The greater the difficulty the more glory in surmounting it.
Skillful pilots gain their reputation from storms and tempests.”
— Epictetus

Overcoming great difficulties is the stuff that heroes are made of. We admire people because of their courage especially in the face of great misfortune. That is why monuments are built for them. That is why novels and movies that dramatize their deeds are popular.

Yet many of us are short of courage. We easily give up when problems come. This quote reminds us that difficulties are but a way for us to show courage and be smart enough to surmount them.

Who is Epictetus?

Epictetus is a Greek philosopher who was probably born around 55 CE. According to Britannica.com, his real name is actually unknown. Epictetus is a name given by other philosophers which means “acquired”. As a young lad, he was a slave in Rome during the Roman Empire but because of his stoic teachings which have political tones, he was expelled to Greece where he spent the rest of his life.

(The background photo was taken in Kanchanaburi – a province of Thailand.)

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