Quotes About Desire

for your part, do not desire to be a general, or a senator, or a consul, but to be free; and the only way to this is a disregard of things which lie not within our own power.

Asked, Who is the rich man? Epictetus replied, He who is content.

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.

Freedom, you see, is having events go in accordance with our will, never contrary to it.

Destroy desire completely for the present. For if you desire anything which is not in our power, you must be unfortunate

the same thing, really, that we all want: to live in peace, to be happy, to do as we like and never be foiled or forced to act against our wishes.

Remember that you must behave in life as at a dinner party. Is anything brought around to you? Put out your hand and take your share with moderation. Does it pass by you? Don't stop it. Is it not yet come? Don't stretch your desire towards it, but wait till it reaches you.

People are strange, they neither wish to live nor die.

When you desire something outside your sphere of power, you set yourself up for disappointment

Some things are in our control and others not. Things inour control are opinion, pursuit, desire, aversion, and, in aword, whatever are our own actions. Things not in our controlare body, property, reputation, command, and, in one word,whatever are not our own actions. The things in our control are by nature free, unrestrained,unhindered; but those not in our control are weak, slavish,restrained, belonging to others.

If you wish to be rich, you should know that it is neither a good thing nor at all in your power: but if you wish to be happy, you should know that it is both a good thing and in your power, for the one is a temporary loan of fortune, and happiness comes from the will.

But until he succeeds in suppressing his lust and anxiety, how is he really free?

Whoever wants to be free, therefore, let him not want or avoid anything that is up to others. Otherwise he will necessarily be a slave.

I was born to fly wherever I like, to live in the open air, to sing whenever I want. You take all this away from me and then say, "What's wrong with you?

For you will learn by experience that it's true: the things that men admire and work so hard to get prove useless to them once they're theirs.

Our possessions should be suited to our bodies and lives, just as our shoes are suited to our feet. Could you run better if your shoes were larger than your feet, or gold-plated and diamond studded? Of course not. Once you let your appetite exceed what is necessary and useful, desire knows no bounds.

Now I am being called upon for some purpose. I answer the call determined to observe the right limits; to act with restraint, but also with confidence, devoid of desire or aversion towards externals.

The origin of sorrow is this: to wish for something that does not come to pass.

When you feel burning desire for something that appears pleasureful, you are like a person under a spell. Instead of acting on impulse, take a step back—wait till the enchantment fades and you can see things as they are.

Este es el origen del sufrimiento, querer algo y que no suceda

Desire to become pure, and, once pure, you will be at ease with yourself, and comfortable in the company of God.

Externals include the body and its members, as well as material goods. If you grow attached to any of them as if they were your own, you will incur the penalties prescribed for a thief.

impassivity and a good flow of life are not attained except through unerring desire and unfailing avoidance

O senhor de si mesmo é aquele que possui o poder de conservar ou repelir as coisas desejadas ou não desejadas.