Fortitude Fridays #51

read time: 5 mins

A few ideas as you head into the weekend.

Today at a Glance:

• Quote: Important Questions.
• Question: Contradictory Thoughts.
• Podcast: All the Hacks with Sahil Bloom.
• Framework: Life's Paradoxes.

---

 

Quote to Ponder:

The most important questions in life can never be answered by anyone except oneself.

- John Fowles (English novelist)

​Recognize that the answers and understanding of your existence and purpose lie within.

Make sure you are asking the right questions.

 

---

 

Question to Ask Yourself:

How do I navigate situations where two seemingly contradictory ideas or beliefs coexist in my mind, and how does this influence my decision-making or perspectives?

​

In the information age, where polarizing beliefs echo in every corner, this question is pretty interesting. Understanding how conflicting thoughts affect our decision-making gives us insight into our thinking, values, and potential for personal growth. It highlights the importance of being aware of ourselves and being adaptable to resolve inner conflicts, leading to a more coherent worldview.

Handling internal conflicts arising from conflicting ideas isn't easy. It involves recognizing and exploring their roots, checking their validity, finding common ground or compromises, and sticking to our core values. By staying mentally flexible, being open to changing perspectives, having diverse conversations, and practicing mindfulness, we can deal with these conflicts in a more balanced way.

Accepting that our beliefs can change over time helps us become more self-aware and adaptable. This mindset equips us with the tools to face internal conflicts with resilience and insight. Remember to be kind to yourself, giving room for your thoughts and feelings. There might not always be a clear answer, but you can make the best decision based on the information you have at that moment, shaping a path of growth and understanding.

My Answer: In my nursing experience, especially with incarcerated patients, I faced the challenge of separating my emotions from my professional duties. Despite the difficulty of having knowledge of their crimes, my oath as a nurse required me to provide care. While emotionally taxing, I learned to navigate this by compartmentalizing my role and prioritizing professional responsibilities. Recognizing the need for a certain level of detachment, I focused on fulfilling my duties, and prioritizing care over personal feelings. While it never became easy, this mindset allowed me to maintain a dedication to professionalism, even in challenging circumstances. 

 

---

 

Podcast to Check Out:

​All The Hacks: Episode #153 The Most Powerful Paradoxes of Life with Sahil Bloom​

Chris Hutchins is on a transformative journey to optimize every aspect of his life while keeping costs minimal. In his quest, he created a podcast to engage in insightful conversations with some of the world's brightest minds, exploring their innovative ideas and hacks with his audience.

In this episode, investor and entrepreneur Sahil Bloom makes a return to discuss the profound impact of harnessing powerful paradoxes. These seemingly contradictory or complex concepts, when understood and applied, can pave the way for a more optimized and fulfilling life.

Worth a listen.

 

---

 

Framework to Consider: Life's Paradoxes

Admittedly, I'm drawn to paradoxes—blame it on my dual Gemini nature and affinity for Stoicism.

Paradoxes, defined as statements or situations that appear self-contradictory or defy common intuition, challenge conventional thinking. They encourage problem-solving skills, cognitive flexibility, inspire creativity and push us beyond boundaries to discover unconventional solutions. Navigating paradoxes prepares us for uncertainties, cultivating resilience and adaptability.

This exploration shapes our mindset, emphasizing continuous learning and humility in understanding the incomplete nature of our knowledge. Paradoxes spark curiosity, making learning interesting. Ultimately, the challenge posed by paradoxes develops a mindset adept at problem-solving, critical thinking, and open to ongoing growth.

Here, I've selected ten paradoxes that I felt particularly resonate when considering mindset and resilience:

The Paradox of Failure: The more you fail, the more likely you are to succeed. Edison tried over 10,000 prototypes before getting the lightbulb right. Michael Jordan got cut from his high school team. J.K. Rowling was rejected by multiple publishers before securing a book deal for Harry Potter. Achieving success results from continuous improvement, and this improvement stems from experiencing setbacks. Achieving success doesn't come with hacks or shortcuts; instead, it involves failing smartly and swiftly. Most importantly, never repeat the same failure twice.

