Adversity, Seneca, & Why Today's Performance Matters For Tomorrow's Crisis

Embrace adversity. Stay out of ruts and graves.

No man is more unhappy than he who never faces adversity. For he is not permitted to prove himself.

Seneca

Much has been said, and written, about the perils of comfort. Comfort zones that turns into ruts, which turns into graves over time. There are common factors which contribute to a person’s decline both in confidence and capability. Comfort zones often boil down to a numbness cultivated by defeatist mindsets that echo “Now is ok, no need to change anything.”, “You’ve done enough.“, “What does it matter, just chill.”, “What does commitment and focused effort get you?”, all topped off with “You’ve earned a rest. Go watch tv.”

Being in that rut holds us back from performing when we most need to - in times of adversity. Staying in our comfort zones or waiting for other people to tackle problems denies people opportunities to prove they can do meaningful and necessary tasks. And that rut becoming a grave can become a very unwelcome reality.