“That cucumber is bitter, so toss it out! There are thorns on the path, then keep away! Enough said. Why ponder the existence of nuisance? Such thinking would make you a laughing-stock to the true student of Nature, just as a carpenter or cobbler would laugh if you pointed out the sawdust and chips on the floors of their shops. Yet while those shopkeepers have dustbins for disposal, Nature has no need of them.”
MARCUS AURELIUS, MEDITATIONS, 8.50
There’s not really much point in sitting around and pointing out imperfections. It achieves nothing, and is simply an excuse for not taking action. In the meantime, others have accepted the flaws of nature and of life, and have moved on and are getting things done. That’s the wisdom shared in today’s entry in The Daily Stoic.
Don’t wait for things to be perfect. Stop screwing around, and just take imperfect action now, with the way things are currently. Don’t wait for the situation and conditions to be perfect, because that day will never come, and you’ll just end up stalling some more.
It’s better to understand and adapt to the imperfect nature of things, and fully understand and embrace that. Accept that conditions are not ideal sometimes, and live with it (maybe even love it). Move forward anyway. That’s what the truly productive do — they’re set free by this realization.
An understanding of the flaws and nuisances in the world really shouldn’t slow us down. Nature isn’t slowed down by surprises or non-ideal conditions, it just keeps moving, day after day. Likewise, we can’t be delayed by waiting for perfection either — we have work to do!
“Anything worth doing, is worth doing badly.” GK Chesterton.
I like that!
At the beginning of the year, I heard a quote that has stuck with me: “This year, put yourself in position to make twice as many mistakes as before.”
Gotta take chances if you want to learn!