BALTZ

Our desires and aversions are mercurial rulers. They demand to be pleased. Desire commands us to run off and get what we want. Aversion insists that we must avoid the things that repel us. Typically, when we don’t get what we want, we are disappointed, and when we get what we don’t want, we are distressed… Do your best to rein in your desire. For if you desire something that isn’t within your own control, disappointment will surely follow; meanwhile, you will be neglecting the very things that are within your control that are worthy of desire. Of course, there are times when for practical reasons you must go after one thing or shun another, but do so with grace, finesse, and flexibility. (Epictetus, 55 – 135)

In the morning, when you can’t get out of bed, tell yourself:… “Was I made for lying warm under a pile of blankets?”

“But I enjoy it here.”

Was it for enjoyment you were born? Are you designed to act or be acted upon? Look at the plants, sparrows, ants, spiders and bees, all busy at their work, the work of welding the world. Why should you hesitate to do your part?…

“Yes, but nature allows for rest too.”

True, but rest—like eating and drinking—has natural limits. Do you disregard those limits as well?… Do you think less of your life’s work than sculptors do their sculpting, dancers their dancing, misers their money, or stars their stardom? They gladly forgo food and sleep to pursue their ends. To you, does the work of building a better society seem less important, less deserving of your devotion?