Marcus Aurelius was a Roman Emperor and Stoic philosopher known for his deeply insightful personal reflections in Meditations.
Here are some famous and powerful Marcus Aurelius quotes:
"The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts."
"Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth."
"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."
"If it is not right, do not do it; if it is not true, do not say it."
"The best revenge is not to be like your enemy."
"The soul becomes dyed with the color of its thoughts."
"Dig deep within yourself, for there is a fountain of goodness ever ready to flow if you will keep digging."
"You could leave life right now. Let that determine what you do and say and think."
"It is not death that a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live."
"Accept the things to which fate binds you, and love the people with whom fate brings you together, but do so with all your heart."
"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."
"Adapt yourself to the life you have been given; and truly love the people with whom destiny has surrounded you."
"Man is born for deeds of kindness."
"We were born to work together like feet, hands and eyes, like the two rows of teeth, upper and lower. To obstruct each other is unnatural. To feel anger at someone, to turn your back on him: these are obstructions."
"Not to display anger or other emotions. To be free of passion and yet full of love."
"What can even the most malicious person do if you keep showing kindness and, if given the chance, you gently point out where they went wrong—right as they are trying to harm you?"
"It's courtesy and kindness that define a human being."
"Only one thing is important: to behave throughout your life toward the liars and crooks around you with kindness, honesty, and justice."
"Whenever someone has done wrong by you, immediately consider what notion of good or evil they had in doing it. For when you see that, you'll feel compassion, instead of astonishment or rage."
Marcus Aurelius Quotes on leadership from his work, Meditations
"Waste no more time arguing what a good man should be. Be one." (This is arguably his most fundamental quote on leading by example.)
"If it is not right, do not do it; if it is not true, do not say it." (A strict standard for moral integrity in governance.)
"Hour by hour resolve firmly, like a Roman and a man, to do what comes to hand with correct and natural dignity, and with humanity, independence, and justice."
"The true worth of a man is to be measured by the objects he pursues."
Marcus Aurelius Quotes on Success
"The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts."
"Very little is needed to make a happy life; it is all within yourself, in your way of thinking."
"The true worth of a man is to be measured by the objects he pursues."
"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."
"Stop allowing your mind to be a slave, to be jerked about by selfish impulses, to kick against fate and the present, and to mistrust the future."
"Blot out vain pomp; check impulse; quench appetite; keep reason under its own control."
"Be tolerant with others and strict with yourself."
"We should discipline ourselves in small things, and from these progress to things of greater value."
"When force of circumstance upsets your equanimity, lose no time in recovering your self-control, and do not remain out of tune longer than you can help. Habitual recurrence to the harmony will increase your mastery of it."
"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?'"
"If it is not right, do not do it; if it is not true, do not say it."
"In your actions, don't procrastinate. In your conversations, don't confuse. In your thoughts, don't wander. In your soul, don't be passive or aggressive."
Marcus Aurelius Quotes on the Power of the Mind and Perception
"You have power over your mind — not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.""The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts."
"Everything we hear is an opinion, not a fact. Everything we see is a perspective, not the truth."
"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 Quotes on Action, Virtue, and Character
"Waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be. Be one.""If it is not right, do not do it; if it is not true, do not say it."
"The best revenge is not to be like your enemy."
"The soul becomes dyed with the color of its thoughts."
"Dig deep within yourself, for there is a fountain of goodness ever ready to flow if you will keep digging."
Marcus Aurelius Quotes on Life, Death, and Time
"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.""You could leave life right now. Let that determine what you do and say and think."
"It is not death that a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live."
"Accept the things to which fate binds you, and love the people with whom fate brings you together, but do so with all your heart."
Marcus Aurelius Quotes on Loving Humanity and Fate
"Accept the things to which fate binds you, and love the people with whom fate brings you together, but do so with all your heart.""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."
"Adapt yourself to the life you have been given; and truly love the people with whom destiny has surrounded you."
"Man is born for deeds of kindness."
"We were born to work together like feet, hands and eyes, like the two rows of teeth, upper and lower. To obstruct each other is unnatural. To feel anger at someone, to turn your back on him: these are obstructions."
Marcus Aurelius Quotes on Love as Kindness and Strength
"Kindness is unconquerable, so long as it is without flattery or hypocrisy.""Not to display anger or other emotions. To be free of passion and yet full of love."
"What can even the most malicious person do if you keep showing kindness and, if given the chance, you gently point out where they went wrong—right as they are trying to harm you?"
"It's courtesy and kindness that define a human being."
"Only one thing is important: to behave throughout your life toward the liars and crooks around you with kindness, honesty, and justice."
Marcus Aurelius Quotes on Self-Love and Perspective
"It never ceases to amaze me: we all love ourselves more than other people, but care more about their opinions than our own.""Whenever someone has done wrong by you, immediately consider what notion of good or evil they had in doing it. For when you see that, you'll feel compassion, instead of astonishment or rage."
Marcus Aurelius Quotes on leadership from his work, Meditations
"Waste no more time arguing what a good man should be. Be one." (This is arguably his most fundamental quote on leading by example.)
"If it is not right, do not do it; if it is not true, do not say it." (A strict standard for moral integrity in governance.)
"Hour by hour resolve firmly, like a Roman and a man, to do what comes to hand with correct and natural dignity, and with humanity, independence, and justice."
"The true worth of a man is to be measured by the objects he pursues."
Marcus Aurelius Quotes on Success
"The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts."
"Very little is needed to make a happy life; it is all within yourself, in your way of thinking."
"The true worth of a man is to be measured by the objects he pursues."
"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."
Marcus Aurelius Quotes on Discipline and Self-Control
"You have power over your mind—not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.""Stop allowing your mind to be a slave, to be jerked about by selfish impulses, to kick against fate and the present, and to mistrust the future."
"Blot out vain pomp; check impulse; quench appetite; keep reason under its own control."
"Be tolerant with others and strict with yourself."
"We should discipline ourselves in small things, and from these progress to things of greater value."
"When force of circumstance upsets your equanimity, lose no time in recovering your self-control, and do not remain out of tune longer than you can help. Habitual recurrence to the harmony will increase your mastery of it."
"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?'"
"If it is not right, do not do it; if it is not true, do not say it."
"In your actions, don't procrastinate. In your conversations, don't confuse. In your thoughts, don't wander. In your soul, don't be passive or aggressive."
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