“When the standards have been set, things are tested and weighed. And the work of philosophy is just this, to examine and uphold the standards, but the work of a truly good person is in using those standards when they know them.”
EPICTETUS, DISCOURSES, 2.11.23-25
If you’ve been reading this site regularly, then you’re probably on a journey — one of discovery, of self-improvement, of seeking the truth. You’re probably reading The Daily Stoic book, or doing other research about stoicism and philosophy, in an effort to better yourself and find lasting joy and contentment. You’re investing in yourself.
Along the way, you’re learning new truths about how to behave, what to read, how to act, how to react, what to practice, how to manage your emotions, and how to navigate this journey of life. You’ve identified certain standards of what you should and shouldn’t do, to continue on this path of learning and understanding.
The point of today’s quote is that not only should you work to identify these standards, but you need to actually implement them and live them as well — every day, without exception. That’s the mark of a person who has evolved, that they learn the truth and then put it into action.
Congratulations on learning new standards for living — now go out and live them.
