In trying to please other people, we find ourselves misdirected toward what lies outside our sphere of influence. In doing so we lose our hold on life's purpose.
Content yourself with being a lover of wisdom, a seeker of the truth. Return and return again to what is essential and worthy.
Do not try to seem wise to others.
If you wanted to live a wise life, live it on your own terms.
This excerpt was taken from a book called The Art of Living: The Classic Manual on Virtue, Happiness, and Effectiveness and was written by followers of the Stoic philosopher Epictetus around 100AD (Epictetus didn't write his words down).
What I think the words mean encompasses what it is to be a Stoic or to act stoically. That is, to stop trying to control things that are beyond your control and to concentrate on what's important.
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