Stoic quotes that help with self improvement

“I begin to speak only when I’m certain what I’ll say isn’t better left unsaid.” - Cato the Younger

Similar vibe to the Aurelius quote about having no opinion, although Cato died decades before Aurelius was even born. I can't count how many times in my life I was gonna say something out of either being too reactive or letting someone's words get to me, and I realized it would only make things worse and stopped myself. I don't talk a lot in general, and its partially cause of this mindset. Whether its idle chatter or just bringing up opinions and thoughts that only serve to stir up drama, a lot of the time shit just doesn't need to be said. At best, its a waste of breath and at worst it'll escalate situations to a level they didn't need to get to.

 

“Man is like a dog tied to a moving wagon. If the dog refuses to run along with the wagon he will be dragged by it, yet the choice remains his: to run or be dragged.” - Marcus Aurelius, Book 5 of the Meditations

One of the fundamental rules of the universe is that it is in constant motion. If we refuse to follow this motion, it will bruise us and fill us with loathing and anger and self-pity. If we, however, just keep moving forward, even if it's a fraction of a step... it will reward us.

This is one of the most profound realizations I have had in my entire life. When you start to think like this: "What step can I take towards my goal that is in my capacity?" -- your whole life changes. All of a sudden, you realize that if you can't study for 5 hours, you can study for 3 minutes. And then 5 minutes the next day. And then 20-minutes, 23, 25, an hour.

All of a sudden, you realize you can walk for 5-minutes today... then walk for 10-minutes tomorrow... then jog for 11-minutes... and it's all subtle movement in a positive direction. It builds momentum and causes unimaginably huge ripples.

We have more control than we think.

 

Cato is a good one! I used to teach the stoics but often just stuck to Aurelius or Epictetus, and was minimal on Aurelius if I'm being honest.

 

Marcus Aurelius. “You have power over your mind – not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.”
Epictetus. “Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants.”
For me, the philosophy of soicism and quotes from their great representatives are very important throughout my life. At https://artscolumbia.org/my-philosophy-of-life-essay-58125/ you can read my philosophical essay on life, its main components and meanings.