Marcus reminded himself how soon everyone who praises you will be gone, and how little their opinion changes who you actually are. Chasing approval is exhausting because the crowd is never satisfied and always changing. The Stoics aimed instead at character, what you know to be true about how you act, which no one can hand you or take away. This doesn't mean you stop caring about people. It means you stop renting your self-worth from them. When a good action is yours and you know it, the missing praise stings less. Today, try to do the right thing for its own sake, and let it be enough that you did it.

Inspired by the old idea of character over reputation. Written by Ugo Charles.