“Is the oil spilled? Is a little wine stolen? Say on the occasion, at such price is sold freedom from being upset; at such price is sold tranquillity, but nothing is got for nothing.”
Epictetus
The ability to confront adversity can be a great tool, especially if we anticipate surprising events. No one likes to be caught off guard by misfortune. Preparing for the worst case scenario can help us deal with events that pop up along the way. A lot of the great stoics, and philosophers for that matter, spent a lot of time playing through scenarios to be able to respond optimally when the time called for it. It seems like little has actually changed in human nature since early Stoa, as much as we like to think we’ve advanced as mankind. We can all benefit from exercising forethought. If things go better than expected, great. If they go worse? Then you’re prepared.
Leave a Reply