Marcus Aurelius (Marcus Aurelius Antoninius) was a Roman Emperor 161 – 180 AD. He is a world-renown Stoic and author of an ageless philosophical piece called “Meditations.” Here are 15 remarkable musings from the works of Marcus Aurelius.
- The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts.
- Waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be. Be one.
- Do every act of your life as though it were the very last act of your life.
- Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth.
- A man’s worth is no greater than his ambitions.
- Dig within. Within is the wellspring of Good; and it is always ready to bubble up, if you just dig.
- When you arise in the morning think of what a privilege it is to be alive, to think, to enjoy, to love …
- You have power over your mind – not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.
- Life is opinion.
- Confine yourself to the present.
- If it is not right do not do it; if it is not true do not say it.
- Because a thing seems difficult for you, do not think it impossible for anyone to accomplish.
- The art of living is more like wrestling than dancing, in so far as it stands ready against the accidental and the unforeseen, and is not apt to fall.
- Think of yourself as dead. You have lived your life. Now, take what’s left and live it properly. What doesn’t transmit light creates its own darkness.
- It is not death that a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live.
