“Some things are within our power, and some are not.”Epictet · Manualul · 125 · Manualul, § 1
Inner peace comes from focusing on what you can control and accepting what depends on others.
Epictetus opens the Handbook with this fundamental distinction. Within our power are judgments, impulses, desires, and aversions—everything of the mind and will. Outside our power are the body, wealth, reputation, and external events. Confusing the two is the source of suffering. For example, you can control your reaction to an insult, but not whether someone insults you. Agitating over what you cannot control is like trying to stop rain with your hands.
Why it matters It helps us focus our energy only on what we can change, reducing anxiety and frustration in daily life.