How To Conquer The Obstacle You Face

Perhaps it’s a big report that must be written. Or maybe it’s a rush of financial setbacks that have to be sorted through. Maybe it’s a boss or a client who just doesn’t seem to be warming to everything that you do for them.

How can this be solved? What’s the solution to this obstacle?

Let us remember the family motto—indeed the lived truth—of the polar explorer Ernest Shackleton: fortitudine vincimus. By endurance we conquer.

A Stoic doesn’t get discouraged. A Stoic doesn’t quit! No. They stick to it. They push through. As Marcus says, if it’s humanly possible, they do it. Where everyone else would be tempted to call it in, to walk away, a Stoic is strong enough, has disciplined those feelings of fear, self-pity, and blame to such a degree that they can make it through just about anything. They wear obstacles down. They conquer with sheer persistence and strength.

As Marcus Aurelius said, we assemble our lives action by action. That’s also how you’ll solve whatever obstacle is in front of you today. It’s how you’ll write that report, charm that boss, and get back on sound financial ground. One foot in front of the other. Never slacking.

Fortitudine vincimus.