Marcus Aurelius Quotes

Most popular Marcus Aurelius Quotes

The universe is change. - Marcus Aurelius quote.
The universe is change.
— Marcus Aurelius
Our life is what our thoughts make it. - Marcus Aurelius quote.
Our life is what our thoughts make it.
— Marcus Aurelius
Your life is what your thoughts make it. - Marcus Aurelius quote.
Your life is what your thoughts make it.
— Marcus Aurelius

life

Very little is needed to make a happy life. - Marcus Aurelius quote.
Very little is needed to make a happy life.
— Marcus Aurelius
Fate finds for every man his share of misery. - Marcus Aurelius quote.
Fate finds for every man his share of misery.
— Marcus Aurelius
A man's worth is no greater than his ambitions. - Marcus Aurelius quote.
A man's worth is no greater than his ambitions.
— Marcus Aurelius

ambition

A man is a little soul carrying around a corpse. - Marcus Aurelius quote.
A man is a little soul carrying around a corpse.
— Marcus Aurelius
Do not act as if you had a thousand years to live. - Marcus Aurelius quote.
Do not act as if you had a thousand years to live.
— Marcus Aurelius
The art of living is more like wrestling than dancing. - Marcus Aurelius quote.
The art of living is more like wrestling than dancing.
— Marcus Aurelius

life

What is not good for the swarm is not good for the bee. - Marcus Aurelius quote.
What is not good for the swarm is not good for the bee.

society

A man must stand erect, and not be kept erect by others. - Marcus Aurelius quote.
A man must stand erect, and not be kept erect by others.
— Marcus Aurelius
Execute every act of thy life as though it were thy last. - Marcus Aurelius quote.
Execute every act of thy life as though it were thy last.
— Marcus Aurelius
O world, I am in tune with every note of thy great harmony. - Marcus Aurelius quote.
O world, I am in tune with every note of thy great harmony.
— Marcus Aurelius
A man's worth is no greater than the worth of his ambitions. - Marcus Aurelius quote.
A man's worth is no greater than the worth of his ambitions.
— Marcus Aurelius

attitude

Have I done an unselfish thing? well then, I have my reward. - Marcus Aurelius quote.
Have I done an unselfish thing? well then, I have my reward.
— Marcus Aurelius
It is a man's peculiar duty to love even those who wrong him. - Marcus Aurelius quote.
It is a man's peculiar duty to love even those who wrong him.
— Marcus Aurelius
Reject your sense of injury and the injury itself disappears. - Marcus Aurelius quote.
Reject your sense of injury and the injury itself disappears.
— Marcus Aurelius

self-pity

Waste no more time arguing what a good man should be. Be one. - Marcus Aurelius quote.
Waste no more time arguing what a good man should be. Be one.
— Marcus Aurelius
The best revenge is to be unlike him who performed the injury. - Marcus Aurelius quote.
The best revenge is to be unlike him who performed the injury.
— Marcus Aurelius

revenge

All is temporary and ephemeral — fame and the famous, as well. - Marcus Aurelius quote.
All is temporary and ephemeral — fame and the famous, as well.
— Marcus Aurelius
Loss is nothing else but change, and change is Nature's delight. - Marcus Aurelius quote.
Loss is nothing else but change, and change is Nature's delight.

loss

Check impulse; quench appetite; keep reason under its own control. - Marcus Aurelius quote.
Check impulse; quench appetite; keep reason under its own control.

appetite

Waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be. Be one. - Marcus Aurelius quote.
Waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be. Be one.
— Marcus Aurelius

morals

Whatever may befall thee, it was preordained for thee from eternity. - Marcus Aurelius quote.
Whatever may befall thee, it was preordained for thee from eternity.
— Marcus Aurelius
Nothing happens to any man which he is not fitted by nature to bear. - Marcus Aurelius quote.
Nothing happens to any man which he is not fitted by nature to bear.
— Marcus Aurelius
Nothing happens to any man which he is not formed by nature to bear. - Marcus Aurelius quote.
Nothing happens to any man which he is not formed by nature to bear.
— Marcus Aurelius
How much more grievous are the consequences of anger than the causes of it. - Marcus Aurelius quote.
How much more grievous are the consequences of anger than the causes of it.

anger

Nothing can come out of nothing, any more than a thing can go back to nothing. - Marcus Aurelius quote.
Nothing can come out of nothing, any more than a thing can go back to nothing.
— Marcus Aurelius
You could leave life right now. Let that determine what you do and say and think. - Marcus Aurelius quote.
You could leave life right now. Let that determine what you do and say and think.

