“Men are disturbed not by things, but by the views which they take of things.”Epictet · Diatribe · 108 · Enchiridion, capitolul 5
Suffering comes not from the fact itself, but from the verdict we pass on it.
Between event and emotion stands a judgment, and judgment is within our power. If a loss means disaster to you, you will suffer; if it means change, you will bear the same fact differently. The mechanism is separating what happens from what we say about it. A colleague receiving criticism can see humiliation or useful information — the fact is identical, the suffering is not.
Why it matters It underlies today's cognitive therapy: when facing bad news, failure, or blame, the first step is to check the interpretation, not the reality.