Marcus Aurelius (born 121 AD):
"It is enough that we are comfortable in our own skin; that we lay our head on the pillow each night regretting nothing of our own making, that we feel as if we have somehow done some little thing to help this world be a bit kinder, to know we withheld our judgement and saw the better part of the situation, to have circulated our prosperity with gratitude.
"To be able to let go of each day as if we had lived up to our highest potential is a rare thing indeed but not a bad aspiration. Living up to our true potential has nothing to do with worldly achievement. It is not about being famous for our work or becoming a billionaire entrepreneur. Our potential is an unlimited ability to love unconditionally, to see with compassion, to initiate joy, to express kindness, to count on our own creativity, to encourage optimism, to celebrate the temporary, to cultivate inner peace, to prosper benignly.
"If we lived up to even a fraction of our potential we would automatically contribute to the betterment of our shared human experience. It has always been that those who make a great impression on the rest of us are those who are about the business of being themselves. They do not need victims to help to feel worthy. They do not need validation for their generosity. They do not expect applause nor do they seek it. They are not out to get anything, they are invested in the fun of being alive."
