LXXV. It Gets Easier
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“Practice even what seems impossible. The left hand is useless at almost everything, for lack of practice. But it guides the reins better than the right. From practice.”—Marcus Aurelius
I’m amidst a life-changing decision, one that calls me to explore an untrodden path in medical practice. It demands new skills and a Jack Sparrow dexterity to navigate an ocean of unfamiliarity. I’m scared. What if I’m not quick enough to grasp concepts or meet expectations? What if I fail—or worse, move so slowly that my mentors give up on me? What if my strength and endurance falter and I burn out, as I’ve seen others do? What if I box myself into a corner, so constrained that I have no time left for myself, my girlfriend, my friends, my family? What if I’m too overwhelmed to write for this publication—a beautiful project that’s become an obsession, a part of me I dream, piss, and think about constantly?
To solve this problem, and to begin shaping the kind of life I desire, I had to first decide what I truly want. I needed to clarify how I’d structure my day to nurture the three things that pour vigor into my life: my creative work, my relationships, and my professional growth because I was tired of the restlessness of not having a clear direction and end goal even if I was quite busy. As Seneca wrote, “If a man knows not to which port he sails, no wind is favorable.”
I’ve accepted that it’s enough to excel in just those three faucets. That’s where my lust for life lives. And to avoid stretching myself asunder, I’ve learned to say ‘no’ to everything else. I borrowed this clarity from Marcus Aurelius, who wrote, “If you seek tranquillity, do less... Do what’s essential... Which brings a double satisfaction: to do less, better.”
With my priorities in place, it has become easier to make better decisions. To be more disciplined, strategic, courageous, patient and more capable of endurance. I’m more fulfilled and better able to benefit1 from concentrating my forces as Robert Greene would counsel when he wrote,
“We are all in a state of total distraction and diffusion…hardly able to keep our minds in one direction before we are pulled in a thousand others. The modern world’s level of conflict is higher than ever, and we have internalized it in our own lives…(the antidote is to adopt) more concentrated forms of thought and action…You gain more by finding a rich mine and mining it deeper, than by flitting from one shallow mine to another—intensity defeats extensity every time.”
Next, I reckoned that there’s only one way to make a clear assessment of how life will feel when it gets intense. I can’t keep wasting time in anxious anticipation, theorizing every possible outcome. The only way forward is to immerse myself in the bold move. “Fuck around and find out,” as they say. One can only theorize up to a point. Besides, preparation is the best strategy to ensure I’ll do a good job.
The only comfort I could offer myself before committing was a meditation from my diary—words I’ve always returned to whenever I had to do and learn something hard, something new. It’s refined now, but it’s always been the same reassurance to myself,
“It gets easier.
Tattoo this into your mind. Burn it into your bones.
Every strike of effort, every hour of practice, every stumble forward, even failures—it all makes you better. The brain adapts, the body endures, the mind strengthens. What once felt impossible becomes second nature.
The secret is simple: Repetition. If you do something long enough, you’ll get good at it. If you get good at it, it’ll feel effortless. And once it feels effortless, you’ll get to do more. More leverage means domination. This isn’t an empty belief—it’s just how neuroplasticity works. So leverage this knowledge. Let it fuel you. Let it strip away the excuses, silence the doubts and hesitation, propel you into action. Don’t worry about how long it’ll take.
See. Momentum is a drug. The kind that electrifies your spirit, that turns effort into pleasure, that makes the grind addictive. At first, everything is slow. Everything is overwhelming. And then—moment by moment, repetition by repetition—something shifts. You think faster. Move smoother. Your actions speed up, get cleaner, more turbulent. You operate with precision while everyone else struggles. You perform at a level so high it feels unfair. You get hungrier for knowledge and challenges. What once drained you now fuels you. And the best part? You’re just getting started.
Most people never get there. They act like effort is optional and lame. They make excuses. They hesitate at the first sign of resistance. That’s not you.
You don’t wait for motivation. You don’t negotiate with procrastination. You move. You act. You command yourself forward. You show up every day. You hold yourself to the highest standards. No excuses, no shortcuts. You don’t stop when it’s hard. You don’t stop when it’s boring. You don’t stop—period. You do whatever you can with any little time you got, for it compounds over time. "Well-being is realized by small steps, but is truly no small thing," Zeno said.
You know challenges aren’t walls; they’re doors. And they’re yours to kick open. Ignorance and weakness are not life sentences; they’re a passing state, a temporary inconvenience for those who keep moving. Every moment spent in the fight is a moment spent improving, grabbing power.
So don’t wait. Don’t wish. Take it.
Chase the friction. Crave the obstacles. Welcome the problems like an old rival you’ve beaten before. Because you have. And you will again. Every constraint forces ingenuity. Every failure builds resilience, creates new opportunities. You learn. You adapt. You get stronger. And as you level up, you gain more control—over yourself, your skills, your work, your results. You build real power. You become more dangerous.
This is what separates the elite from everyone else. The ones who get it, get it. And if you get it, you know you’ll win. You’re inevitable.
The game is simple: You keep showing up. You keep noticing, learning, integrating. You keep making it easier through non-negotiable effort.”
It gets easier. That’s the message I wanted to share with you today.
I look forward to reading your thoughts. Also, send this piece to someone who might need it, and subscribe to join 38,000 other Stoics if you haven’t.
The Aesthetic Experience
"...aesthetic pleasure in the beautiful consists, to a large extent, in the fact that, when we enter the state of pure contemplation, we are raised for the moment above all willing, above all desires and cares; we are, so to speak, rid of ourselves." — Arthur Schopenhauer (The World as Will and Representation)
The Stoics were big fans of appreciating the beauty in the world. This comeliness is reflected in the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius. The artful expression of Stoic ideas is why the book still resonates 2,000 years later. He wrote,
“Dwell on the beauty of life. Watch the stars, and see yourself running with them…for such thoughts wash away the dust of earthly life.”
To wash away the dust of earthly life, these are the three art pieces I found interesting this week.
Today we’ll feature the ethereal work of my favorite artist, Claude Monet.
Exhibit I
Exhibit II
Exhibit III
Exhibit IV
This publication’s success is based on this strategy. I appreciate you!
"The left hand is useless at almost everything, for lack of practice. But it guides the reins better than the right. From practice." Life was such that it was required of me to relearn to use the left in mid-life. Strategy and "practice" allowed me to thrive. Can't say it gets easier, but those truly willing to stay fully "in it" will move boulders, stay focused, remain standing ...whatever it takes to reap life's rewards.
This kept me going today. Thank you.