'It is my bad luck that this has happened to me.' No, you should rather say: 'It is my good luck that, although this has happened to me, I can bear it without pain, neither crushed by the present nor fearful of the future.' Because such a thing could have happened to any man, but not every man could have borne it without pain. So why see more misfortune in the event than good fortune in your ability to bear it? Or in general would you call anything a misfortune for a man which is not a deviation from man's nature? Or anything a deviation from man's nature which is not contrary to the purpose of his nature? Well, then. You have learnt what that purpose is. Can there be anything, then, in this happening which prevents you being just, high-minded, self-controlled, intelligent, judicious, truthful, honourable and free - or any other of those attributes whose combination is the fulfilment of man's proper nature? So in all future events which might induce sadness remember to call on this principle: 'this is no misfortune, but to bear it true to yourself is good fortune.'
One of my absolute favorite passages of Meditations. I have a pinned tweet with this quote (link).
Life is opinion. If you want to be resilient and tough-minded, this passage is the key to getting there.
Ryan Holiday's book The Obstacle is the Way is based on this idea that we should not view events as unfortunate, but that we should view ourselves as being able to live up to the challenge of whatever life and Nature throws our way.
I also love that Marcus calls out the true nature of humans, which is to be virtuous and more specifically, just, disciplined and temperate and wise and intelligent.
Also note how Marcus teaches himself to pivot his perspective at crucial moments. We might similarly find ourselves saying how unfortunate we are that we experienced a flat tire, a death in the family, or a poor performance assessment at work. However, in that precise moment, we should immediately pivot to tell ourselves that is it not our bad luck that this event has happened, but how fortunate we are that this has happened, because we have been taught by the masters to master our fate. Marcus, Seneca, Epictetus and others have shown us the way to turn any obstacle into an advance and how to turn any misfortune into our good fortune. These event didn't just happen to any person; it happened to me. I am a person who can demonstrate excellence of character in the face of any challenge. In brief, we would do well to recall Seneca's words, from "On Providence," that just as fire proves gold, so too do hardships prove good humans.
(see also Citadel p. 36, 68, 122)
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