All That You Can Hold

Feb 24

“One arrives at the whole by studying the parts. Absorb not all that you wish but all that you can hold.” — Seneca, Letter 108

This writing is Certified Human

The Obstacle

Something has come before us.

We are eager to learn
We seek knowledge
Skills
Understanding.

A new endeavor
The pursuit of a dream
A medical condition
Hobby
Emergency
A change in life.

We are anxious to
Take it all in
Know everything
To be an expert.

Instead there is confusion
Frustration
Fear
Overwhelm
A sense there is not enough time.

What we need
We need now.

We search for the
Magic pill
Miraculous solution
The way.

Instead with each discovery
We find more questions
More options
More overwhelm
Paralyzed.

Nothing complex
Comes with immediacy.

This is no different.

The whole elephant
Is eaten bite by bite.

A language is learned
Through years of immersion.

Skills are honed
Through tedious repetition.

Just as the muskie is known as
The fish of ten thousand casts
So is the endeavor we face.

There are no shortcuts.

If it is a skill we want
We learn by doing.

If it is a dream we have
We accomplish it
One step at a time.

If it is an emergency
We act with immediacy
Doing the best we can
With what we have.

If it is medical we
Research
Find experts
Varied opinions.

What we dream of
We work into reality.

We should struggle
Toil
Learn
Do.

In all else
That we are unwilling or unable
We rely on those we trust
And those who have dedicated their lives
To that which we now seek.

The more we learn
The larger the container becomes
The more we are able to hold.

Anticipate holding very little at first
Grow your container by doing
Repetition beats out intensity
If there is no time, seek experts
CHEAT CODE: ANTICIPATE OVERWHELM → LEARN BY DOING → EXPAND → REPEAT