Marcus Aurelius: Whoever commits injustice injures…

Wrongdoing often promises a quick reward: avoiding embarrassment, gaining an edge, settling a score, or escaping effort. The hidden cost is the person we become while pursuing it. A lie asks for another lie. A small betrayal makes trust harder to offer and receive. Even when no one discovers what happened, we know which part of ourselves we chose to strengthen. That knowledge can make us defensive, restless, or eager to justify the next bad choice. The first victim of injustice is not always the person who appears to lose. Today, notice any temptation to bend a standard for convenience. Instead of asking only whether you can get away with it, ask what habit the action would build. Choose the cleaner course where possible. Self-respect grows from decisions we can acknowledge without elaborate excuses.