On Discipline

Be men, my friends.

Photo by Ryunosuke Kikuno on Unsplash

“Be men, my friends, and put courage in your hearts! In the battles’s fury think of your honor in each other’s eyes. When men have pride, more are saved than killed: but when they turn to flight, there can be no glory there or courage to resist.” — Homer

Control, freedom, and autonomy are potent forces that drive many individuals. But for some, the very notion of routine, the daily repetition of boring tasks, and the long process before results, are antithetical to the conception of a life well-lived, potentially instigating feelings of anxiety, depression or claustrophobia. This intense desire to want to do nothing, dreaming of a life untethered from any sort of purpose or something bigger than oneself, stem from the fear of commitment — there’s no pain of loss if one is absolved of any responsibility in the outcome.

Yet, therein lies an irony; in the zealous quest for absolution from duty, one may inadvertently inflict harm upon oneself. Forgoing the structure provided by allegiance to something greater—be it a higher cause or authority—can lead to a hollow existence. Life demands a balance between the pursuit of personal liberty and the acceptance of the communal structures and shared purposes that give our lives both shape and meaning. To reject this outright is akin to a child's rebellion—an earnest but ultimately misguided endeavor that fails to grasp the complexities of human fulfillment.

Consequently, one falls prey to fears, base desires and addictions which most rationalize as “living the best life”.

A shift in perspective can profoundly impact one's approach to living and decision-making. Rather than succumbing to our unchecked selfish emotions forming the basis of manipulation or external pressures, one embraces a philosophy of personal agency and mastery over their circumstances. Through this lens, an individual seeks to control and shape their reality proactively, as a demi-god might, possessing clarity of purpose and the power to influence their domain. By consciously directing one's actions and responses, the chains of puppetry are cast aside. This paradigm champions the idea that while one cannot control every aspect of life, there is significant power in governing one's perceptions, reactions, and the deliberateness with which one navigates the world. It's a call to a measured, reflective response where one asserts dominion over the inner world to wield a more profound influence over the external one.

“It’s time”, as Marcus Aurelius put it, “you realized that you have something in you more powerful and miraculous than the things that affect you and make you dance like a puppet.”

Life is an exacting force. We must therefore find purpose and meaning in an existence we enter without a choice, or face the tumult of being tugged aimlessly by the currents of a passive existence. The allure of immediate gratification—drugs, entertainment, sex—is compelling, yet often leads to a hollow sense of self at the day's end if it’s not preceded by a fulfilling effortful endeavor and as the years accumulate, a pattern of missed opportunities and unseized potential can culminate in the harsh twilight of regret.

Time is relentless and crushing in its march. But it’s possible to view it as an advantage than a curse. For example, foresight to recognize our future selves living out the consequences of today's choices should compel us to override transient desires; pain or discomfort also look trivial in retrospect, and so there’s no need to fuss or complain about them as long we’re improving. From this perspective, life shifts from being a chance to eschew pleasure — as if making it atone for our birth, to aligning it with actions that instill pride, peace, growth, and true happiness. To weaving joy into the fabric of daily life through the exertion of one's will and the steadfast application of one's values. This marriage of purpose with joy is the art of deriving fulfillment from the practice of virtue, ensuring that each touch upon the world leaves a mark of one's own making.

In the human experience, the illusion of control is a persistent paradox; we are endowed with the faculties of reason, foresight, and consciousness—tools that give us the semblance of mastery in a world that is inherently ungovernable. Our brains have also evolved to a magical architecture of neural networks giving us the ability to learn fast, endure stress, and visit the moon. Through these powers, humans therefore transcend mere survival as seen in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs; we are thrust upon the stage of evolutionary legacy with a higher task: to cultivate, to create, to grow, to be happy. Our willpower propels us. Our imagination charts realms beyond the primal needs that govern the animal kingdom. We are the architects of symphonies, the painters of moving words, and the smiths of technology, wielding the hammer of intellect upon the anvil of existence.