The Paradox of Wisdom: The more you learn, the more you realize how little you know. Socrates and Albert Einstein have famous quotes about it. Every time you gain a greater understanding, it creates even more questions than it answers. Embrace your ignorance and the path of life-long learning, there is always something new to learn.

The Paradox of Social Media: The more connected we get, the more isolated we feel. Despite being more connected through technology than ever, research finds an increase in loneliness and depression in the developed world over the past few decades. While social media and FaceTime have their merits, there's unmatched value in planning to spend time with your family or friends in person. The positive impact on your well-being might surprise you, extending far beyond what you can initially imagine. Make those plans – the benefits go beyond the screen.

The Paradox of Persuasion: The more you try to argue with someone, the less likely you are to convince them of your perspective. This phenomenon is rooted in the emotional nature of most arguments, typically arising when someone's values or self-perceptions feel compromised. Logic, in such instances, serves mainly to affirm these pre-existing beliefs and values, rather than to pursue an actual objective or logical truth. Argue less, listen more. Genuine debate necessitates both parties genuinely setting aside their egos and focusing solely on the data. Anyone who has scrolled through social media comments can witness this paradox in action.

The Paradox of Choice: The more choices you have, the less satisfied you are with each one. This classic suggests that when confronted with a multitude of options, our satisfaction diminishes with the choice we ultimately make. Research indicates that the abundance of options leads to higher opportunity costs for each selection, resulting in decreased contentment with our decisions. Any parent with a young child can experience this paradox multiple times a day, snacks, cup color, shoes, toys...etc. Reduce your choices to increase your satisfaction.

The Paradox of Certainty: The only certainty is that nothing is ever certain. This is one of those heavy hitters that can empower or break you. Viewing uncertainty as a means to develop strength in adaptability, creativity, and resilience, can create a mindset that sees uncertainty as an opportunity for growth rather than a source of anxiety. It's all about going with the flow and seeing life's uncertainties as a chance to explore and grow – turning the constant changes into opportunities for development.

The Paradox of Speed: You have to slow down to speed up. There is a Navy SEALs motto, Slow is smooth, smooth is fast. The saying emphasizes the importance of executing tasks deliberately and smoothly, even if at a slower pace, to ensure precision and minimize errors. By maintaining a smooth and controlled approach, individuals can perform tasks more efficiently and ultimately achieve their objectives more rapidly. Slow down and be deliberate, you will be faster in the long game.

The Paradox of Fear: The more something scares you, the more you should probably do it. When we avoid fear we limit our progress. The individuals who have achieved the greatest success in the world share a common practice of confronting the things that terrify them head-on. So make that cold call, start that business, talk to the attractive barista, take the risk. Cultivate a habit of embracing activities that push you out of your comfort zone – the more discomfort, the greater the opportunity for growth.

The Paradox of Productivity: When you have established hours for getting work done, you work longer but accomplish less. Parkinson's Law states, "Work expands to fill the time available for its completion." The law suggests that if you give a task a certain amount of time, it will take that full amount of time to be completed, regardless of the actual complexity or importance of the task. We get distracted easily. So get your Pomodoro timer ready- work in short bursts, rest, repeat.

The Paradox of Death: The more afraid you are of death, the less you’ll be able to enjoy life. The Stoics utilized Memento Mori as a means to highlight the inevitability of death. Rather than having a morbid intent, its purpose is to provide insight, enlightenment, and motivation. Embracing the finite nature of our time on earth enables us to recognize and value its precious nature.

Bringing it Home:

Diving into paradoxes is like flexing your mental muscles – it's all about rolling with setbacks, staying curious, and being cool with life's uncertainties. They push us to grow, adapt, and keep things interesting. So, next time life throws a curveball, remember, it's just another chance to level up your mindset and embrace the journey.

---

Thanks for reading! I hope you have an incredible weekend. Until next week...

You got this,