Marcus Aurelius · 121–180 CE
Meditations 12.6 — Marcus Aurelius
Translation by George Long (1862)
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 12.6
Practise thyself even in the things which thou despairest of accomplishing. For even the left hand, which is ineffectual for all other things for want of practice, holds the bridle more vigorously than the right hand; for it has been practised in this.
Cite this passage
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 12.6, tr. George Long (1862)
https://whatwouldstoicsdo.com/passage/meditations/12.6
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, tr. George Long (1862). Text: Standard Ebooks (CC0). Sources and licences
In plain English
AI-written notesKeep practising even the things you have given up hope of doing well. Your left hand is useless for most tasks, yet it holds the reins better than your right because it has been trained for that. Skill comes from repetition, not from natural talent.
Older wording
- “bridle”
- — the reins used to steer a horse
Themes and situations
- Self-discipline and habit
- Learning and progress
- Resilience and endurance
- Failure and mistakes
- Fear of failure
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