“But what is philosophy? Doesn't it simply mean preparing ourselves for what may come? Don't you understand that really amounts to saying that if I would so prepare myself to endure, then let anything happen that will? Otherwise, it would be like the boxer exiting the ring because he took some punches. Actually, you can leave the boxing ring without consequence, but what advantage would come from abandoning the pursuit of wisdom? So, what should each of us say to every trial we face? This is what I've trained for, for this my discipline!”
- Epictetus, Discourses, 3.10.6-7
May 21, 2021 7:00 AM
Learning alone is not sufficient. We need to implement our knowledge and join the fray to put our expertise to the test. If we avoid participating, we can not test our understanding.
Conclusion
"Great achievements and great love involve great risk." We can mitigate the risk by practicing our craft. While we can not eliminate the risk, we will never achieve greatness if we do nothing at all.