• “Whenever you are about to find fault with someone, ask yourself the following question: What fault of mine most nearly resembles the one I am about to criticize?”

    —Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

  • “When you believe in the value you provide so much that you are doing people a disservice by not offering them your services, you’re on track to creating colossal value.”

    —Benjamin P. Hardy

  • “People will accuse us of being afraid or weak or stupid—which is strange, because having the power to say no is usually a sign of courage and strength and wisdom. Or people will ask what our reasons are. That’s strange too. If you say yes when they want you to do something, they never ask what your reasons are. It’s only when you say no.”

    —Dee Pennock, Who is God? Who Am I? Who Are You?

  • We should have the same attitude toward all of our fellow men. We must not classify people, saying, “This one I like, but so and so I do not.” By doing so, you will have declared war on the other person and that person will not tolerate you. Even though you may not have given any outward sign of dislike by word or gesture, you have done so by your thoughts and that is enough.

    Our Thoughts Determine Our Lives: the Life and Teachings of Elder Thaddeus of Vitovnica

  • “They know they meet society’s standard, but have never thought that society’s standard should have nothing to do with their own.”

    —David Cain, You don’t want to be typical

  • “You must know the difference between what is urgent and what is important—do what’s important first.”

    —Steven Pressfield, The War of Art

  • “Long sleep is an unjust comrade; it robs the lazy of half their life, and even more.”

    —St. John Climacus

  • “Welcome words of truth and to never reject criticism uncritically.”

    —St. Mark the Ascetic

    “Are you listening to what I’m saying, or are you just being offended?”

    —Fr. Anthony Messeh

    “Do not excuse yourself or refuse to be corrected by all; listen to every reproof with a serene countenance; think that God utters it.”

    —St. John of the Cross

    If it hurts to hear it, look for the truth in it.

    —@naval

    But if any one’s conscience attacks him, he himself is responsible for it, not my words.

    Saint John Chrysostom, On the Vanity of Riches
    HOMILY TWO
    After Eutropios, having been found outside the church, was taken captive

  • If there are some men you hate and some you neither love nor hate, and others you love strongly and others again you love but moderately, recognize from this inequality that you are far from perfect love. For perfect love presupposes that you love all men equally.

    —St. Maximus the Confessor

  • Far from feasting copiously, Epicurus was content with bread and water, which prevented him from starving and so abated any pain. He was not opposed to the occasional indulgence, at one point writing in correspondence, “Send me a little pot of cheese, that, when I like, I may fare sumptuously,” but once he’d sated his hunger, he thought no greater pleasure would come from actively seeking more elaborate dining.

    Hedonism holds the secret to a happier life, but not for the reasons you think