Deliberation, Preparation, & Influence
Wednesday Wisdoms for March 12, 2025
Mind Candy is a newsletter on practical philosophy and human flourishment—aka how to live “the good life.” Each month we tackle a new theme.
This month we’re exploring the theme of adversity.
Welcome to Wednesday Wisdom, our 3x3 Newsletter where I distill worldly advice for better living with 3 quotes, 3 observations, and 3 questions.
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Deliberation
🤨 Quote
“Venerate your faculty of judgement. For it depends entirely on this that there should never arise in your governing part any judgement that fails to accord with Nature or with the constitution of a rational being.”
Marcus Aurelius
Source: Meditations 3.9
Observation 🧐
We will all face moments that require deliberation before action.
Perhaps we’re needing to have a tough conversation with a significant other. Or we are planning a path forward at work when at a crossroads.
One thing that doesn’t help is rash decisions.
But we feel the pressure to respond we say to ourselves—the urgency of the situation calls for it.
These pressures are natural because there is weight to the situations. We’ve got skin in the game.
But just acting for actions sake dooms us to failure, both in the situation and in our ability to grow from the moment. Proper judgment means knowing when and how to make decisions.
As Abraham Lincoln was trying to bring an end to the Civil War, he was deliberate in his decisions, but was slow on them. This frustrated many around him who demanded swift action.
But Lincoln wouldn’t budge, knowing the weight the decisions would have.
“I am a slow walker,” he would say, “but I never walk back.”
Proper decisions require proper judgments of situations.
Take your time and make the most of them.
🤔 Question
How do you handle situations that require quick action but deep knowledge on how to respond? How do you account for all the variables?
Preparation
🤨 Quote
“You say: ‘I did not think it would happen.’ Do you think there is anything that will not happen, when you know that it is possible to happen, when you see that it has already happened?”
Seneca
Source
Observation 🧐
One of the best things one can do when setting out on any quest, whether it be a new project, a vacation, or even a new job, is to perform a pre-mortem.
A pre-mortem is an accounting of everything that could go wrong. Think of it like a post-mortem, but you do it before you even begin.
The benefit is, hopefully, that you think through and see all the obstacles that can cause a failure in your quest.
Analyze the obstacles
Understand where they come from
Figure out how to prevent them before they occur
“Nothing ought to be unexpected by us,” wrote Seneca. “Our minds should be sent forward in advance to meet all the problems, and we should consider not what is wont to happen, but what can happen.”
When we plan ahead, when we spend time reflecting on our future, we not only start to pinpoint areas that could lead to trouble, we also start building a smoother path for ourselves.
🤔 Question
What is one question you ask yourself in reflection that assists in planning for the future? If you don’t have one, what is a question you should be asking yourself to better position you for the future?
Beneath the paywall this week we explore the wisdom of Brian Little. Click below to support and get access.