Your Possessions Don't Define You
Your Possessions Don't Define You
July 4th
“These reasonings do not cohere: I am richer than you, therefore I am better than you. I am more eloquent than you, therefore I am better than you. On the contrary, these rather cohere: I am richer than you, therefore my possessions are greater than yours. I am more eloquent than you, therefore my speech is superior to yours. But you are neither possession nor speech.”
—Epictetus
Enchiridion
The measure of a person is not found in their bank account or their eloquence.
Just because someone has more money, it doesn't mean they're a 'better' human being. It only means they have more stuff. And if someone can speak more persuasively, doesn't it just mean they're, well, better at stringing words together?
These external things—possessions, skills—they're not 'you'. So when you catch yourself comparing your life to someone else's highlights, ask yourself: Am I confusing my worth with what I own or how well I can express myself?
When someone around you succeeds or possesses more, do you let it dictate your self-worth? Epictetus urges us to untangle our identity from the clutter of external achievements and possessions. Who you are—your values, your actions, your character—cannot be diminished by someone else's material or social success.
Focus on cultivating your inner virtue rather than playing a never-ending game of comparison. At the end of the day, it's not the stuff you accumulate or the flair in your speech but the strength of your character that truly defines you.
