We should not moor a ship with one anchor, or our life with one

“We should not moor a ship with one anchor, or our life with one hope.” Thus taught Epictetus, the Stoic sage who had once been a slave, yet rose to become one of the freest men who ever lived. His words, spoken nearly two thousand years ago, carry the quiet strength of a man who understood both suffering and endurance. In them lies a truth as deep as the sea itself: that a vessel tied by a single chain is at the mercy of every storm, and a soul fastened to a single hope will break when that hope fails. To live wisely, one must build not upon one fragile dream, but upon the vast foundation of purpose, discipline, and inner strength.

Epictetus, though born in bondage, taught that freedom was an inward condition. He knew well that the storms of life do not ask permission before they strike. Fortune is fickle; power fades; even love, if clung to too tightly, can shatter. The wise sailor, he said, does not trust the ocean’s calm. He secures his vessel with many anchors, so that when one slips, the others hold. In the same way, the wise soul does not bind its peace to a single outcome, nor its happiness to one fragile dream. For if that dream is lost, despair will devour what remains. Instead, one must learn to cast many anchors: faith, friendship, virtue, gratitude, and the quiet joy of simple living.

History itself is filled with those who moored their hearts too narrowly, and paid the price. Think of Napoleon Bonaparte, whose hope was chained to conquest. He rose to rule continents, but when his empire crumbled, he found himself adrift—his spirit shipwrecked upon the island of defeat. He had anchored his life to one hope: victory. And when that hope was torn from him, all else—love, honor, peace—was lost. Contrast him with Marcus Aurelius, emperor and philosopher, who knew that even a king’s power is dust upon the wind. His heart was anchored not in empire, but in virtue—in the strength of character that no enemy could steal. When storms came, his spirit stood firm.

To have many anchors is not to live scattered, but to live wisely. The one who loves only success will crumble in failure; the one who lives only for wealth will wither in poverty. But the one who finds meaning in learning, in serving, in friendship, in wonder, will never be without light. The Stoics taught that we must love the whole of life—its losses as well as its gains—for each season has its purpose. Hope, then, must not be a chain that binds us to illusion, but a sail that catches the changing winds. It must be many-sided, strong, and resilient, like the heart of the ocean itself.

Even in our modern age, this truth endures. Consider Helen Keller, who lost both sight and hearing in childhood, yet lived a life radiant with wisdom and joy. Her first hope—to see—was denied her, but she found others: to learn, to speak, to inspire, to serve. Each became an anchor that steadied her against despair. She did not mourn the one hope that fate took away, but built her life upon the many that remained. In this, she lived the very lesson of Epictetus, proving that no darkness can overcome the soul that is moored in many lights.

To live by this teaching is to practice the art of inner freedom. Ask yourself: upon what single thing have you staked your peace? Is it wealth? A person’s love? The approval of others? If so, your ship is at risk. For the sea of life will surely shift, and if your anchor lies in shallow ground, you will drift into sorrow. Cast deeper anchors—into gratitude, into virtue, into the hope that renews itself each dawn. Then, even when one chain breaks, your vessel will not be lost.

So remember this, my child: do not moor your life with one hope. Let your heart be like the sea, vast and many-harbored, open to all winds yet unbroken by any. When one dream falls, let another rise. When fortune turns her face away, let faith and courage take her place. For the wise do not fear the storm—they prepare for it. And when the tempest comes, and others are swept away, your soul, held firm by many anchors, will remain steadfast, shining like a lighthouse through the night.