--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My advice is really this: what we hear…" description: "\"My advice is really this: what we hear the philosophers saying and what we find in their writings should be applied in our pursuit of the happy life. W..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cba/seneca-the-younger-219_advice_my-advice-is-really-this-what-we-hear-th_2421573.jpg" --- # My advice is really this: what we hear the philosophers… ![“My advice is really this: what we hear the philosophers saying and what we find in their writings should be applied in our pursuit of the happy life. We should hunt out the helpful pieces of teaching and the spirited and noble-minded sayings which are capable of immediate practical application-not…” quote by Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cba/seneca-the-younger-219_advice_my-advice-is-really-this-what-we-hear-th_2421573.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cba/seneca-the-younger-219_advice_my-advice-is-really-this-what-we-hear-th_2421573.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cba/seneca-the-younger-219_advice_my-advice-is-really-this-what-we-hear-th_2421573.jpg) > “My advice is really this: what we hear the philosophers saying and what we find in their writings should be applied in our pursuit of the happy life. We should hunt out the helpful pieces of teaching and the spirited and noble-minded sayings which are capable of immediate practical application-not far far-fetched or archaic expressions or extravagant metaphors and figures of speech-and learn them so well that words become works.” [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Philosophical teachings should be filtered for practical, actionable advice that promotes happiness. **In simple terms:** Apply useful philosophy to daily life. Key Takeaway Seek actionable wisdom. Themes philosophy practicality happiness Mood reflective motivational Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - personal development - mental health - decision making - relationship building Key Concepts Stoicism applied ethics wisdom extraction Questions to Reflect On - Which teachings can you apply today? - How do you test a teaching’s practicality? A Different Perspective Not all philosophical ideas are directly applicable; context matters. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Advice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advice/) [Education](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/education/) [Expression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/expression/) [Figures of speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/figures-of-speech/) [Happy life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/happy-life/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Metaphor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/metaphor/) [Noble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/noble/) [Philosopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosopher/) [Philosophers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophers/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Pursuit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pursuit/) [Speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speech/) [Spirited](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirited/) [Teaching](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teaching/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [Now I believe I can hear the philosophers protesting that it can only be misery to live in folly, illusion, deception and ignorance, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/desiderius-erasmus/now-i-believe-i-can-hear-the-philosophers-protesting-that-it-can-only/) [Desiderius Erasmus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/desiderius-erasmus/) > [We can't define anything precisely. If we attempt to, we get into the paralysis of thought that comes to philosophers... one saying to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-can-t-define-anything-precisely-if-we-attempt-to-we-get-into-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [People or philosophers keep saying that our fundamental objective in life is to be happy! This is wrong! Our fundamental objective in life is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/people-or-philosophers-keep-saying-that-our-fundamental-objective-in/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Originally, the atoms of carbon from which we're made were floating in the air, part of a carbon dioxide molecule. The only way to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pollan/originally-the-atoms-of-carbon-from-which-we-re-made-were-floating-in/) [Michael Pollan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pollan/) > [But that wasn't fancy enough for Lord Byron, oh dear me no, he had to invent a lot of figures of speech and then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ogden-nash/but-that-wasn-t-fancy-enough-for-lord-byron-oh-dear-me-no-he-had-to/) [Ogden Nash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ogden-nash/) > [To invoke a Kierkegaardesque figure of speech, the beauty of the language of the Bible can be like a set of dentist's instruments nearly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaroslav-pelikan/to-invoke-a-kierkegaardesque-figure-of-speech-the-beauty-of-the/) [Jaroslav Pelikan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaroslav-pelikan/) > [“We have to look at the figures of speech a writer uses, his images and symbols, to realize that underneath all the complexity of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/northrop-frye/we-have-to-look-at-the-figures-of-speech-a-writer-uses-his-images-and/) [Northrop Frye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/northrop-frye/) > [Writing for me is a dragnet that carries everything away with it: expressions and figures of speech, postures, feelings, thoughts, troubles. In short, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elena-ferrante/writing-for-me-is-a-dragnet-that-carries-everything-away-with-it/) [Elena Ferrante](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elena-ferrante/) > [Silence is a figure of speech, unanswerable, short, cold, but terribly severe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-parker/silence-is-a-figure-of-speech-unanswerable-short-cold-but-terribly/) [Theodore Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-parker/) > [“It will not, however, affect one tiny bit the question of whether the text has a literal meaning because—mark this—every biblical text has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-shea/it-will-not-however-affect-one-tiny-bit-the-question-of-whether-the/) Mark Shea > [A preacher must have some intelligence to charm the people by his florid style, by his exhilarating system of morality, by the repetition of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/a-preacher-must-have-some-intelligence-to-charm-the-people-by-his/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [“Dou comigo a pensar se figuras de estilo não serão, afinal, as silhuetas dos corpos humanos que tão ardentemente desejamos ou abominamos. I find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-eust-quio/dou-comigo-a-pensar-se-figuras-de-estilo-n-o-ser-o-afinal-as/) [Victor Eustáquio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-eust-quio/) > [Irony is Fate's most common figure of speech.