"Everybody does have to play the game of life. You can't just walk around saying, "I don't give a damn about health, or wealth, or whether I'm sent to prison or not." Epictetus says everybody should play the game of life-that the best play it with "skill, form, speed, and grace." But like most games, you play it with a ball. Your team devotes all its energies to getting the ball across the line. But after the game, what do you do with the ball? Nobody much cares. It's not worth anything. The competition, the game, was the thing. The ball was "used" to make the game possible, but it in itself is not of any value that would justify falling on your sword for it. The ball-game analogy, incidentally, is almost a verbatim quote of Epictetus's explanation to his students in Nicoipolis, colonial Greece, 2,000 years ago."
Quote Details
Added by wikiquote-import-bot
Unverified quote
0 likes
United States Navy peopleSilver Star Medal recipientsMedal of Honor recipientsPeople from IllinoisUnited States Naval Academy alumni
Original Language: English
Available Languages (1)
Sources
p. 6
https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/James_Stockdale
Revision History
No revisions have been submitted for this quote.
Categories
James Stockdale
6 quotes on TrueQuotesView all quotes by James Stockdale →
Related Quotes
"Stoicism is a noble philosophy that has proven to be more practicable than a modem cynic would expect. The Stoic view…"
"But I was a changed and better man for my introduction to philosophy, and especially to Epictetus. I was on a differe…"
"The test of character is not 'hanging in there' when the light at the end of the tunnel is expected, but performance …"
"For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while senior nava…"
"I know Stockdale has become a buzzword in this culture for a doddering old man. But let's look at the record folks. T…"
"As an outsider, I have observed that Uganda has made tremendous strides from the Amin era."
"I would rather be remembered as a Christian who loved his country and family."
"I was good on my job and I demonstrated the proficiencies that allowed me to excel purely on merit."
"The labels liberal and conservative used to mean something fairly clear. A liberal used to mean somebody who believed…"
"I feel like it gave me an opportunity to give back to the country, and it introduced me to the strength of the countr…"