--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Choose the life that is noblest, for…" description: "\"Choose the life that is noblest, for custom can make it sweet to thee.\" — Epictetus" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd4/epictetus-413_customs_choose-the-life-that-is-noblest-for-cust_1076132.jpg" --- # Choose the life that is noblest, for custom can make it… ![“Choose the life that is noblest, for custom can make it sweet to thee.” quote by Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd4/epictetus-413_customs_choose-the-life-that-is-noblest-for-cust_1076132.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd4/epictetus-413_customs_choose-the-life-that-is-noblest-for-cust_1076132.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd4/epictetus-413_customs_choose-the-life-that-is-noblest-for-cust_1076132.jpg) > “Choose the life that is noblest, for custom can make it sweet to thee.” [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Choosing a noble life aligns with virtue, even if customs make it appealing. **In simple terms:** Seek virtue over comfort. Key Takeaway Prioritize moral excellence over societal pressures. Themes virtue philosophy self‑discipline Mood thoughtful serene Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - career choices - social conformity - personal development Key Concepts Stoicism ethical living Questions to Reflect On - What does a noble life look like for you? - How do you resist comforting but unvirtuous habits? A Different Perspective Customs can be seductive, leading away from true virtue. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Choose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choose/) [Choose life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choose-life/) [Customs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/customs/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life Noblest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-noblest-1099431/) [Noblest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/noblest/) [Noblest Custom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/noblest-custom-2707637/) [Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sweet/) [Thee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thee/) ## Related quotes > [“Whatever noblest things the mind received, More and more foreign matter spoils the theme; And when the good of this world is achieved, What’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/whatever-noblest-things-the-mind-received-more-and-more-foreign/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Life at its noblest leaves mere happiness far behind; and indeed cannot endure it. Happiness is not the object of life: life has no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/life-at-its-noblest-leaves-mere-happiness-far-behind-and-indeed/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [“Prayer is my chief work; by it I carry on all else. Prayer is the nearest approach to God and the highest enjoyment of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-laws/prayer-is-my-chief-work-by-it-i-carry-on-all-else-prayer-is-the/) [William Laws](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-laws/) > [If thou rememberest that God standeth by to behold and visit all that thou doest; whether in the body or in the soul, thou…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/if-thou-rememberest-that-god-standeth-by-to-behold-and-visit-all-that/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [If thy brother wrongs thee, remember not so much his wrong-doing, but more than ever that he is thy brother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/if-thy-brother-wrongs-thee-remember-not-so-much-his-wrong-doing-but/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [In men of the highest character and noblest genius there is to be found an insatiable desire for honor, command, power, and glory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/in-men-of-the-highest-character-and-noblest-genius-there-is-to-be/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Labor with the heart, when the heart is pure and true, is the noblest labor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-g-maeser/labor-with-the-heart-when-the-heart-is-pure-and-true-is-the-noblest/) [Karl G. Maeser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-g-maeser/) > [Growing up, my dad used to say that politics was the noblest profession. Most would scoff at that, today. Most probably would have when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jake-auchincloss/growing-up-my-dad-used-to-say-that-politics-was-the-noblest/) [Jake Auchincloss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jake-auchincloss/) > [This sight... is by far the noblest astronomy affords.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmond-halley/this-sight-is-by-far-the-noblest-astronomy-affords/) [Edmond Halley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmond-halley/) > [The call of the spinning wheel is the noblest of all. Because it is the call of love. And love is Swaraj.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/the-call-of-the-spinning-wheel-is-the-noblest-of-all-because-it-is/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [To yield reverence to another, to hold ourselves and our lives at his disposal, is not slavery; often, it is the noblest state in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/to-yield-reverence-to-another-to-hold-ourselves-and-our-lives-at-his/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [Through this same man and me hath all this war been wrought, and the death of the most noblest knights of the world; for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-malory/through-this-same-man-and-me-hath-all-this-war-been-wrought-and-the/) [Thomas Malory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-malory/) > [It is at our mother's knee that we acquire our noblest and truest and highest ideals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/it-is-at-our-mother-s-knee-that-we-acquire-our-noblest-and-truest-and/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [Surely the apple is the noblest of fruits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/surely-the-apple-is-the-noblest-of-fruits/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [You have so much inside you, and the noblest happiness of all. Don’t just wait for a man to come along. That’s the mistake…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/you-have-so-much-inside-you-and-the-noblest-happiness-of-all-don-t/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) ## More by Epictetus > [“We are at the mercy of whoever wields authority over the things we either desire or detest. If you would be free, then, do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/we-are-at-the-mercy-of-whoever-wields-authority-over-the-things-we/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [Practice yourself, for heaven's sake in little things, and then proceed to greater.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/practice-yourself-for-heaven-s-sake-in-little-things-and-then-proceed/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [Do not laugh much or often or unrestrainedly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/do-not-laugh-much-or-often-or-unrestrainedly/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [When men are unhappy, they do not imagine they can ever cease to be so; and when some calamity has fallen on them, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/when-men-are-unhappy-they-do-not-imagine-they-can-ever-cease-to-be-so/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [We are not disturbed by what happens to us, but by our thoughts about what happens to us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/we-are-not-disturbed-by-what-happens-to-us-but-by-our-thoughts-about/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [Don't be prideful with any excellence that is not your own](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/don-t-be-prideful-with-any-excellence-that-is-not-your-own/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [You know yourself what you are worth in your own eyes; and at what price you will sell yourself. For men sell themselves at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/you-know-yourself-what-you-are-worth-in-your-own-eyes-and-at-what/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [Crows pick out the eyes of the dead, when the dead have no longer need of them; but flatterers mar the soul of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/crows-pick-out-the-eyes-of-the-dead-when-the-dead-have-no-longer-need/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [As a man, casting off worn out garments taketh new ones, so the dweller in the body, entereth into ones that are new.