fear and all spite.

If you can’t speak well of a person, it’s better not to say anything.

If the problem has a solution, we shouldn’t worry about it. And if there’s no solution, it’s no use worrying.

It is the difficulties that men show.

Just as there is an art of speaking well, there is an art of listening well.

Anyone capable of irritating you becomes your master; she can only irritate you when you allow yourself to be disturbed by her.

Men are moved and disturbed not by things, but by the opinions they have of them.

Fortify yourself with contentment, for this is an impregnable fortress.

The most severe and frequent evils are those which the imagination makes us nourish.

Rare pleasures are what delight us most.

Excessive anger engenders madness.

Only the cultured man is free.

First learn the meaning of what you say, and then speak.

You can’t be a champion without sweating.

This is what philosophizing is: examining and fine-tuning the criteria.

Success is finding what you are meant to be and then doing what it takes to get there.

A fawner is like a friend, as a wolf is like a dog. Be careful, therefore, not to inadvertently admit hungry wolves into your house instead of guard dogs.

Moral progress is not a natural privilege of elites nor is it acquired by chance or luck, but through self-work – daily.

Do not seek happiness outside, but within you, otherwise you will never find it.

Any place where someone is against their will is, for them, a prison.

The soul is reluctant to be deprived of the truth.

Prudence is the most valuable of all goods.

In prosperity it is very easy to find friends, in adversity there is nothing more difficult.

If you want to improve, be happy to be thought of as an imbecile.