“The philosopher Diogenes was eating bread and lentils for supper. He was seen by the philosopher Aristippus, who lived comfortably by flattering the king. Said Aristippus, “If you learn to be subservient to the king, you wouldn’t have to live on lentils.” Said Diogenes, “Learn to live on lentils, and you wouldn’t have to be subservient to the king.”
This is from the Tightwad Gazette, vol. 1, page 237, originally from The Song of the Bird by Anthony de Mello