“What ought one to say then as each hardship comes? I was practicing for this, I was training for this.”
– Epictetus, Roman Philosopher
Easy days are easier, not better.
Sometimes it’s hard to remember that.
The sadist in me (masochist?) thinks that difficult days — hardships — are better in many ways.
That they are harder means that we are being sharpened, honed, tempered. Like free throws, scales in music, artistic pursuits — the more we practice the better we become.
If today falls on the difficult side of the ledger, remember, we’ve been practicing and training for this. And thus, we can make a difference.
Chuck Cline says
Well said Steve. This could also be linked to a post you put up some time ago on perspective. Life will either rough you up or polish you off. It just depends on which side of that perspective you want to look at it from. If you look at me, I think I’ve had alot of polishing. Although, I don’t think that is any different than anyone else out there in their respective professions.
gil wohler says
I believe that you learn more in defeat than from victory. If you don’t have the defeats, how do you know what to keep practicing.
Great post Steve.