If you wish to live a life free from sorrow, think of what is going to happen as if it had already happened.

Remember that you ought to behave in life as you would at a banquet. As something is being passed around it comes to you; stretch out your hand, take a portion of it politely. It passes on; do not detain it. Or it has not come to you yet; do not project your desire to meet it, but wait until it comes in front of you. So act toward children, so toward a wife, so toward office, so toward wealth.

What ought one to say then as each hardship comes? I was practicing for this, I was training for this.

Watch yourself as you go about your daily business and later reflect on what you saw, trying to identify the sources of distress in your life and thinking about how to avoid that distress.

If you think you control things that are in the control of others, you will lament. You will be disturbed and you will blame both gods and men.

If thy brother wrongs thee, remember not so much his wrong-doing, but more than ever that he is thy brother.

Consider first the nature of the business in hand; then examine thy own nature, whether thou hast strength to undertake it.