In our last +1, we spent some more time with our beloved Roman Stoic Seneca.
As you may recall, first he told us that “Disaster is virtue’s opportunity.” Then he told us: “Make progress, and, before all else, try hard to be consistent with yourself.”
Note: That second gem happens to be precisely HOW we make disaster virtue’s opportunity.
Which begs the question: When disaster strikes what do YOU do?
Do you double down on your core practices—being MORE consistent than ever so you’ve got what it takes when you need it most?
Or…
Do you kinda let it all slip and, as a result, kinda fall to pieces?
Well…
Which is it?
Know this: If we want to cultivate the deepest possible sense of ANTIFRAGILE CONFIDENCE—an intense trust in ourselves such that we KNOW we will get stronger the more we’re kicked around—we MUST write the algorithm: If disaster strikes, then I am more committed to my protocol than ever before.
Which goes nicely with our emotional stamina formula: The worse I feel, the more committed I am to my protocol.
Which of course, assumes a) we HAVE that protocol we talk about all the time and b) we actually DO the things we know we need to do when we feel like it the least.
I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately.
And it’s been firing me up.
When we REALLY get this idea, I think we can operationalize antifragility and come as close as we’re going to get to being invincible.
I mean, think about it.
If you feel TERRIBLE and you use THAT as a trigger to flip the switch on being MORE committed to your basic fundamentals (not in some crazy-manic way but in a grounded, calm, confident kinda way) then you LITERALLY will get stronger right at the moments when you used to fall apart.
THAT’S AMAZING!
And…
Extending that same principle, if the world is falling apart (whatever that means) and you use THAT as a trigger to flip the switch on being MORE committed to your basic fundamentals (not in some crazy-manic way but in a grounded, calm, confident kinda way) then you LITERALLY will get stronger right at the moments when you used to fall apart.
ISN’T THAT AMAZING?!
Disaster. Bad moods. Etc.
They are virtue’s opportunity.
But only if we commit to making progress and practicing our philosophy.
CONSISTENTLY.
Today.
And tomorrow…
And…
Moment to moment to moment for as many moments as we’re blessed to have…
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