Every man that tries to figure out the world entirely on his own ends up building a small, stupid god to replace the one he rejected. it never fails. he drops God, picks up science or stoicism or some guy on the internet who read enough books to pass for a prophet, and within six months he's talking about cold showers and circadian rhythms with the same exact tone a priest uses on sunday. the need to worship doesn't go anywhere just because you decided you're too smart for it. it just finds smaller things to attach to, and smaller gods make smaller people. nobody quits God. they trade down.
Charlie Munger, the Stoic: "Life will have terrible blows in it. Horrible blows. Unfair blows. It doesn't matter. And some people recover and others don't."
"There, I think the attitude of Epictetus is the best. He thought that every mischance in life was an opportunity to behave well. Every mischance in life was an opportunity to learn something. Your duty was not to be submerged in self-pity, but to utilize the terrible blow in a constructive fashion."
a few people asked me to turn this into a full essay, so i did!
read my full field guide to jobs, cold emails and making yourself legible to the right people. share with a student or jobseeker in your life: https://t.co/AlMF6zMyQX
Major cheat code for life: Be fully where your feet are. When you're at work, work. When you're with family, be with family. When you're resting, rest. Most people are physically present and mentally everywhere else.
for all you know, this could be your last summer.
as homer wrote, you will never be lovelier than you are right now. so tell her she has a pretty smile. get lean or become a unit. find wonder in boarding the airplane. drink more coffee than you need. walk on the beach until your feet hurt. write your girlfriend a note on a tuesday. waste money because its not all about retirement. pull over at the lookout. ask the uber driver about his life. tell the woman in the elevator you like her shoes and mean it. call your mother. ask the waiter his favorite thing on the menu and order that.
theres so much life in the slow moments, and you sprint past it chasing the next thing. but at any time, in any situation, you can find the good. smile. be happy. recognize it for a one of one life experience. what good is walking around a curmudgeon when tomorrow could be curtains.
for heavens sake, flirt with the world.