01/28/2023
The next time you feel terribly offended or outraged about something, think about this quote from Epictetus: “If someone succeeds in provoking you,” he said, “realize that your mind is complicit in the provocation.”
He meant that whatever the other person did is on them. Whatever your reaction is to their remark or action, that’s on you. He said that some 1,900 years ago. Before cable news profited from creating news cycles based on scandal, faux-indignation and talking heads battling it out.
Don’t let them bait you or make you upset. Focus on your task at hand. Focus on managing your own behavior. Let them poke and provoke as much as they like. Don’t be complicit in the offense.