Did Epictetus Say It’s How You React, Not What Happens?
Epictetus did not say it’s how you react, not what happens, in those words, but he taught a sharper idea in Enchiridion 5: that our judgments about events disturb us, not the events themselves. The popular wording circulates on quote sites with no source attached, so this post checks it against the text.
"It's not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters."
Popular wording credited to Epictetus online, no source in the Enchiridion or Discourses found
The Verdict at a Glance
The idea belongs to Epictetus, while the popular wording does not appear in the passage it is usually traced to. The table separates the four claims people tend to bundle together.
| Claim | Verdict | Evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Epictetus wrote the popular line word for word | Wrongly credited | Not found in Enchiridion 5 or the translations checked |
| Epictetus taught that judgments, not events, disturb us | Verified | Enchiridion 5, two renderings |
| Marcus Aurelius taught a similar idea | Verified | Meditations 8.47 |
| The saying means that reaction is what counts | Disputed | Epictetus places the problem in the judgment, before the reaction |
What Epictetus Wrote in Enchiridion 5
Enchiridion 5 states that people are disturbed by the views they take of things, not by the things themselves. Two renderings of the passage show the same claim in different words.
"It is not the things themselves that disturb people but their judgements about those things."
Epictetus, Enchiridion 5
"Men are disturbed, not by things, but by the principles and notions which they form concerning things."
Epictetus, Enchiridion 5
The chapter goes on to use death as its example. Socrates did not find death terrible, so the terror must lie in the belief that death is terrible. From there Epictetus draws a lesson about blame: an uninstructed person blames others for his troubles, a beginner blames himself, and a person who has finished the training blames neither.
Translators render the key phrase as views, principles and notions, or judgments. The Greek behind it points to the same thing: what you believe about an event, which Epictetus ties to prohairesis, the faculty of choice.
Where the Popular Line Goes Wrong
The popular line moves the problem from judgment to reaction, and Epictetus locates it one step earlier. A reaction is what shows up after you have already accepted an impression as true, so the Stoic work happens before the reaction begins.
Enchiridion 20 makes the sequence visible with the example of an insult. Epictetus advises that you first avoid being swept away by the impression, which gives you a little time to look at what you are about to believe.
"Remember that what is insulting is not the person who abuses or hits you, but the judgment that these things are insulting. So when someone irritates you, realize that it is your own opinion that has irritated you."
Epictetus, Enchiridion 20
Reading the popular line as advice to react well afterwards is a fair modern lesson, but it is a different lesson. The Stoic version asks you to examine the belief that produces the reaction, and the dichotomy of control gives you the question to start with.
What Marcus Aurelius Says About the Same Idea
Marcus Aurelius wrote the same claim into his private notebook, which helps explain why the idea gets credited to both men online. His version also puts the pain in the judgment and not in the external thing.
"External things are not the problem. It's your assessment of them. Which you can erase right now."
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 8.47
For more passages from both authors, browse the Epictetus quotes collection and the Marcus Aurelius quotes collection.
How We Checked This
Every quote on this page was checked on October 12, 2026 against the Via Stoica Stoic Quotes Library and public domain translations of the Enchiridion and the Meditations. The popular wording was searched against those texts and is not found there, though no search can prove a negative across every translation. Spot a mistake? Write to [email protected] and it will be corrected.
Frequently Asked Questions
Did Epictetus say it’s not what happens to you but how you react?
Not in those words. The wording does not appear in Enchiridion 5, which says people are disturbed by their views of things, so the saying is a modern paraphrase of the idea. Read more about him on the Epictetus biography page.
What does Enchiridion 5 actually say?
It says people are disturbed by the views they take of things and not by the things themselves. Epictetus uses death as the example and ends with a rule about blame: blame yourself as a learner, and blame no one once you have finished the training.
Is this quote from Marcus Aurelius instead?
Marcus Aurelius expresses the same idea in Meditations 8.47, but the popular wording is not his either. Both men locate the disturbance in judgment, which is why attributions blur.
How do I apply this idea in daily life?
Pause when you feel disturbed and ask which belief about the event is doing the disturbing. If you want a guide through that process, Stoic coaching is built around exactly this kind of examination.
Want to Learn More?
If this resonated and you are ready to start building your own philosophy of life, a conversation with Benny as your Stoic coach can be a good place to begin. You can also sign up for the newsletter, The Pause, or watch or listen to the Via Stoica Podcast on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts.
About the Author
Benny Voncken is the founder of Via Stoica and host of The Via Stoica Podcast. He has practiced Stoicism as a way of life for over seven years and draws on almost 15 years of teaching experience to turn dense ancient ideas into daily practice. Since 2023 he has coached clients around the world through one-on-one Stoic coaching. He also leads Stoic walks across Europe, writes the monthly newsletter The Pause, and has spoken at Stoicon.
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