Stoics visualize the negative as part of their philosophy. They imagine what can go wrong, the losses they can suffer. They accept that obstacles interfere during life. Marcus Aurelius shared stoic leadership principles in Book 11 of Meditations. Here are a few.
Coaches are about process as illuminated in a Sports Illustrated article. "Holiday wrote about Nick Saban, the Alabama football coach, for instance, and his famous process, how he refused to be distracted by what might happen in the future, or what had happened in the past. He focused on the next game, the next day, the next hour. He didn’t get emotional, except in press conferences, when yelling at reporters. He focused on what mattered, what he could control."
Control what you can control. We control our preparation, our attitude, study, and choices. Teddy Roosevelt was a sickly child and chose to overcome his illness. "We must all either wear out or rust out, every one of us. My choice is to wear out." Alexander Suvorov, the general who never lost, trained his men relentless to win.
Be present; be objective. We work in the here and now. What happened is done; move on to the next task, the next possession.
Experience appreciation. If we accepted that our lives and our possessions could disappear, then we would have more gratitude. We would "want what we have." The glass is not half empty or half full. We are grateful for the glass.
Learn from experience; don't dwell on it. We have to move on and use lessons to improve ourselves. Use the analogy of Ryan Holiday's MVP in The Obstacle is the Way. We bring the MVP (minimal viable product) to the floor at the beginning of the season. We work out the bugs and add new features to produce our best work.
Seize opportunity from adversity. 199. Tom Brady was the number 199 draft choice of the NFL. A Patriots executive was leaving the stadium in 2001 and noticed the lights on. He asked a custodian why the lights were on. "There's a guy down there, Brady, working out and watching film."
Consistent worthy goals in life include serving others and becoming our better versions. We write our narrative.
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Lagniappe: Stoicism has penetrated pop culture in many disciplines.
Drill:
Shuffle shooting. 3 shooters, 3 rebounders, 6 spots, 3 cycles. Maximum score 18 points.
Practice outline for today: subject to change
