Life can surprise any of us at any moment. The surprise can go bright or dark with equal chance.
We rarely talk about the bright ones—joy sweeps us away, no time for words. But a dark turn gives the mind full permission to torment us: “Why me? Will it get worse? How could I let this happen?”
In the thick of it, answering those questions is useless, even harmful. Debrief comes later, once you reach the other shore. (Sadly, almost no one does it then.)
While you thrash in the waves of the Unknown, follow the advice a veteran once gave a raw recruit about the army’s endless bureaucracy:
“Listen. Remember. And don’t be a smartass.”
How much wisdom fits in those words. When you meet raw Unknown, every concept in your head only blocks you—they are already old or simply out of place.
You need only Attention: the readiness to receive openly whatever arrives.
More than that, a man can shift any situation. Exactly like Life itself—toward darkness or toward light. Let gloom, irritation, or anger swallow you whole and everything gets worse for everyone.
Hold on to even small drops of calm and kindness, though, and the darkness stays harsh but bearable for all. By the way, that same veteran gave the recruit one more gem:
“Treat people humanely and they will treat you humanely.”
Sincerely yours,
-Alexander
As a business therapist, I help tech founders quickly solve dilemmas at the intersection of business and personality, and boost company value as a result.
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