Stoicism Sucks. Escape a life in transit.
#115 Angelinvesting.it - From idea to Series A - Weekly Newsletter
Dear reader
In the post-hangover morning from my hotel room in Seoul after a fun night at the karaoke, I surprisingly find myself more philosophical than ever. My thoughts wander to life's paradoxes. Somehow I find myself brave enough to share.
"Wake up at 5 AM, cold shower, 1 hour of gym. One hard-boiled egg and 3 hours of work before my competitors even wake up". To such BS 💩 you have definitely been exposed in some social media "guru". The modern stoicism is trendy, telling you that suffering is the only path to success.
For a certain period, I was a devoted disciple of this philosophy of performance, efficiency, and self-improvement. I highlighted their books, followed their routines, and measured my worth in productivity metrics.
I now see their emptiness. I see their lies. And still I don't regret having gone through. They were stepping stones across a river I needed to cross. At the end of this experience, I found the biggest fallacy that all these pseudo-gurus perpetuate:
The idea that you must endure unhappiness now to achieve happiness later. That the present (A) is something to be rejected, repudiated on the altar of some idealized future (B).
Too many people, I've come to understand, live in transit. Always becoming, never being. They postpone their joy, waiting for that promotion, that body, that relationship. They turn life into a perpetual waiting room.
In life, however, I've discovered something liberating: you can chase B while fully enjoying A. The journey isn't separate from the destination; they're intertwined. You can pursue ambitious goals while savoring exactly where you are right now.
That morning run isn't just preparation for some future, idealized version of yourself - it can be a moment of presence, of appreciation for your body's capabilities today. The late night working on your side project isn't just a sacrifice for future rewards - it can be an expression of passion in the present moment.
Life exists at the intersection between "I want more" and "I already have all I need." It's not about choosing one or resolving this tension, but embracing both simultaneously. Improvement doesn't require self-rejection, and self-acceptance doesn't mean stagnation.
You can love yourself exactly as you are while working to become something more. You can enjoy the process of becoming without postponing your happiness. You can chase B while savoring A - they aren't mutually exclusive, but beautifully complementary.
Have a great weekend,
Simone