Esse quam Videri. Marcus Aurelius 5.3

Marcus advises himself to avoid considering what kids today call optics, how decisions look as opposed to what they are. If you only act to look good, you inevitably wind up doing bad things.

Ἄξιον ἑαυτὸν κρῖνε παντὸς λόγου καὶ ἔργου τοῦ κατὰ φύσιν καὶ μή σε περισπάτω (†) ἡ ἐπακολουθοῦσά τινων μέμψις ἢ λόγος, ἀλλά, εἰ καλὸν πεπρᾶχθαι ἢ εἰρῆσθαι, μὴ σεαυτὸν ἀπαξίου. ἐκεῖνοι μὲν γὰρ ἴδιον ἡγεμονικὸν ἔχουσι καὶ ἰδίᾳ ὁρμῇ χρῶνται· ἃ σὺ μὴ περιβλέπου, ἀλλ’ εὐθεῖαν πέραινε ἀκολουθῶν τῇ φύσει τῇ ἰδίᾳ καὶ τῇ κοινῇ, μία δὲ ἀμφοτέρων τούτων ἡ ὁδός.

Deem yourself worthy and capable of every word and action that proceeds from nature. Don't let the blame or reasons of others change your course once you've embarked: if it is a good thing you've done or said, don't condemn yourself. Others have their own ruling principle, and make use of their own motivations that do not belong to you. Don't look at everything around you as you set forth. Instead, run a straight course to its conclusion, following your own nature and the nature you share with all the world: the way of both these natures is ultimately one.

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(†) Farquharson has παρειπάτω here, but I prefer the reading of Leopold. Neither cites the MSS.