“Show me someone sick and happy, in danger and happy, dying and happy, exiled and happy, disgraced and happy. Show me! By God, how much I’d like to see a Stoic. But since you can’t show me someone that perfectly formed, at least show me someone actively forming themselves so, inclined in this way…. Show me!” — Epictetus
Epictetus is reminding us of something that is really important for all leaders, guides, coaches, and, well, everyone still alive: You are a constant work in progress.
Depending on the actions you take and decisions you make day after day and moment to moment, you might be improving, or regressing to a false sense of comfort that will rot your soul. It’s called the compound effect. 1+1+1+1+1…. = 1 million.
Philosophy is not the end of the journey. It inspires the right journey. Stoicism, in particular, aims to show the way to Logos (in its definition, close to what the Chinese called the Tao) in order to obtain Eudaimonia (a good soul).
Don’t rest on your success and don’t beat yourself (or your team) on your failures. If you think you are perfect, you are dead. If you think you are a perfectionist, you will never achieve anything because it is impossible. Do your best and trust the rest.
Continue on your way. Learn for the pleasure of learning, and let your experience forge, as a positive side effect, a better guide, a better leader, a better soul.
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