THE START-UP OF YOU

“But what does Socrates say? ‘Just as one person delights in improving his farm, and another his horse, so I delight in attending to my own improvement day by day.’”
—EPICTETUS, DISCOURSES, 3.5.14

T he rage these days is to start your own company—to be an entrepreneur. There is no question, building a business from scratch can be an immensely rewarding pursuit. It’s why people put their whole lives into doing it, working countless hours and taking countless risks.

But shouldn’t we be just as invested in building ourselves as we would be to any company?

Like a start-up, we begin as just an idea: we’re incubated, put out into the world where we develop slowly, and then, over time, we accumulate partners, employees, customers, investors, and wealth. Is it really so strange to treat your own life as seriously as you might treat an idea for a business? Which one really is the matter of life and death?

Ecclesiastes 12:1-3 ASV
[1] Remember also thy Creator in the days of thy youth, before the evil days come, and the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them; [2] before the sun, and the light, and the moon, and the stars, are darkened, and the clouds return after the rain; [3] in the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows shall be darkened,

 "Free will is the sensation of making a choice. The sensation is real, but the choice seems illusory"
Brian Greene

SOME SIMPLE RULES

“In your actions, don’t procrastinate. In your conversations, don’t confuse. In your thoughts, don’t wander. In your soul, don’t be passive or aggressive. In your life, don’t be all about business.”

—MARCUS AURELIUS, MEDITATIONS,

Simple is rarely easy. But now that you have these rules, make it your duty to put them into practice— with the first item on your to-do list, with the first conversation you have, with your soul, and, of course, with the life you make for yourself. Not just today, but every day. Write that on the blackboard and don’t forget it.

A LEADER LEADS

“One person, on doing well by others, immediately accounts the expected favor in return. Another is not so quick, but still considers the person a debtor and knows the favor. A third kind of person acts as if not conscious of the deed, rather like a vine producing a cluster of grapes without making further demands, like a horse after its race, or a dog after its walk, or a bee after making its honey. Such a person, having done a good deed, won’t go shouting from rooftops but simply moves on to the next deed just like the vine produces another bunch of grapes in the right season.”
—MARCUS AURELIUS, MEDITATIONS, 5.6

Have you ever heard someone else repeat one of your ideas as though it were their own? Did you ever notice a younger sibling or relative mimic your behavior, perhaps the way you dress or the music you listen to? Maybe you moved to a new neighborhood and a bunch of hipsters followed. When we are young and inexperienced, we can react negatively to these situations. Stop copying me! I was here first!

As we mature, we start to see them in a different light. We understand that stepping up and helping is a service that leaders provide to the world. It’s our duty to do this—in big situations and small ones. If we expect to be leaders, we must see that thankless service comes with the job. We must do what leaders do, because it’s what leaders do—not for the credit, not for the thanks, not for the recognition. It’s our duty.

Shabbat Shalom

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Almost 1/4 of the year

Hey guys, welcome to my Telegram channel! I'm a 10 year old 5th grade developer learning (add what you're learning here) 🙌. Really happy to have you here and I’ll be sharing some of my work with you

We will see more of those kids making it.

A LITTLE KNOWLEDGE IS DANGEROUS

“Every great power is dangerous for the beginner. You must therefore wield them as you are able, but in harmony with nature.”
—EPICTETUS, DISCOURSES, 3.13.20

Great teachers are usually hardest on their most promising students. When teachers see potential, they want it to be fully realized. But great teachers are also aware that natural ability and quick comprehension can be quite dangerous to the student if left alone. Early promise can lead to overconfidence and create bad habits. Those who pick things up quickly are notorious for skipping the basic lessons and ignoring the fundamentals.

Don’t get carried away. Take it slow. Train with humility.

DOING THE RIGHT THING IS ENOUGH

“When you’ve done well and another has benefited by it, why like a fool do you look for a third thing on top—credit for the good deed or a favor in return?”

—MARCUS AURELIUS, MEDITATIONS, 7.73

The answer to the question “Why did you do the right thing?” should always be “Because it was the right thing to do.” After all, when you hear or see another person do that—especially when they might have endured some hardship or difficulty as a consequence for doing that right thing—do you not think, There, that is a human being at their finest?

So why on earth do you need thanks or recognition for having done the right thing? It’s your job.