【每日斯多葛】9月22日

September 22nd

NO PAIN, NO GAIN

“Difficulties show a person’s character. So when a challenge confronts you, remember that God is matching you with a younger sparring partner, as would a physical trainer. Why? Becoming an Olympian takes sweat! I think no one has a better challenge than yours, if only you would use it like an athlete would that younger sparring partner.”

—EPICTETUS, DISCOURSES, 1.24.1–2

The Stoics loved to use metaphors from the Olympics, especially wrestling. Like us, they saw sports as both a fun pastime as well as a training ground to practice for the challenges one will inevitably face in the course of living. As General Douglas MacArthur once said, in words later engraved at the gymnasium at West Point:

UPON THE FIELDS OF FRIENDLY STRIFE

ARE SOWN THE SEEDS

THAT, UPON OTHER FIELDS, ON OTHER DAYS

WILL BEAR THE FRUITS OF VICTORY.

Everyone has found themselves outmatched by an opponent, frustrated by some skill or attribute they have that we don’t—height, speed, vision, whatever. How we choose to respond to that struggle tells us about who we are as athletes and who we’ll be as people. Do we see it as a chance to learn and get stronger? Do we get frustrated and complain? Or worse, do we call it off and find an easier game to play, one that makes us feel good instead of challenged?

The greats don’t avoid these tests of their abilities. They seek them out because they are not just the measure of greatness, they are the pathway to it.

9月22日

没有痛苦，就没有收获

“困难能够显现一个人的品格。所以，当挑战出现在你面前时，要记住：上帝正像一位体能教练那样，给你安排了一个更年轻的陪练。为什么？想成为奥林匹克选手，就必须流汗！我认为，没有什么挑战比你眼前的这个更适合你——只要你像运动员利用那个年轻陪练一样去利用它。”

——爱比克泰德，《论说集》，1.24.1–2

斯多葛主义者非常喜欢借用奥林匹克运动的比喻，尤其是摔跤。和我们一样，他们既把体育视为一种有趣的消遣，也把它看作一块训练场，让人在这里为人生中不可避免会遇到的挑战进行练习。正如道格拉斯·麦克阿瑟将军曾经说过的那样，后来这几句话还被刻在西点军校的体育馆中：

在友好竞争的赛场上

播下的种子，

终将在其他赛场、其他日子里

结出胜利的果实。

每个人都曾遇到过实力胜过自己的对手，也都曾因为对方拥有而自己缺少的某种技能或条件而感到沮丧——身高、速度、视野，或者任何其他东西。我们如何选择回应这种挣扎，会告诉我们：作为运动员，我们是什么样的人；作为一个人，我们将成为什么样的人。我们会把它看成学习和变强的机会吗？我们会感到挫败并抱怨吗？或者更糟，我们会干脆退出，去找一项更容易的游戏，让自己感觉良好，而不是接受挑战吗？

真正的强者不会逃避这些对能力的考验。他们会主动寻找这些考验，因为它们不仅是衡量伟大的尺度，也是通往伟大的道路。