how to live life

The man who sticks it out against his fate shows spirit, but the spirit of a fool. - Marcus Aurelius quote.
The man who sticks it out against his fate shows spirit, but the spirit of a fool.
— Marcus Aurelius
Let thine occupations be few, said the sage, if thou wouldst lead a tranquil life. - Marcus Aurelius quote.
Let thine occupations be few, said the sage, if thou wouldst lead a tranquil life.
— Marcus Aurelius
Remember the sole life which one can lose is that which he is living at the moment. - Marcus Aurelius quote.
Remember the sole life which one can lose is that which he is living at the moment.
— Marcus Aurelius
A rational nature admits of nothing which is not serviceable to the rest of mankind. - Marcus Aurelius quote.
A rational nature admits of nothing which is not serviceable to the rest of mankind.
— Marcus Aurelius
Ask yourself daily, to how many ill-minded persons you have shown a kind disposition. - Marcus Aurelius quote.
Ask yourself daily, to how many ill-minded persons you have shown a kind disposition.
— Marcus Aurelius
Do not be sick or despairing if you do not always succeed in acting from right principles. - Marcus Aurelius quote.
Do not be sick or despairing if you do not always succeed in acting from right principles.
— Marcus Aurelius
You have power over your mind—not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength. - Marcus Aurelius quote.
You have power over your mind—not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.
— Marcus Aurelius

self-determination mind

Very little is needed to make a happy life. It is all within yourself, in your way of thinking. - Marcus Aurelius quote.
Very little is needed to make a happy life. It is all within yourself, in your way of thinking.
— Marcus Aurelius
Choose not to be harmed — and you won't feel harmed . Don't feel harmed — and you haven't been . - Marcus Aurelius quote.
Choose not to be harmed — and you won't feel harmed . Don't feel harmed — and you haven't been .
— Marcus Aurelius
We are born for cooperation, as are the feet, the hands, the eyelids, and the upper and lower jaws. - Marcus Aurelius quote.
We are born for cooperation, as are the feet, the hands, the eyelids, and the upper and lower jaws.
— Marcus Aurelius

cooperation

Be satisfied with success in even the smallest matter, and think that even such a result is no trifle. - Marcus Aurelius quote.
Be satisfied with success in even the smallest matter, and think that even such a result is no trifle.
— Marcus Aurelius
A man makes no noise over a good deed, but passes on to another as a vine to bear grapes again in season. - Marcus Aurelius quote.
A man makes no noise over a good deed, but passes on to another as a vine to bear grapes again in season.
— Marcus Aurelius
Every man's life lies within the present; for the past is spent and done with, and the future is uncertain. - Marcus Aurelius quote.
Every man's life lies within the present; for the past is spent and done with, and the future is uncertain.
— Marcus Aurelius
Never esteem anything as of advantage to thee that shall make thee break thy word or lose thy self-respect. - Marcus Aurelius quote.
Never esteem anything as of advantage to thee that shall make thee break thy word or lose thy self-respect.
— Marcus Aurelius
The things you think about determine the quality of your mind. Your soul takes on the color of your thoughts. - Marcus Aurelius quote.
The things you think about determine the quality of your mind. Your soul takes on the color of your thoughts.

thoughts

The present is all that they can give up, since that is all you have, and what you do not have, you cannot lose. - Marcus Aurelius quote.
The present is all that they can give up, since that is all you have, and what you do not have, you cannot lose.

today present moment

Every man values himself more than all other men, but he always values others' opinion of him more than his own. - Marcus Aurelius quote.
Every man values himself more than all other men, but he always values others' opinion of him more than his own.
— Marcus Aurelius

reputation

Aptitude is found in the understanding and is often inherited. Genius coming from reason and imagination, rarely. - Marcus Aurelius quote.
Aptitude is found in the understanding and is often inherited. Genius coming from reason and imagination, rarely.
— Marcus Aurelius

genius intelligence

Opinion is the main thing which does good or harm in the world. It is our false opinions of things which ruin us. - Marcus Aurelius quote.
Opinion is the main thing which does good or harm in the world. It is our false opinions of things which ruin us.
— Marcus Aurelius
Remember this—that there is a proper dignity and proportion to be observed in the performance of every act of life. - Marcus Aurelius quote.
Remember this—that there is a proper dignity and proportion to be observed in the performance of every act of life.

dignity

Such as are your habitual thoughts, such also will be the character of your mind; for the soul is dyed by the thoughts. - Marcus Aurelius quote.
Such as are your habitual thoughts, such also will be the character of your mind; for the soul is dyed by the thoughts.

thoughts

The characteristic of the good man is to delight in and to welcome what befalls and what is being spun for him by destiny. - Marcus Aurelius quote.
The characteristic of the good man is to delight in and to welcome what befalls and what is being spun for him by destiny.
— Marcus Aurelius
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 quote.
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
Everything is fruit to me that thy seasons bring, O Nature. All things come of thee, have their being in thee, and return to thee. - Marcus Aurelius quote.
Everything is fruit to me that thy seasons bring, O Nature. All things come of thee, have their being in thee, and return to thee.
— Marcus Aurelius
The art of living is more like that of wrestling than of dancing.  The main thing is to stand firm and be ready for an unforeseen attack. - Marcus Aurelius quote.
The art of living is more like that of wrestling than of dancing.  The main thing is to stand firm and be ready for an unforeseen attack.

art of living life

The first rule is to keep an untroubled spirit; for all things must bow to Nature's law, and soon enough you must vanish into nothingness. - Marcus Aurelius quote.
The first rule is to keep an untroubled spirit; for all things must bow to Nature's law, and soon enough you must vanish into nothingness.

