📖 Current Read; 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living — Ryan Holiday
Work Is Therapy
The Daily Stoic Meditation for May 29 outlines a simple truth: you must work.
However, there is a key caveat.
Work does not have to be arduous. Work does not have to be excruciating.
Instead, work can be nourishing, joyful, & therapeutic.
“Work nourishes noble minds.”
— SENECA, MORAL LETTERS, 31.5
The Common Viewpoint
What?
Many people have the wrongful notion about what work truly is.
People see work as something difficult and arduous.
The set viewpoint that many have paints work, and jobs, to be something that gets in the way and holds you back.
Perhaps due to years of working jobs you hate, or arduous shifts and horrible bosses, you’ve created a set viewpoint on work, and it’s negative.
The Risks
Seeing work as something negative and arduous opens up room for many risks! Risks that harm you immensely:
- You may not progress
- You may never change your job, or change it too much
- You’ll lack a feeling of contentment
- You’ll never unlock your true potential
- You may feel constantly stressed and anxious
When you see work as a negative, be it physical, emotional or mental work, it makes life way harder for you.
Resisting work, even if it is hard work, does no good. It is much better to yield to its power, for work is not always all that bad!
Work Is Therapy
What?
Rather than seeing work as arduous, painstaking and difficult, it’d be in your best interests to shift that negative perspective!
Work is not always that bad. In some cases, especially if you cultivate this sort of work, it can be extremely rewarding, beneficial and stimulating.
Work can be therapeutic. Work can be nourishing.
Work can help you progress, grow, learn and develop.
Work can change your life for the better!
The idea that work can nourish noble minds, as Seneca outlines, is key!
It helps you understand that not all work has to be painstaking.
Some work, if you follow certain steps, can actually be incredibly joyful!
The Steps
In order to get full enjoyment from your work, rather than seeing it as arduous and difficult, there are a few steps you should follow!
These are steps that, hopefully, should point you in the right direction of where you truly want to work, and where you’d get the most joy!
- Trail And Error
The first step, is, of course, trail and error.
You have to throw yourself at different careers, different areas and different people.
This can help you get a better idea as to what works, and what absolutely doesn’t.
2. Zone In
Through the trail and error phase, it is likely that you may find a few things that you do actually enjoy!
Pick one of them and zone in on it.
With a feverous hunger, soak up as much knowledge and experience as you can with that field!
3. Stick At It
If it works, and you find yourself actually enjoying the work, stick at it.
Nothing beats consistency in the long run!
Lifelong Learning
Lifelong learning fits into this idea of work as therapy beautifully.
It is your responsibility to cultivate lifelong learning, no matter who you are and where you are.
Implement daily learning into your life!
For this too is hard work, but it is not difficult — rather, it is nourishing and stimulating!
Idea of the Week. 💭
Say No To Your Need To Control Everything
— An excerpt from my article on reclaiming control. You can read more here!
The Need
Similarly to the collective need to be correct, there’s also a collective desire to control things.
This likely stems from the uncertainty that comes from a lack of control; nobody can handle this uncertainty.
And so, with all our might, we try to control everything and anything.
—
However, this is futile. You cannot control everything.
This becomes evident through the idea of ‘sphere of control’
Sphere Of Control
The term sphere of control simply regards the things that we can control, alter, or direct.
It regards the things that we can actively change through action or thought.
Here’s a few examples:
- Our mood
- Our physical health
- Our thoughts
- Our actions
- Our sleep schedule
- Our water intake
We can change these things.
Outside The Sphere of Control
In turn, the things that are outside our sphere of control are simply the things that we cannot control.
We cannot alter, change or direct these events as much as we may try.
Here’s a few examples:
- The emotions of others
- The weather
- The current president
You must let go of anything that lies outside your sphere of control, for you simply cannot do anything about it!
Save your time and energy.
The Risks
There’s many negatives that come with constantly trying to control everything and everyone.
Risks such as;
- Constant frustration
- Lack of progress
- Anger and arrogance
- Tiredness
- Lack of productivity
How do you expect to live your own life if you are too busy trying to control everyone else’s?
It won’t work! You simply end up wasting your own time and energy.
Action Points
You must, first and foremost, recognise that not everything is in your control.
You cannot control people, the weather, the future….. anything as such.
In fact, most things are entirely out of your control!
This is a harsh truth, but one you need to recognise and accept.
An acceptance of this brings about great power.
Further, with the notion that not everything is in your control, you must work to focus on only the things you can control.
Do not waste your energy where it brings about no change.
Focus instead on what you can alter; yourself, your thoughts and your actions.
Quote of the Week. 🗣
Friedrich Nietzsche on the simple benefit of walking.
“All truly great thoughts are conceived by walking.”
Why Should You Walk?
Asides from the clearly outlined point made by Nietzsche, that great thoughts are conceived during walks, there’s a great deal of other benefits too!
Benefits such as;
- Increased peace of mind
- Increased clarity
- Increased capacity to focus
- Tranquility and calmness
- Reduces stress
- Improved quality of sleep
- Maintains fitness
Walking is great for a bunch of reasons!
For the creator, however, the reason outlined by Nietzsche may be the most important.
It is common that great ideas and brainwaves come about when you least expect them.
Rather than when you’re sat hunched over the desk with your notepads, intending to come up with the solution, the answer often comes when you’re in the shower, or perhaps on a walk!
This is due to the complete tranquility that your mind has during walks, enabling lots of creativity, deep thought and progress.
Creative breaks often come about when you’re walking.
Action Points
Walk!!!!!!!
Walk, as much as you can, whenever you can.
Take time out of your day to implement walks, even if only for 10 minutes.
You will not regret it.
To end, here’s a question from me! ⚡️
If you find yourself losing touch with your habits and goals, how can you relight your flame?
Thanks for reading!
Until next week,
Sam. 😆