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/as-a-man-casting-off-worn-out-garments-taketh-new-ones-so-the-dweller/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [If you would improve, submit to be considered wihout sense and foolish with respect to externals. Wish to be considered to know nothing; and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/if-you-would-improve-submit-to-be-considered-wihout-sense-and-foolish/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [“For it is not death or pain that is to be feared, but the fear of pain or death.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/for-it-is-not-death-or-pain-that-is-to-be-feared-but-the-fear-of-pain/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [What else can I do, a lame old man, but sing hymns to God? If I were a nightingale, I would do the nightingale's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/what-else-can-i-do-a-lame-old-man-but-sing-hymns-to-god-if-i-were-a/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [People are disturbed not by things, but by the view they take of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/people-are-disturbed-not-by-things-but-by-the-view-they-take-of-them-2/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [“Small-minded people blame others. Average people blame themselves. The wise see all blame as foolishness”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/small-minded-people-blame-others-average-people-blame-themselves-the/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [All philosophy lies in two words, sustain and abstain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/all-philosophy-lies-in-two-words-sustain-and-abstain/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) [Explore all 577 Epictetus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) ## More Choose quotes > [Everyone needs someone to love, and I choose you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everyone-needs-someone-to-love-and-i-choose-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you have a choice, choose happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pancho-barnes/when-you-have-a-choice-choose-happy/) [Pancho Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pancho-barnes/) > [You dont choose your life; it chooses you. Theres no point asking why life has reserved certain joys or griefs, you just accept them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/you-dont-choose-your-life-it-chooses-you-theres-no-point-asking-why/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [If somebody asks me to choose a biopic, it would be Narain Karthikeyan because I love racing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naga-chaitanya/if-somebody-asks-me-to-choose-a-biopic-it-would-be-narain-karthikeyan/) [Naga Chaitanya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naga-chaitanya/) > [“Either you soften your ego, or the world will do it for you. Choose!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bert-mccoy/either-you-soften-your-ego-or-the-world-will-do-it-for-you-choose/) [Bert McCoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bert-mccoy/) > [I'm aware of who I am and I'm comfortable with who I choose to date.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shibani-dandekar/i-m-aware-of-who-i-am-and-i-m-comfortable-with-who-i-choose-to-date/) [Shibani Dandekar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shibani-dandekar/) > [No actor wants to choose - they just want all of the options available to them all the time; we tend to be pretty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-jacobs/no-actor-wants-to-choose-they-just-want-all-of-the-options-available/) [Gillian Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-jacobs/) > [If you choose to work at a larger company over a smaller company, you are more likely to be higher paid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-sweet/if-you-choose-to-work-at-a-larger-company-over-a-smaller-company-you/) [Julie Sweet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-sweet/) > [You can't choose what stays and what stays away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-welch/you-can-t-choose-what-stays-and-what-stays-away/) [Florence Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-welch/) > [It's only a thought and a thought can be changed. Choose good ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/it-s-only-a-thought-and-a-thought-can-be-changed-choose-good-ones/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime...so you gotta choose who is good for you! Be wise, be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/people-come-into-your-life-for-a-reason-a-season-or-a-lifetime-so-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm not opposed - we manufacture a lot of socks in North Carolina - I just choose not to wear them. It's a Southern…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-burr/i-m-not-opposed-we-manufacture-a-lot-of-socks-in-north-carolina-i/) [Richard Burr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-burr/) > [Having too many options is bad. I want one person, just one. Not a whole bunch to choose from,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roderickthefirst/having-too-many-options-is-bad-i-want-one-person-just-one-not-a-whole/) [RoderickTheFirst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roderickthefirst/) > [If I could be anyone, I'd choose the lead singer of Arcade Fire, Win Butler.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-kardashian/if-i-could-be-anyone-i-d-choose-the-lead-singer-of-arcade-fire-win/) [Rob Kardashian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-kardashian/) > [People are as happy as they choose to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ford/people-are-as-happy-as-they-choose-to-be/) [Henry Ford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ford/) [Browse all 3,851 Choose quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/choose/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Choose the life that is noblest, for custom can make it sweet to thee.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Epictetus" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/choose-the-life-that-is-noblest-for-custom-can-make-it-sweet-to-thee/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Choose" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/choose-the-life-that-is-noblest-for-custom-can-make-it-sweet-to-thee/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd4/epictetus-413_customs_choose-the-life-that-is-noblest-for-cust_1076132.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd4/epictetus-413_customs_choose-the-life-that-is-noblest-for-cust_1076132.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bd4/epictetus-413_customs_choose-the-life-that-is-noblest-for-cust_1076132.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Choose the life that is noblest, for custom can make it sweet to thee.” — Epictetus", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Epictetus", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Choose the life that is noblest,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/choose-the-life-that-is-noblest-for-custom-can-make-it-sweet-to-thee/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/choose-the-life-that-is-noblest-for-custom-can-make-it-sweet-to-thee/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```