Marcus Aurelius Purpose Quotations

From Apollonius I learned freedom of will and undeviating steadiness of purpose; and to look to nothing else, not even for a moment, except to reason.

People who labor all their lives but have no purpose to direct every thought and impulse toward are wasting their time-even when hard at work.

Nature has given to each conscious being every power she possesses, and one of these abilities is this: just as Nature converts and alters every obstacle and opposition, and fits them into their predestined place, making them a part of herself, so too the rational person is able to finesse every obstacle into an opportunity, and to use it for whatever purpose it may suit.

Let no act be done without purpose.

Just as nature takes every obstacle, every impediment, and works around it--turns it to its purposes, incorporates it into itself, so, too, a rational being can turn each setback into raw material and use it to achieve its goal.

God overrules all mutinous accidents, brings them under His laws of fate, and makes them all serviceable to His purpose.

Never act without purpose and resolve, or without the means to finish the job.

Reason and the reasoning faculty need no foreign assistance, but are sufficient for their own purposes. They move within themselves, and make directly for the point in view. Wherefore, acts in accordance with them are called right acts, for they lead along the right road.

Without a purpose, nothing should be done.