| Nobody likes waiting. Nobody likes it when somebody else's turn takes longer than you feel it should. But you know what? That's just how it goes. The late '40s and '50s were rough for a young James Stockdale, as they were for many young military officers. Due to the rapid expansion and contraction of the armed forces after WWII, there was an enormous glut of senior officers that became known as "the hump." It took years for these people to retire and make advancement possible for younger officers. This was frustrating, demoralizing, and difficult. Especially for people like Stockdale who were ambitious, ready to lead, ready for their turn. But again, that's life. It's Marcus Aurelius having to wait twenty years for Antoninus to pass the throne to him. It's the professors and executives who are hanging on to their jobs longer and longer, making it hard for new graduates to get those opportunities. It takes longer than you think or want. It just does. And as we have said, this will require from you the virtue of patience. First, to resist the temptation to rush ahead or force things. Second, to learn while you are waiting. Stockdale didn't know what the waiting was preparing him for. Marcus Aurelius didn't either. Neither do you. But almost everything worthwhile—like wisdom, leadership, mastery, opportunity—takes far more time than we expect, than we want. The timeline is longer. The apprenticeship is longer. The climb is longer. It won't be easy. But who ever said it would be? P.S. We share ideas like these for parents over at the Daily Dad (because parenting isn't easy, either—but we can get better at it by applying Stoic virtues and being part of a supportive community of parents). If you're a parent and would like daily advice and meditations on raising kids—or know a parent who might benefit from it—sign up for our free Daily Dad email newsletter at dailydad.com.
—Today's newsletter is sponsored by 80,000 Hours. "Follow your passion." "Go with your gut." Career advice is full of slogans; almost none of it is based on evidence. Much of it is actively harmful, and as a result, many people are squandering their impact. 80,000 Hours is the first book to look at what the data actually says about having a fulfilling and impactful career. It covers why "follow your passion" gets things backwards, which skills will increase in value in the age of AI, and why the highest-impact work is in areas most people have never considered. Pre-order at 80000hours.org/dailystoic (available from May 28, 2026) *** | 
No comments:
Post a Comment