Some things are within your control, while others are not. Things within your control are free, unimpeded, and unrestricted. These are your impressions: judgments, attitudes, cravings, repulsions, intentions, and efforts. Events that occur, objects and people, their impressions, everything they say and do, your belongings and reputation, the outcomes of your words and deeds, and even your physical sensations such as pain and aging are beyond your control.
If you interpret things that are outside of your control as if they are under your control, you will become frustrated and upset, and blame it on bad luck, others, and yourself. On the contrary, if you interpret things well, nobody will be able to restrict you, and you will hold onto what is yours for yourself regardless of the situation.
As you pursue these goals, it is important to prioritize them and put them above other choices when conflicts arise. If you strive to be a good person while pursuing other goals outside your control, you may achieve them for a while, but they may be taken away from you later on initiating frustration that could have been avoided.
Reflect: What aspects of your life do you have control over? Why should you try to keep things under your control while not pursuing those that aren't under your control with the same eagerness?
YOU ARE READING
Virtuous Life Handbook
Non-FictionDo you want to be unstoppable? This straightforward philosophy offers practical tips, accessible to all, regardless of prior philosophical knowledge. Rooted in virtue ethics and influenced by Stoicism, it has been further enhanced by other philosoph...
