--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: How long are you going to wait before you…" description: "\"“How long are you going to wait before you demand the best for yourself and in no instance bypass the discriminations of reason? You have been given th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b6c/epictetus-from-manual-51-23614_live-and-die_how-long-are-you-going-to-wait-before-yo_2455845.jpg" --- # How long are you going to wait before you demand the best… ![“How long are you going to wait before you demand the best for yourself and in no instance bypass the discriminations of reason? You have been given the principles that you ought to endorse, and you have endorsed them. What kind of teacher, then, are you still waiting for in order to refer your…” quote by Epictetus (From Manual 51](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b6c/epictetus-from-manual-51-23614_live-and-die_how-long-are-you-going-to-wait-before-yo_2455845.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b6c/epictetus-from-manual-51-23614_live-and-die_how-long-are-you-going-to-wait-before-yo_2455845.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b6c/epictetus-from-manual-51-23614_live-and-die_how-long-are-you-going-to-wait-before-yo_2455845.jpg) > ““How long are you going to wait before you demand the best for yourself and in no instance bypass the discriminations of reason? You have been given the principles that you ought to endorse, and you have endorsed them. What kind of teacher, then, are you still waiting for in order to refer your self-improvement to him? You are no longer a boy, but a full-grown man. If you are careless and lazy now and keep putting things off and always deferring the day after which you will attend to yourself, you will not notice that you are making no progress, but you will live and die as someone quite ordinary. From now on, then, resolve to live as a grown-up who is making progress, and make whatever you think best a law that you never set aside. And whenever you encounter anything that is difficult or pleasurable, or highly or lowly regarded, remember that the contest is now: you are at the Olympic Games, you cannot wait any longer, and that your progress is wrecked or preserved by a single day and a single event. That is how Socrates fulfilled himself by attending to nothing except reason in everything he encountered. And you, although you are not yet a Socrates, should live as someone who at least wants to be a Socrates.”” Epictetus (From Manual 51 ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Live purposefully, treating each day as a pivotal contest; adopt disciplined, proactive habits to avoid ordinary stagnation. **In simple terms:** Act now, treat life like a competition. Key Takeaway Embrace disciplined progress. Themes self‑improvement discipline purpose growth philosophy Mood determined motivational Type Live and die:0 Olympic games:0 Socrates:0 Making Progress:1 Wants Socrates:0 Encountered Socrates:0 Event Socrates:0 Socrates Live:0 When to use this quote - career - health - education - personal projects Key Concepts Stoicism personal development goal setting time management Questions to Reflect On - What daily habit will you start? - How will you measure progress? A Different Perspective Procrastination undermines potential. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Making Progress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-progress/) [Olympic games](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/olympic-games/) ## Related quotes > [Making progress on longstanding challenges requires a different lens and a new approach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayanna-pressley/making-progress-on-longstanding-challenges-requires-a-different-lens/) [Ayanna Pressley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayanna-pressley/) > [I want every young woman, just like I was a high school assembly intern, to realize that this is a place where they have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathy-hochul/i-want-every-young-woman-just-like-i-was-a-high-school-assembly/) [Kathy Hochul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathy-hochul/) > [The truth is that as we move forward, if one side says we can't raise any taxes on anybody or any interest, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-axelrod/the-truth-is-that-as-we-move-forward-if-one-side-says-we-can-t-raise/) [David Axelrod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-axelrod/) > [“Working out with a bad partner sucks. 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