The Real Con: to know victory, practice well

“Work is the necessary condition of happiness. First, favorite and free work; secondly, the physical work which arouses your appetite and afterward gives you tranquil and sound sleep.” - Leo Tolstoy

Some say that if you really enjoy what you do, it doesn’t feel like work. I love solving problems. I love sweating. I love the chaos of the unknown. Being physical was and always has been a part of my favorite jobs. Most work should involve more than just sitting at a desk. 

“Manual labor does not exclude intellectual activity, but improves its quality and even helps it.” - Leo Tolstoy

Theodore Roosevelt frequently lectured on the importance of the strenuous life.

As a child, he struggled with asthma. He was weak and in poor physical condition. Roosevelt's father encouraged him to take up exercise, including boxing, gymnastics, and more. Roosevelt exercised regularly and took up boxing, tennis, hiking, rowing, polo, and horseback riding. As governor of New York, he boxed with sparring partners several times a week, a practice he regularly continued as President until one blow detached his left retina. He practiced jujutsu and even was known to go skinny-dipping in the Potomac River during winter.

“Get action. Do things; be sane; don’t fritter away your time; create, act, take a place wherever you are and be somebody; get action.” - Theodore Roosevelt

Musashi, the famed swordsman from the Edo period of Japan, talked at length about training. He knew that the Way of the Warrior required conviction. He encouraged samurai to practice in the morning and train in the evening. Imagine if you dedicated your entire existence to improving at your craft. Imagine how much better you would be if you practiced and trained daily. Too often in the professional world, we are in a fight. A fight for time, a fight for focus, and fight for resources. We do not think about our craft. We do not think about the Way. We do not think about training or practice.

“Constant idleness should be included in the tortures of hell, but it is, on the contrary, considered to be one of the joys of paradise.” Charles de Montesquieu

Being idle makes time slowly creep by. There is always a way to learn more. There are always areas for us to improve.

“When a person sets to work, even if it is the most unqualified, primitive, simple work, the human soul calms down. As soon as a person starts to work, all the demons leave him and cannot approach him. A man becomes a man.”  - Thomas Carlyle

How frequently do you find yourself asking questions at work or at home? 

One of the most important questions you can ask is:

Am I better than I was yesterday? Only you know the answer. Only you know if you are pushing yourself. Only you know if you are practicing.

“Work is necessary. If you want a good disposition of your spirit, work until you become tired. But not too much. Not until you become exhausted. A good spiritual disposition can be destroyed by excessive work as well as by idleness.” - Leo Tolstoy

The right kind of work will make you stronger. Consistent work will make you unstoppable. 

“put these practices into action, surpass today what you were yesterday, go beyond those of poor skill tomorrow, and exceed those who are skillful later.” - Miyamoto Musashi, The Book of Five Rings, The Water Chapter

The most important truth is the truth that you tell yourself. Am I better than I was yesterday?

“Independent inquiry is needed in your search for truth, not dependence on anyone else’s view or a mere book.” - Bruce Lee

In the end, no amount of training or practice is worthwhile if you do not have proper direction. 

Are you a better husband?

Are you a better dad? 

Are you a better teammate?

Are you a better man?

Are you putting in the work to be better than yesterday?

Only you know the answer. But the best news? You can start moving in the right direction now. You don’t have to wait for tomorrow.

Put in the work. Put in the practice. Put in the training.

Stay sharp,

Michael

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The Real Con

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