The Discipline of Desire is one of the three central disciplines of Epictetus, crucial for the Stoic practitioner. It deals with our passions and desires, teaching us to orient them correctly.

The Core Principle

We should limit our desires only to what is in our complete control (our own actions and moral character) and accept with equanimity what is not in our control (external events, wealth, reputation).

Modern Application

In a consumerist society that constantly manufactures new needs, the Discipline of Desire is a radical act of freedom. By refusing to tie our happiness to the acquisition of the next gadget or accolade, we become invincible to fortune.

"Do not seek for things to happen the way you want them to; rather, wish that what happens happen the way it happens: then you will be happy." — Epictetus