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Donald's Commentary on The Handbook of Epictetus #25

Has someone been honoured above you at a dinner-party, or in salutation, or in being called in to give advice? Now if these matters are good, you ought to be happy that he got them; but if evil, be not distressed because you did not get them; and bear in mind that, if you do not act the same way that others do, with a view to getting things which are not under our control, you cannot be considered worthy to receive an equal share with others.

In this lengthy passage, which I’ll divide up for convenience, Epictetus confronts his students bluntly with the realization that unless they place a great deal of value on climbing the social ladder, or accumulating wealth, they should not be surprised if others do better than them in this regard. In other words, if you prioritize wisdom, you’re bound to “lose out” in some regards, if you compare yourself to people who dedicate their lives to acquiring status or material possessions.