The Roadblock is Not You
"Sickness is a hindrance to the body, but not to your ability to choose, unless that is your choice. Lameness is a hindrance to the leg, but not to your ability to choose."
Imagine you are stuck in rush-hour traffic or dealing with an incompetent colleague.
These externals act only as a "hindrance to the body" or to an external project, never to your most vital possession: your ability to choose your response.
Stoicism insists that you always control your ethical choice in the face of circumstance. The impediment is to the leg, not to the mind.
Your clarity and resilience are never compromised by externals, only by your own opinion about them.
You must focus solely on the things that are within the proper power and jurisdiction of your own will.
Try this today: When a problem arises, separate the physical setback (the traffic jam) from your ethical response (your frustration). Focus solely on making a just and reasonable choice in the moment, regardless of the inconvenience.
Until tomorrow, Stoics…
Stay hungry. Stay wise. Eat brekkie.
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