The questions we ask ourselves, after we’ve been through the grinder. Those are the most important ones to ask ourselves. Did we do that? Did we bring it? Or, did we not. Just hesitated, sided with our human side or anxiety or procrastination?
Below was from a mentor of mine, Ryan Holiday, on a Daily Stoic email. One that was included in an interview story that Carter had with someone. Details aren’t super important of who and with whom.
Three questions. Simple, challenging. Probably one of the best things that I or you can do for ourselves is find the why(s) we did or did not do our best. When I did or didn’t isn’t the point sometimes, nor enough. It’s what we learn from those moments when we dig deep into them. The layers, always under the layers. Then as we move on, what do we do with those teachings and learnings?
Here’s the questions…Here’s the harvest from them…
Did I do my best? Am I giving my best? Am I really trying?
Ryan Holiday
Jimmy Carter, of course, reply to his interviewer in 1952, Admiral Rickover was:
“No. I didn’t always do my best. I could have learned more about our allies, our enemies, weapons, strategy, and so forth. No sir, I didn’t always do my best.”
Jimmy Carter
The lesson? We can only control how we choose to respond to something, not how or why something happens to us. We really don’t control much else. When we get to understand that, practice it, it’s freeing.
Simple. Yet, incredibly hard to do.
In those very profound honest moments where we have this OSH!M with our own thoughts, are they strong enough for us to change how we face the same moments again, later on, with the same asinine approach? Or, do we learn, say oh well, never again, time to change? Then choose to do something about it.
I’m still here. Are you?
✌🏻 Shawn
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