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Think not so much of what thou hast not as of what thou hast: but of the things which thou hast, select the best, and then reflect how eagerly they would have been sought, if thou hadst them not. At the same time, however, take care that thou dost not, through being so pleased with them, accustom thyself to overvalue them, so as to be disturbed if ever thou shouldst not have them.

— Marcus Aurelius

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Variants

Let not thy mind run on what thou lackest as much as on what thou hast already.

More quotes by Marcus Aurelius

Search men's governing principles, and consider the wise, what they shun and what they cleave to.

A wrongdoer is often a man who has left something undone, not always one who has done something.

Be not as one that hath ten thousand years to live; death is nigh at hand: while thou livest, while thou hast time, be good.

Bartlett's Familiar Quotations, 10th ed (1919)

Everything harmonizes with me, which is harmonious to thee, O Universe. Nothing for me is too early or too late, which is in due time for thee.

Nothing has such power to broaden the mind as the ability to investigate systematically and truly all that comes under thy observation in life.

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Attribution

Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: Marcus Aurelius (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.