"First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do."
— Epictetus
First Say To Yourself What You
First say to yourself what you would be; and then do what you have to do.
About this quote
From Book III of the Discourses, where Epictetus addresses the gap between aspiration and action. Teaching at his school in Nicopolis around 108 AD, he challenged students to commit to a clear self-concept before expecting their behavior to follow. The two-step formula - define, then act - influenced Marcus Aurelius, who would later write similar exhortations to himself in the Meditations.
Source
Discourses, Book III, Chapter 23
