Meditations is perhaps the only document of its kind ever made. The book is a collection of the private notes made by Marcus Aurelius, a great Roman Emperor and stoic philosopher, giving advice to himself on how to make good on the responsibilities and obligations of his positions. It was not intended to be read by others so his writings are an awesome insight into the mind and philosophy of the world's most powerful man at the time. His thoughts are practical and you can apply them straight away to improve your way of life.
"At dawn, when you have trouble getting out of bed, tell yourself: ‘I have to go to work – as a human being. What do I have to complain of, if I’m going to do what I was born for – the things I was brought into the world to do? Or is this what I was created for? To huddle under the blankets and stay warm?”
"The mind adapts and converts to its own purposes the obstacle to our acting. The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.”
"Then remind yourself that past and future have no power over you. Only the present—and even that can be minimized. Just mark off its limits. And if your mind tries to claim that it can’t hold out against that...well, then, heap shame upon it.”
“Not to live as if you had endless years ahead of you. Death overshadows you. While you’re alive and able — be good.”
These are some of the best quotes from Marcus Aurelius to get you going. Apply and practice them and you will see a positive change in your life.
This website provides information about the book 'Meditations' by Marcus Aurelius and about stoic philosophy. By no means I am trying to sell the book. If you would like to buy it, search for it on Google or Amazon, there are plenty of options. I recommend you look for Gregory Hays’ translated version as it is in modern plain English and the words are concise and fluid. The original English translation is by George Long and it is free.
If you are interested to know more about the stoic philosophy, I strongly recommend checking out d a i l y s t o i c . c o m . This is by far the best resource for stoicism I can find and awesome starting point for someone interested in this topic.
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