Don’t get frustrated, discouraged, or disappointed with yourself if you fail to live perfectly according to reason or virtue. When you fall short, simply return to your principles—be glad if most of your actions still align with your human nature, and stay committed to that path. Don’t approach philosophy like it’s a harsh taskmaster, but treat it like medicine for the soul—like soothing tired eyes with a compress, or healing a wound with a salve. If you approach it that way, gently and consistently, you’ll stay aligned with reason and find peace in it. Remember, philosophy doesn’t ask for anything beyond what your nature already needs. It’s only when you chase things beyond that—things that aren’t truly natural—that you run into trouble. You might think, “But what could be more enjoyable than what I’m doing now?” Yet that’s exactly how pleasure tricks us. Ask yourself: aren’t strength of character, freedom, simplicity, calm, and reverence more satisfying? Isn’t wisdom itself the most pleasant of all, when you realize how it brings clarity, security, and harmony to everything it touches?
