SO good ❤️ These truths are deeply biblical. Whet does it profit a man to gain the whole world but lose his soul? All things are lawful but not all things are profitable. And on and on….
The framing of wrongdoing as that initial rush that curdles into something bitter. I've felt that enough times to know it's true. The hollow part comes quicker than you'd think.
What gets me is the line about virtue feeling unnatural, going against instinct. That's the part people don't talk about enough. Doing the right thing often doesn't feel heroic in the moment. It feels like you're missing out, like you're the sucker who didn't take the shortcut everyone else is taking. Epictetus understood that when he said you have to be content being thought foolish.
The Musonius Rufus part about labor passing but the good enduring... that tracks with experience. The hard conversations, the disciplined choices, the times you held your ground when it would've been easier not to. Those fade in difficulty but grow in value. The opposite is also true. The shame of compromising yourself lingers way longer than whatever relief you got from it.
"Refuse to buy pleasure at the cost of self-respect." That's the calculation worth making. Not denying yourself joy, just refusing the cheap version that leaves you worse off.
The sovereignty that comes from living aligned with your principles, that unshakeable peace... that's worth the work.
I so needed to read this today. ✨✨✨
SO good ❤️ These truths are deeply biblical. Whet does it profit a man to gain the whole world but lose his soul? All things are lawful but not all things are profitable. And on and on….
The framing of wrongdoing as that initial rush that curdles into something bitter. I've felt that enough times to know it's true. The hollow part comes quicker than you'd think.
What gets me is the line about virtue feeling unnatural, going against instinct. That's the part people don't talk about enough. Doing the right thing often doesn't feel heroic in the moment. It feels like you're missing out, like you're the sucker who didn't take the shortcut everyone else is taking. Epictetus understood that when he said you have to be content being thought foolish.
The Musonius Rufus part about labor passing but the good enduring... that tracks with experience. The hard conversations, the disciplined choices, the times you held your ground when it would've been easier not to. Those fade in difficulty but grow in value. The opposite is also true. The shame of compromising yourself lingers way longer than whatever relief you got from it.
"Refuse to buy pleasure at the cost of self-respect." That's the calculation worth making. Not denying yourself joy, just refusing the cheap version that leaves you worse off.
The sovereignty that comes from living aligned with your principles, that unshakeable peace... that's worth the work.