10 Rules of Epictetus

Imagine you lived nearly two thousand years ago, in ancient Rome. You were born a slave, endured hardship after hardship, and yet, you became one of the wisest philosophers in history. That was the story of Epictetus—a man whose insights shaped the Stoic tradition and influenced minds from Marcus Aurelius to today’s self-help gurus. What enduring rules did Epictetus live by, and how can they help us face our modern lives? Here are the 10 rules of Epictetus.

**Rule 1: Focus on What You Can Control.**
Epictetus hammered home one lesson: Some things are up to us, and some things are not. Your beliefs, desires, and actions? That’s your turf. The weather, the opinions of others, or whether you get that promotion? Not so much. The secret to peace, he said, is accepting what you can’t change, and working on what you can.

**Rule 2: Practice Self-Discipline.**
For Epictetus, true freedom meant mastering yourself—your emotions, impulses, even your tongue. Say you’re frustrated at someone. Before you react, pause. Are you being ruled by anger, or are you in charge?

**Rule 3: Embrace Hardship.**
Life will hand you difficulties. Don’t wish them away. Epictetus compared challenges to wrestling partners—each hardship makes you stronger, sharper, and more resilient.

**Rule 4: Don’t Seek Approval.**
He warned against living for applause, likes, or the nods of others. “If you want to improve, be content to be thought foolish and stupid.” Growth, he believed, isn’t always glamorous.

**Rule 5: Be Mindful of Your Thoughts.**
What we think, we become. Epictetus urged constant awareness. Thoughts of envy or fear? Notice them, but don’t let them take the wheel.

**Rule 6: Speak Little, Speak Well.**
Rather than endless chatter, Epictetus endorsed speaking only when you have something worthy to say. Think first; your words reveal your character.

**Rule 7: Accept Fate Gracefully.**
Sometimes life hands you lemons—sometimes it throws the whole citrus grove at you. Epictetus taught us to meet it all with dignity, saying, “Do not seek for things to happen the way you want them to. Rather, wish that what happens happens the way it happens.”

**Rule 8: Keep Your Judgments in Check.**
We often label events ‘good’ or ‘bad’ out of habit. Epictetus cautioned: Events are neutral; our judgments make them so. Think before blaming or complaining.

**Rule 9: Live Consistently with Your Values.**
Don’t just talk virtue—live it. Integrity, courage, compassion. Epictetus encouraged us to align actions with beliefs, in public and in private.

**Rule 10: Prepare for Change.**
Change is the rule of life, not the exception. Epictetus told his students to expect it, to welcome loss and transition, knowing nothing material lasts forever.

Nearly two millennia later, these ten rules still cut through the noise. Epictetus reminds us: peace isn’t about controlling the world, but mastering ourselves. In hardship, in joy, these rules are a guide not just to enduring life, but to living it fully—one wise decision at a time