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trevanian/irony-is-fate-s-most-common-figure-of-speech/) [Trevanian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trevanian/) > [“No. See, when you throw up you're vomiting, but when you throw down you're starting a fight, as in throwing down the gauntlet." "Ohhhh,"…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-hearne/no-see-when-you-throw-up-you-re-vomiting-but-when-you-throw-down-you/) [Kevin Hearne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-hearne/) > [Anderson sent me to give you this he said. I believe the subtext was kiss and makeup. This time I was sure I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenna-black/anderson-sent-me-to-give-you-this-he-said-i-believe-the-subtext-was/) [Jenna Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenna-black/) ## More by Seneca the Younger > [There is nothing that we can properly call our own but our time, and yet everybody fools us out of it who has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/there-is-nothing-that-we-can-properly-call-our-own-but-our-time-and/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [It is for the superfluous we sweat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/it-is-for-the-superfluous-we-sweat/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Men trust rather to their eyes than to their ears; the effect of precepts is therefore slow and tedious, whilst that of examples is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/men-trust-rather-to-their-eyes-than-to-their-ears-the-effect-of/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [A great step towards independence is a good-humored stomach, one that is willing to endure rough treatment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/a-great-step-towards-independence-is-a-good-humored-stomach-one-that/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Men can be divided into 2 groups: one that goes ahead and achieves something, and one that comes after and criticizes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/men-can-be-divided-into-2-groups-one-that-goes-ahead-and-achieves/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Leisure without study is death, and the grave of a living man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/leisure-without-study-is-death-and-the-grave-of-a-living-man/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Such as the chain of causes we call Fate, such is the chain of wishes: one links on to another; the whole man is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/such-as-the-chain-of-causes-we-call-fate-such-is-the-chain-of-wishes/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [To rule yourself is the ultimate power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/to-rule-yourself-is-the-ultimate-power/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [The road by precepts is tedious, by example, short and efficacious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/the-road-by-precepts-is-tedious-by-example-short-and-efficacious/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Misfortune is the test of a person's merit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/misfortune-is-the-test-of-a-person-s-merit/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [He who does not want to die should not want to live. For life is tendered to us with the proviso of death. Life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/he-who-does-not-want-to-die-should-not-want-to-live-for-life-is/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Let us not seek our disease out of ourselves; 'tis in us, and planted in our bowels; and the mere fact that we do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/let-us-not-seek-our-disease-out-of-ourselves-tis-in-us-and-planted-in/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [After death there is nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/after-death-there-is-nothing/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Adversity finds at last the man whom she has often passed by.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/adversity-finds-at-last-the-man-whom-she-has-often-passed-by/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Hesitation is the best cure for anger. The first blows of anger are heavy, but if it waits, it will think again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/hesitation-is-the-best-cure-for-anger-the-first-blows-of-anger-are/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) [Explore all 872 Seneca the Younger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) ## More Advice quotes > [The sensible person is always serious about sensible advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/the-sensible-person-is-always-serious-about-sensible-advice/) Mak\_786 > [I ask for tips, for advice. What I have also learnt is that I need to do things that are good for me. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthijs-de-ligt/i-ask-for-tips-for-advice-what-i-have-also-learnt-is-that-i-need-to/) [Matthijs de Ligt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthijs-de-ligt/) > [Don't get too attached to someone you know you can't be together with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/don-t-get-too-attached-to-someone-you-know-you-can-t-be-together-with/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [A low-minded person should not be given good advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chanakya/a-low-minded-person-should-not-be-given-good-advice/) [Chanakya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chanakya/) > [The worst advice? 'Don't listen to the critics.' I think that you really ought to listen to the critics, because sometimes they're telling you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-worst-advice-don-t-listen-to-the-critics-i-think-that-you-really/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [When I was in my twenties and just so sexually prolific, the first time I went to Machu Picchu, this guy, a spiritual teacher,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-harrelson/when-i-was-in-my-twenties-and-just-so-sexually-prolific-the-first/) [Woody Harrelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-harrelson/) > [The best way to succeed in this world is to act on the advice you give to others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/the-best-way-to-succeed-in-this-world-is-to-act-on-the-advice-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [Time is priceless. You have it, but you don't own it. You spend it, but you can't keep it. And once it's gone, there's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/time-is-priceless-you-have-it-but-you-don-t-own-it-you-spend-it-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You don't need to take a persons advice to make him feel good, just ask him for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-j-peter/you-don-t-need-to-take-a-persons-advice-to-make-him-feel-good-just/) [Laurence J. Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-j-peter/) > [Some of the things that we hold onto the most, are the things that we need to let go of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryaj-ablando-catayas/some-of-the-things-that-we-hold-onto-the-most-are-the-things-that-we/) [Ryaj Ablando Catayas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryaj-ablando-catayas/) > [“If your clothes are enough to drive would-be friends away, they're not the kind of friends you want." Typical mother advice. Sweet, honest, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aprilynne-pike/if-your-clothes-are-enough-to-drive-would-be-friends-away-they-re-not/) [Aprilynne Pike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aprilynne-pike/) > [“My kingdom not for a horse, but for a good piece of advice!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/my-kingdom-not-for-a-horse-but-for-a-good-piece-of-advice/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [I always advise people not to act upon the advice that I give them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/i-always-advise-people-not-to-act-upon-the-advice-that-i-give-them/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [ \[A\]s you partake of the world's bill of fare, that's darned good advice to follow. Do a lot of spitting out the hot air.… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-seuss/a-s-you-partake-of-the-world-s-bill-of-fare-that-s-darned-good-advice/) [Dr. Seuss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dr-seuss/) > [My relationship with Ibrahimovic was completely neutral. He is not the type of player to approach the younger players and give them advice. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingsley-coman/my-relationship-with-ibrahimovic-was-completely-neutral-he-is-not-the/) [Kingsley Coman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingsley-coman/) [Browse all 8,535 Advice quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/advice/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "My advice is really this: what we hear the philosophers saying and what we find in their writings should be applied in our pursuit of the happy life. 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