“There is no evil in things changing, just as there is no good in persisting in a new state.” - Marcus Aurelius
We are in a constant state of change. Yet we often resist these changes. We seek stability and the status quo. Often to our own detriment.
Instead of dreading change, or reveling in conformity, we should embrace things are they are and as they come. Events are objective, but our opinions are our own.
Make the most of every situation. In a world of constant change, you will find limitless opportunities.
“But I haven’t at any time been hindered in my will, nor forced against it. And how is this possible? I have bound up my choice to act with the will of God. God wills that I be sick, such is my will. He wills that I should choose something, so do I. He wills that I reach for something, or something be given to me—I wish for the same. What God doesn’t will, I do not wish for.” - Epictetus
We prepare, we plan, we hone our skills with practice, and yet somehow we still cannot fully control outcomes.
Whether by god or the result of the impossible complexity and interconnectedness of reality, no matter how much we try, we are not solely in control of our fate.
No one makes things happen alone. We rely on each other more than we’d like to admit. And ultimately many things are completely out of anyones control.
Bitcoin is an amalgamation of individual decisions, interdependencies, and randomness. It works not by our will but by rules independent of any one person’s ambition.
Do not distress when the world goes against your desire or intuition. If you expect only the present as it comes, you will not be disappointed.
“Don’t seek for everything to happen as you wish it would, but rather wish that everything happens as it actually will—then your life will flow well.” - Epictetus
No matter how much you wish, things won’t always work out the way you want them too. And often this is for the best.
We gain our best learnings from our failures, our misjudgments, and our challenges. You can only control your interpretation and response, the rest of the world will move as it will.
In Bitcoin we understand fiat volatility makes price unpredictable. We may want the price to go up or down, but in the end we cannot control it. Instead, enjoy the ride - be grateful for cheap Sats and rejoice during green candles.
Do not accept what happens, instead celebrate what happens.
“Aren’t you ashamed to reserve for yourself only the remnants of your life and to dedicate to wisdom only that time can’t be directed to business?” - Seneca
Our time is finite. Everyday we choose how to allocate our time and energy. We work, we chore, we do. But how much time do we dedicate to learning? To reading? To bettering ourselves?
Do not live only remnants of your life. There “is not enough time” is not an excuse, because we often finds ways to “fit in” new tasks delegated to us. Prioritize yourself and your well being.
Study is required to understand #Bitcoin and it’s implications. “Going down the rabbit hole” is a right of passage. Before you buy BTC, build your wisdom.
“Each person acquires their own character, but their official roles are designated by chance. You should invite some to your table because they are deserving, others because they may come to deserve it.” - Seneca
Your build character, and are born with privilege. Everyone can be a good person and be honest, trustworthy, hardworking, etc. no matter what their role or status is.
When deciding who to surround yourself with, whether at work, with friends, or online, look for people with good character. Do not rely on their title or association - these can be misleading.
Do not judge people by their outward appearance, but by the content of their character. Often those who would otherwise be overlooked are invaluable workers, friends, leaders, thinkers, people.
“The best and the greatest number of authors have asserted that philosophy consists of three parts: the moral, the natural, and the rational. The first puts the soul in order. The second thoroughly examines the natural order of things. The third inquires into the proper meaning of words, and their arrangements and proofs which keep falsehoods from creeping in to displace truth.” - Seneca
Morality is essential to who you are. Your core beliefs are more than words, mantras, or scriptures. They are who you are at your darkest moments. Build your moral core.
Nature is everything and everyone around you. You are influenced by the external, and driven to action by instincts as well as social pressures. Understand your natural place and instincts.
Rationality is the bridge between the internal and the external, morality and nature. Both your morals and nature will lie to you, use rationality to keep your truth.
Don’t trust, verify.
“What, then, makes a person free from hindrance and self-determining? For wealth doesn’t, neither does high-office, state or kingdom—rather, something else must be found . . . in the case of living, it is the knowledge of how to live.” - Epictetus
In the case of money, it is Bitcoin.
“Dig deep within yourself, for there is a fountain of goodness ever ready to flow if you will keep digging.” - Marcus Aurelius
Goodness is internal, not external.
Bitcoin has had a great rally, and yet so many of us do not feel good. It is easy to be filled with regret or anger or sadness at lost opportunity.
But, we control how we perceive and internalize everything in our lives. Every situation can become an opportunity for growth and a reason for celebration.
Do not wait for a good thing to happen to you. Instead, create your own goodness in your soul, in your thoughts, and through your actions.
By manifesting your own goodness, you can fill others with positivity and encouragement.
“People aren’t in awe of your sharp mind? So be it. But you have many other qualities you can’t claim to have been deprived of at birth. Display then those qualities in your own power: honesty, dignity, endurance, chastity, contentment, frugality, kindness, freedom, persistence,
avoiding gossip, and magnanimity.” - MARCUS AURELIUS, MEDITATIONS, 5.5
We often hear the phrase “tick-tock next block”. It represents Bitcoin’s unrelenting march forward in face of any headwind. But Bitcoin also has limitations which have necessitated code changes and development of layered solutions. There are some things that can’t change in Bitcoin, but other qualities can always be iterated and improved upon.
While it is important to embrace the aspects and traits that you are uniquely gifted with, often we need to put in the work to improve ourselves. So many aspects of being a good person are within our control, and we have the choice to grow ourselves with intention.
“So someone’s good at taking down an opponent, but that doesn’t make them more communityminded, or modest, or well-prepared for any circumstance, or more tolerant of the faults of
others.” - MARCUS AURELIUS, MEDITATIONS, 7.52
There is a lot to learn with Bitcoin, from private keys to mining to money to macro. Often diving into the rabbit hole leads us to learn about things we never thought about before and allows us to expand our minds and skill sets.
But the skills and knowledge we gain by studying Bitcoin do not necessarily make us better people.
Marcus Aurelius reminds us to strive towards self improvement by bettering the skills intrinsic to being a good person. In Bitcoin we can see this as putting in Proof of Work towards self betterment.
As the Bitcoin community grows, and adoption spreads, all kinds of people will join, often very different from ourselves. We must strive to improve skills of communication, modesty, acceptance of different worldviews, etc. and through this work, become better people.
Bitcoin can takedown any opponent, but growing its community and reach will ultimately depend on our abilities to grow with it.
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