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Marcus Aurelius Quotes

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The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts.

The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts.

Marcus Aurelius
Inspirational, Life, Motivational
Marcus Aurelius (Emperor of Rome), André Dacier, Thomas Gataker (1701). “The Emperor-Marcus Antonius: his conversation with himself. together with the preliminary discourse of the learned Gataker”

You have power over your mind - not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.

Marcus Aurelius
Inspirational, Motivational, Strength
Marcus Aurelius (2015). “Meditations”, p.116, Lulu.com

When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive - to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.

Marcus Aurelius
Love, Inspirational, Life

Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth.

Marcus Aurelius
Truth, Intelligent, Greatness

The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane.

Marcus Aurelius
Life, Depression, Insanity

The opinion of 10,000 men is of no value if none of them know anything about the subject.

Marcus Aurelius
Peace, War, Men

It never ceases to amaze me: we all love ourselves more than other people, but care more about their opinions than our own.

Marcus Aurelius
Love, People, Care
Marcus Aurelius (2002). “Meditations: A New Translation”, p.162, Modern Library

If you are distressed by anything external, the pain is not due to the thing itself, but to your estimate of it; and this you have the power to revoke at any moment.

Marcus Aurelius
Inspirational, Positive, Depression

Think of all the years passed by in which you said to yourself "I'll do it tomorrow," and how the gods have again and again granted you periods of grace of which you have not availed yourself. It is time to realize that you are a member of the Universe, that you are born of Nature itself, and to know that a limit has been set to your time. Use every moment wisely, to perceive your inner refulgence, or 'twill be gone and nevermore within your reach.

Marcus Aurelius
Procrastination, Thinking, Years

The things you think about determine the quality of your mind. Your soul takes on the color of your thoughts.

Marcus Aurelius
Positive Thinking, Color, Soul
Marcus Aurelius (2002). “Meditations: A New Translation”, p.59, Modern Library

Do not be wise in words - be wise in deeds.

Marcus Aurelius
Wise, Deeds, Being Wise

There is but one thing of real value - to cultivate truth and justice, and to live without anger in the midst of lying and unjust men.

Marcus Aurelius
Real, Lying, Men

Live a good life. If there are gods and they are just, then they will not care how devout you have been, but will welcome you based on the virtues you have lived by. If there are gods, but unjust, then you should not want to worship them. If there are no gods, then you will be gone, but will have lived a noble life that will live on in the memories of your loved ones.

Marcus Aurelius
Life, God, Death

You always own the option of having no opinion. There is never any need to get worked up or to trouble your soul about things you can't control. These things are not asking to be judged by you. Leave them alone.

Marcus Aurelius
Soul, Needs, Asking
Marcus Aurelius, C. Scot Hicks, David Hicks (2002). “The Emperor's Handbook: A New Translation of The Meditations”, p.75, Simon and Schuster

Give yourself a gift: the present moment.

Marcus Aurelius
Giving, Moments, Present Moment
Marcus Aurelius (2002). “Meditations: A New Translation”, p.110, Modern Library

Never let the future disturb you. You will meet it, if you have to, with the same weapons of reason which today arm you against the present.

Marcus Aurelius
Fear, Future, Adventure
"Meditations" by Marcus Aurelius, Book VII, (8), (c. 161 - 180 AD).

A man's true delight is to do the things he was made for.

Marcus Aurelius
Inspiration, Men, Vision

The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way.

Marcus Aurelius
Way, Action, Obstacles
Marcus Aurelius, Plato, Aristotle (2012). “The Modern Library Collection of Greek and Roman Philosophy 3-Book Bundle: Meditations; Selected Dialogues of Plato; The Basic Works of Aristotle”, p.162, Modern Library

Waste no more time arguing what a good man should be. Be one.

Marcus Aurelius
Time, Integrity, Insperational
"Meditations". Book by Marcus Aurelius (Book X, Chapter 16), circa 170.

Very little is needed to make a happy life; it is all within yourself, in your way of thinking.

Marcus Aurelius
Inspirational, Life, Positive

Do not indulge in dreams of having what you have not, but reckon up the chief of the blessings you do possess, and then thankfully remember how you would crave for them if they were not yours.

Marcus Aurelius
Thankful, Dream, Gratitude

Death smiles at us all, all a man can do is smile back.

Marcus Aurelius
Inspirational, Smile, Uplifting

It is not death that a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live.

Marcus Aurelius
Life, Moving On, Death
Marcus Aurelius (2015). “Meditations”, p.144, Sheba Blake Publishing

Be tolerant with others and strict with yourself.

Marcus Aurelius
Tolerance, Strict
Marcus Aurelius, Plato, Aristotle (2012). “The Modern Library Collection of Greek and Roman Philosophy 3-Book Bundle: Meditations; Selected Dialogues of Plato; The Basic Works of Aristotle”, p.166, Modern Library

Say to yourself in the early morning: I shall meet today ungrateful, violent, treacherous, envious, uncharitable men. All of these things have come upon them through ignorance of real good and ill... I can neither be harmed by any of them, for no man will involve me in wrong, nor can I be angry with my kinsman or hate him; for we have come into the world to work together.

Marcus Aurelius
Morning, Hate, Real

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