the wrestling match

Living an extraordinary life is a constant wrestling match.

To paraphrase Marcus Aurelius, the art of living is akin to wrestling because an artful life requires being prepared to meet and withstand sudden and unexpected attacks.

Like a wrestler, we are not only fighting life, our opponent, but we are also having a constant battle with our own emotions and limitations. In order to put up a good fight, we need to overcome our setbacks, vices and inner demons. Encountering adversities and dealing with unexpected blows are part of wrestling, and the same applies for life.

We need to prepare ourselves in advance by undergoing rigorous training and building the muscle of our will and fortitude. As the Spartan Warriors Creed maxim goes: “He who sweats more in training bleeds less in war.”

We need to constantly be in great shape and work on our agility and vitality. We can’t afford to slack off, otherwise we’ll get defeated sooner or later. By consistent self-education and honing in on the tenets of philosophy, we can prepare ourselves to face anything life throws at us.

We need to sharpen ourselves day by day against the anvil of learning and taking actions that align with philosophy. Physical, mental and spiritual strength will serve us well when we get a punch out of the blue.