A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy

In particular, he will be careful to set internal rather than external goals. Thus, his goal in playing tennis will not be to win a match (something external, over which he has only partial control) but to play to the best of his ability in the match (something internal, over which he has complete control).

another person will not do you harm unless you wish it; you will be harmed at just that time at which you take yourself to be harmed

e would be utter fools to allow ourselves to become upset by this fact, to go through the rest of the day thinking, “Oh, dear! That dog doesn’t like me!”

nonresponse to an insult makes it look as if we are indifferent to the existence of the insulter

what upsets people is not things themselves but their judgments about these things.

we detect anger and hatred within us and wish to seek revenge, one of the best forms of revenge on another person is to refuse to be like him.12

take care not to “catch” the grief of others.

. For us to “catch” her grief, after all, won’t help her but will hurt us.

t by not responding to an insulter, we are showing him and anyone who is watching that we simply don’t have time for the childish behavior of this person.

we should avoid associating with people whose values have been corrupted, the way we would avoid, say, kissing someone who obviously has the flu.