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Regular readers may have noticed this newsletter missing last week. In short, the omission was the result of four cases of flu in my house, including a trip to the ER for me. It was a rough past few weeks. Writing, as well as everything else, naturally fell behind.
It’s these times when you’re just trying to get through the next day, or swallow another bite of Jello, that you realize what your top priorities really are. It made me think of Florence Nightingale – perhaps because any mom with young kids and the flu wishes for a superhero nurse to swoop in and take care of business, but more so because after Nightingale’s service in the Crimean War, she became chronically ill and mostly bedridden.
But despite these circumstances, beginning so early in her career, she still worked to fulfill her purpose. She spent decades with poor health, but still crunched army mortality data, developed and drew statistical plots, and planned professional nurse training regimens. She was not, however, traveling the country on speaking tours, hosting parties, or working in hospital wards.
She did amazing things, the most important things that she was able to, not everything.
Like Nightingale, Louisa May Alcott, author of Little Women, also developed chronic illness after working as a nurse for a short time during the American Civil War. She spent many days in bed and procrastinated writing her most famous novel for months on end. But when she did write it, it was a masterpiece.
Might Nightingale and Alcott have preferred to enjoy perfect health all their lives? Of course. But perhaps they, living in the 19th century (and not being actual superheroes), understood better than we do that unhelpful, even downright tragic, circumstances are usually not within our control.
To live is to be at risk.
But despite what happens, you still control you.
We must be cognizant of our circumstances and adjust accordingly. Perhaps that means being okay with denying yourself certain comforts to ensure you don’t spend beyond your means. Perhaps that means resting more to avoid aggravating a chronic illness.
But it also means we keep going. We do what we can, we keep making progress. We stay true to our highest priorities, including being a good human.
You might not reach all your goals, or in the timelines you set for yourself, but you can absolutely stay honest, trustworthy, and kind. You can absolutely pursue goodness and good work and find satisfaction in the honest effort.
And perhaps, even with hiccups along the way, that is enough.
In some areas of life, your reputation is defined by your wins.
- Creative pursuits. One bestseller or hit song can erase the memory of the ones that didn’t work.
- Entrepreneurship. People rarely remember your failed business ideas, only your winning ones.
In areas like these, your mistakes fade away and the breakthroughs last. But in other areas of life, your reputation is defined by your losses.
- Crime. You can drive safely 364 days a year, but one DUI changes everything.
- Ethics and morals. One unethical decision can ruin a reputation and destroy trust.
In areas like these, your mistakes linger and consistency is rewarded.
Some areas of life reward your best day. Others punish your worst day. Know which situation you’re in, and you can better decide when to be risky and when to play it safe.
James Clear
I hope you enjoyed this edition of Under 2, an email series designed to share quick bites of wisdom to empower your financial journey (while keeping it short). Be sure to sign-up below to get these messages in your inbox.
All for now,
Lindsey