trouble

Never let the future disturb you. You will meet it, if you have to, with the same weapons of reason which today arm you against the present. - Marcus Aurelius quote.
Never let the future disturb you. You will meet it, if you have to, with the same weapons of reason which today arm you against the present.
— Marcus Aurelius

future

Nothing has such power to broaden the mind as the ability to investigate systematically and truly all that comes under thy observation in life. - Marcus Aurelius quote.
Nothing has such power to broaden the mind as the ability to investigate systematically and truly all that comes under thy observation in life.
— Marcus Aurelius

science research

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. - Marcus Aurelius quote.
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.

attitude self-control mind

How much time a man gains who does not look to see what his neighbor says or does or thinks, but only at what he does himself, to make it just and holy. - Marcus Aurelius quote.
How much time a man gains who does not look to see what his neighbor says or does or thinks, but only at what he does himself, to make it just and holy.
— Marcus Aurelius
Here is the rule to remember in the future, When anything tempts you to be bitter: not, 'This is a misfortune' but 'To bear this worthily is good fortune.' - Marcus Aurelius quote.
Here is the rule to remember in the future, When anything tempts you to be bitter: not, 'This is a misfortune' but 'To bear this worthily is good fortune.'
— Marcus Aurelius

misfortune

So remember this principle when something threatens to cause you pain: the thing itself was no misfortune at all; to endure it and prevail is great good fortune. - Marcus Aurelius quote.
So remember this principle when something threatens to cause you pain: the thing itself was no misfortune at all; to endure it and prevail is great good fortune.

pain attitude

Forget everything else. Keep hold of this alone and remember it: Each of us lives only now, this brief instant. The rest has been lived already, or is impossible to see. - Marcus Aurelius quote.
Forget everything else. Keep hold of this alone and remember it: Each of us lives only now, this brief instant. The rest has been lived already, or is impossible to see.

present moment

The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts, therefore guard accordingly; and take care that you entertain no notions unsuitable to virtue and reasonable nature. - Marcus Aurelius quote.
The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts, therefore guard accordingly; and take care that you entertain no notions unsuitable to virtue and reasonable nature.
— Marcus Aurelius
Time is a sort of river of passing events, and strong is its current; no sooner is a thing brought to sight than it is swept by and another takes its place, and this too will be swept away. - Marcus Aurelius quote.
Time is a sort of river of passing events, and strong is its current; no sooner is a thing brought to sight than it is swept by and another takes its place, and this too will be swept away.
— Marcus Aurelius
It is, in other words, not objects and events but the interpretations we place on them that are the problem. Our duty is therefore to exercise stringent control over the faculty of perception, with the aim of protecting our mind from error. - Marcus Aurelius quote.
It is, in other words, not objects and events but the interpretations we place on them that are the problem. Our duty is therefore to exercise stringent control over the faculty of perception, with the aim of protecting our mind from error.

perception attitude

Thou hast existed as a part; thou shalt disappear into that which produced thee. This, too, nature wills. Pass then through this little space of time conformably to nature and end thy journey in content, just as the olive falls when it is ripe, thanking the tree on which it grew and blessing the nature that gave it birth. - Marcus Aurelius quote.
Thou hast existed as a part; thou shalt disappear into that which produced thee. This, too, nature wills. Pass then through this little space of time conformably to nature and end thy journey in content, just as the olive falls when it is ripe, thanking the tree on which it grew and blessing the nature that gave it birth.
— Marcus Aurelius

nature

Don't waste the rest of your time here worrying about other people—unless it affects the common good. It will keep you from doing anything useful. You'll be too preoccupied with what so-and-so is doing, and why, and what they're saying, and what they're thinking, and what they're up to, and all the other things that throw you off and keep you from focusing on your own mind. - Marcus Aurelius quote.
Don't waste the rest of your time here worrying about other people—unless it affects the common good. It will keep you from doing anything useful. You'll be too preoccupied with what so-and-so is doing, and why, and what they're saying, and what they're thinking, and what they're up to, and all the other things that throw you off and keep you from focusing on your own mind.

other people

Concentrate every minute like a Roman—like a man—on doing what's in front of you with precise and genuine seriousness, tenderly, willingly, with justice. And on freeing yourself from all other distractions. Yes, you can—if you do everything as if it were the last thing you were doing in your life, and stop being aimless, stop letting your emotions override what your mind tells you, stop being hypocritical, self-centered, irritable. - Marcus Aurelius quote.
Concentrate every minute like a Roman—like a man—on doing what's in front of you with precise and genuine seriousness, tenderly, willingly, with justice. And on freeing yourself from all other distractions. Yes, you can—if you do everything as if it were the last thing you were doing in your life, and stop being aimless, stop letting your emotions override what your mind tells you, stop being hypocritical, self-centered, irritable.

mindfulness

Waste no more time arguing what a good man should be.  Be one.

Goodness

Choose not to be harmed—and you won't feel harmed. Don't feel harmed—and you haven't been.

attitude

The art of living is more like that of wrestling than of dancing. The main thing is to stand firm and be ready for an unforeseen attack.

wrestling

Never let the future disturb you.  You will meet it, if you have to, with the same weapons of reason which today arm you against the present.

future