Yet, inherent to this pursuit is the undertone of struggle, an inescapable shade of Darwinian trial—nature's own crucible where strength, resilience, and endurance are the reagents of success. At the zenith, among the echelons of those who have navigated life, we find not the fortunate but the fortified—the mentally robust who have weathered adversity. For the ephemeral victors, the one-hit wonders, their season under the sun is but a brief interlude; sans the crucible of trials, their tenure at the summit is transient. It is thus through the burning oven of toils, through the pains of discipline, and the acceptance of life's inherent sufferings, that the mettle of true leadership and lasting achievement is forged.

In grappling with our human capabilities and the knowledge of our potential, underachievement is a common source of distress. This deliberate ignorance of our capability to demand and get more from life, thereby settling for less, forms the crux of our internal strife. It’s a self-imposed tribulation that persists until we align our actions with our capacity to contribute meaningfully to the world, and in this commitment to serve a purpose beyond ourselves—many find reprieve from their internal demons. Duty, then, emerges as a salve for the soul’s disquiet.

Before us lies the perennial choice between exertion and idleness, each its own brand of discomfort. In this dichotomy, though, there is a profound divergence in subsequent outcomes. Time, that impartial chronicler, unveils the long-term fruits of either decision. Short-lived ease leads to later hardships, and unpreparedness when disaster hits; immediate trials and discomfort pave the way to lasting satisfaction—a pleasure that does not fold back into disgust and regret. It is within this agency that we forge a life of either fleeting indulgence or sustained fulfillment.

The concept that one continually shapes their destiny through present actions is a fundamental truth. The aftermath of past choices is as irrevocable as commanding the rain to stop; decisions lay the foundation upon which one's future is built. It stands to reason, then, that an individual would be wise to nurture their future with diligent and deliberate conduct in the present.

Through sustained, conscious effort in the here and now, good deeds are sown like seeds. Given time and consistent care, these seeds grow and flourish, yielding rewards that multiply and sustain. This move creates a virtuous cycle, a self-propelling momentum where the fruits, direct or indirect, of past labor continue to emerge, long after the initial deeds are done. It’s just as Musonius Rufus observed when he said; “If you accomplish something good with hard work, the labor passes quickly, but the good endures; if you do something shameful in pursuit of pleasure, the pleasure passes quickly, but the shame endures.” This realization also gives one room and confidence to throw more dice down the road, just to see what happens.

Achieving meaningful progress in any pursuit does not require monumental acts; it hinges on the steadfast commitment to doing what is necessary, even if little, while upholding a standard of excellence. Prioritizing quality over quantity ensures that time is spent advancing rather than correcting errors or getting menial results, thus allowing for a more efficient and effective journey toward one’s goals. The simple yet profound act of self-reflection at each day’s close—inquiring, "Did I do my best today?"—serves as a cornerstone of personal accountability. This practice fosters an ethos of continuous improvement and recognizes there is always room to further refine and enhance one's self and work.

The ant's persistent industry, undeterred by the potential ruin of his home by some unknowing human, embodies a pure form of purposeful action. Similarly, embracing life's grand ventures inherently involves discomfort and grappling with self-doubt; it requires a steadfast dedication to a vision whose realization may waver in the fog of uncertainty. Yet, it’s this very struggle, this process of building and rebuilding—grain by grain, step by step—that is the essence of existence.

To live is to craft one's life deliberately, to adopt a craftsman-like approach to existence, for “well-being is attained little by little,” as espoused by the Stoic philosopher Zeno. Satisfaction is found not in the fruits of one's labor but in the labor itself—the integrity of purposeful work. Yielding to indolence, hesitation, or complaint diminishes one's lofty stature, even below that of animals.

Wisdom is being proud of and embodying our true nature, not for hubris but as a measure of self-respect and acquiring much needed power.

“You have to assemble your life yourself, action by action,“ — Marcus Aurelius.