Inspiration
This page offers a collection of powerful and timeless ideas drawn from Stoic philosophy and other influential thinkers. It provides inspiration for personal growth, resilience, and the pursuit of contentment in everyday life.
Quotes
What are those precious ideas that truly matter? They are hard to find if you look for them within the Demos. Stop. They aren't there. Look for them within the Logos.
- Inspired by Stoic philosophy, written by me
Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection, we can catch excellence.
- Vince Lombardi
From this instant on, vow to stop disappointing yourself. Separate yourself from the mob. Decide to be extraordinary and do what you need to do - now.
- Epictetus
What should you say when you fail? You say, "I was practicing for this. I was training for this."
- Epictetus
It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.
- Theodore Roosevelt, "The Man in the Arena," from the speech "Citizenship in a Republic," delivered at the Sorbonne in Paris, France, on April 23, 1910.
Fortify yourself with moderation.
- Seneca
If you want to improve, be content to be thought stupid.
- Epictetus
A wise man is wise when he knows he knows nothing, for certain.
- Adapted from Socrates (via Plato) (and me)
First, say to yourself what you want to be; and then do what you have to do.
- Epictetus
"Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never—in nothing, great or small, large or petty—never give in, except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force. Never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy."
- Winston Churchill, Speech at Harrow School, October 29, 1941
Narrations
How I use this
I follow Stoicism as a guiding philosophy to cultivate resilience, discipline, and rationality, while striving for alignment with the Logos—the rational order of the universe, as understood within a Roman Catholic context. Though I err daily, I pursue perfect alignment with the Logos, knowing it is unattainable. Along the way, I catch excellence, as fleeting as it is, and endeavor to be content with what I have achieved. I focus on what I can control, accept external circumstances with calmness, and practice patience with the flawed perceptions of others and myself. Stoicism helps me navigate challenges, stay grounded in my principles, and make decisions with wisdom and virtue, all in the pursuit of a life well-lived.
last updated: Tue Oct 15, 2024, 11:36:30
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