Judgments

5. What disturbs men’s minds is not events but their judgments on events. For instance, death is nothing dreadful, or else Socrates would have thought so. No, the only dreadful thing about it is men’s judgement that it is dreadful. And so when we are hindered or disturbed, or distressed, let us never lay the blame on others, but on ourselves, that is, on our own judgments. To accuse others for one’s own misfortunes is a sign of want of education; to accuse oneself shows that one’s education has begun; to accuse neither oneself nor others shows that one’s education is complete. 

The Manual of Epictetus

All we have as human beings is our judgement and our will. Judgement to provide how or if we should respond to events and our will to apply our judgement. Many of life's problems are based upon poor reasoning that leads to poor judgement and the misapplication of our wills. How often, in the process of making a decision, do we take the time to clearly assess why we are pursuing a course of action or, all to often, a course of thought? We allow our minds to revel in irrational memories or travel down well worn routes of resentment. 

48. The ignorant man's position and character is this: he never looks to himself for benefit or harm, but to the world outside him. The philosopher's position and character is that he always look to himself for benefit and harm...

The Manual of Epictetus 

The above, along with fully understanding what is in our control versus out of our control, is a major concept. Entry 48 of The Manual ends with the statement: In one word, he keeps watch and guard on himself as his own enemy, lying in wait for him. 

City of Delusions: the more successful the less livable...

We have to treat ourselves as containing two minds, one we can control and one that if not contained will undermine us. And I don't just mean putting ourselves into situations, or making grand decisions that will lead to our ruin. The way we interpret the world with this irrational mind will lead us to live deluded lives blaming others for our misfortune when, in the end, we are responsible or, often the case, no one was responsible. Bad luck? Fate? The objective should be to ensure our thinking is based upon reason and the proper weighing of facts rather than emotion or delusion. It takes conscious effort to filter through things and draw well reasoned conclusions. We have to be on constant guard for the demon of irrationality that exists within each of us. The demon of irrationality doesn't only exist in large things, but spends most of its time guiding us into self-delusion over the smallest matters that keep us from leading good lives. Keep well.