A List of Virtues Wholly In Your Own Power

Marcus Aurelius, Emperor of Rome from 161-180 AD, wrote a note to himself:

"[The people] cannot admire you for intellect. Granted, but there are many other qualities of which you cannot say, 'but that is not the way I am made.' Display those virtues which are wholly in your own power—integrity, dignity, hard work, self-denial, contentment, frugality, kindness, independence, simplicity, discretion, magnanimity. Do you not see how many virtues you can already display without any excuse of lack of talent or aptitude? And yet you are still content to lag behind. Or does the fact that you have no inborn talent oblige you to grumble, to scrimp, to toady, to blame your poor body, to suck up, to brag, to have your mind in such turmoil? No, by heaven, it does not! You could have got rid of all this long ago, and only be charged—if charge there is—with being rather slow and dull of comprehension. And yet even this can be worked on—unless you ignore or welcome your stupidity."

- From Meditations

The more I learn about the great women and men of history the more I'm convinced that work, consistent and intelligent and humble work, is the only real answer to our problems.