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August 4th

NO BLAME, JUST FOCUS

“You must stop blaming God, and not blame any person. You must

completely control your desire and shift your avoidance to what

lies within your reasoned choice. You must no longer feel anger,

resentment, envy, or regret.”

—EPICTETUS, DISCOURSES, 3.22.13

elson Mandela was imprisoned for resistance to the brutal apartheid
regime in South Africa for twenty-seven years. For eighteen of those
years, he had a bucket for a toilet, a hard cot in a small cell, and once a year
he was allowed a single visitor—for thirty minutes. It was vicious treatment
meant to isolate and break down the prisoners. And yet, in spite of that,
Mandela became a figure of dignity within the prison.
Though he was deprived of many things, he still found creative ways to
assert his will. As one of his fellow prisoners, Neville Alexander, explained
on Frontline, “He [Mandela] always made the point, if they say you must
run, insist on walking. If they say you must walk fast, insist on walking
slowly. That was the whole point. We are going to set the terms.” He
pretended to jump rope and shadowboxed to stay in shape. He held his head
higher than other prisoners, encouraged them when times got tough, and
always retained his sense of self-assurance.
That self-assurance is yours to claim as well. No matter what happens
today, no matter where you find yourself, shift to what lies within your
reasoned choices. Ignore, as best you can, the emotions that pop up, which
would be so easy to distract yourself with. Don’t get emotional—get
focused.