\u201cThe person is free who lives as they wish, neither compelled, nor hindered, nor limited\u2014whose choices aren\u2019t hampered, whose desires succeed, and who don\u2019t fall into what repels them. Who wishes to live in deception\u2014tripped up, mistaken, undisciplined, complaining, in a rut? No one. These are base people who don\u2019t live as they wish; and so, no base person is free.\u201d
\n\u2014EPICTETUS, DISCOURSES, 4.1.1\u20133a
\nIt is sad to consider how much time many people spend in the course of a day doing things they \u201chave\u201d to do\u2014not necessary obligations like work or family, but the obligations we needlessly accept out of vanity or ignorance. Consider the actions we take in order to impress other people or the lengths we\u2019ll go to fulfill urges or sate desires we don\u2019t even question. In one of his famous letters, Seneca observes how often powerful people are slaves to their money, to their positions, to their mistresses, even\u2014as was legal in Rome\u2014to their slaves. \u201cNo slavery is more disgraceful,\u201d he quipped, \u201cthan one which is self-imposed.\u201d
\nWe see this slavery all the time\u2014a codependent person who can\u2019t help but clean up after a dysfunctional friend, a boss who micromanages employees and sweats every penny. The countless causes, events, and get-togethers we\u2019re too busy to attend but agree to anyway.
\nTake an inventory of your obligations from time to time. How many of these are self-imposed? How many of them are truly necessary? Are you as free as you think?\u201d
\nRyan Holiday & Stephen Hanselman. \u201cThe Daily Stoic.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u201cThe person is free who lives as they wish, neither compelled, nor hindered, nor limited\u2014whose choices aren\u2019t hampered, whose desires succeed, and who don\u2019t fall into what repels them. Who wishes to live in deception\u2014tripped up, mistaken, undisciplined, complaining, in a rut? No one. These are base people who don\u2019t live as they wish; and …<\/p>\n