“For any challenge we should hold three thoughts at our command:
‘Lead on God and Destiny,
To that Goal fixed for me long ago.
I will follow and not stumble; even if my will
is weak I will soldier on.'” (Cleanthes)“Whoever embraces necessity count as wise,
skilled in divine matters.” (Euripides)“If it pleases the gods, so be it. They may well kill me, but they can’t hurt me.” (Plato’s Crito and Apology)
EPICTETUS, ENCHIRIDION, 53
In pulling these three quotes together, Epictetus — himself a remarkable case study in destiny and position in life — reminds us of the power of acceptance of what fate has allotted for us.
These three thoughts on destiny and acceptance make reference to the will of the gods, but even if you don’t believe in that concept, Holiday points out that you can still be comforted by noticing that everything has a natural order to it, if you can adopt a broader perspective for a moment.
Acceptance means instead of fighting fate, rather align your will to what’s going to happen anyway. In that way, you’ll never be disappointed or let down. You’ll come to love whatever the universe wills into existence, and you’ll find yourself calmer and more peaceful as a result.
