You Are The Project

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 Welcome to another episode of Navigate the Day, where we explore different ways to improve ourselves and become the best version of ourselves. Today's episode is all about you. Yes, you are the project. Epictetus, the ancient Greek philosopher, said that the raw material for the work of an excellent person is their guiding reason. Just as a doctor uses the body and a farmer uses the farm, a good and excellent person uses their guiding reason as raw material.

So, have you made yourself a lifelong project? It's not an easy question to answer. For many of us, the idea of improving ourselves over a lifetime seems daunting and overwhelming. But that's precisely what makes it a lifelong project. It's not something that can be accomplished overnight or even in a year. It's an ongoing process that requires consistent effort and dedication.

It's natural to feel uncertain about what our guiding principles should be or whether we're making progress in the right direction. But as the old saying goes, practice doesn't make perfect, it makes better. Every small step we take towards self-improvement is a step in the right direction.

For me personally, I used to struggle with the idea of improving myself over the long term. I found it difficult to even imagine myself as a lifelong project. However, I've come to realize that thinking in the long term can be comforting because it means that I have time to learn and grow. It's a process, and I'm still figuring out what my guiding principles are and what I need to do to cultivate them.

Ultimately, the goal is to become someone excellent, someone who can navigate life in a more beneficial way over time. It takes time and effort to mold our guiding principles into something that is truly valuable and helps us to live a fulfilling life. But with each step we take, we become better versions of ourselves.

So, have you made yourself a lifelong project? Take some time to reflect on this question and think about what steps you can take today to improve yourself. Remember, you are the project, and with each small step, you're getting closer to becoming the best version of yourself. 

Thank you for listening and joining me on my journey of self-discovery!

Mediations and Prompts influenced from The Daily Stoic Books

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