“When it comes to money, where we clearly see our interest, we have developed the whole art of assessing their value by an expert just as we pay a lot of attention to things that can mislead us. However, when it comes to the principles that govern us, we yawn and fall asleep, accepting all…

“There are two things that need to be eradicated from people: arrogance and distrust. Arrogance breeds the belief that nothing more is needed. Distrust means the conviction that happiness cannot be found amidst the chaos of circumstances.” — Epictetus, Discourses, 3.14.8 Often, we start a project convinced that we know exactly how it will unfold….

“It’s certain that at some point during the day, you’ll encounter someone who behaves like a jerk (it happens to everyone). The question is: Will you be ready for it? This exercise brings to mind a joke by the 18th-century writer and aphorist Nicolas Chamfort, who said that if you ‘swallow a toad’ every morning,…