Modern-day people work hard. They have to meet deadlines. They have to deal with pressure. They have to deal with crazy demands, to meet insane requirements, to deliver crazy delivarables. How can someone cope with all these without having to go to the psychiatrist?

Well, philosophy is always a much better medicine than anything else. Just think from a different perspective: You do not want to fail, that is why you are so anxious. You want to succeed in your goals. But what will happen if you succeed? Will you earn more recognition? So what? If the recognition by yourself is not enough, then even the recognition of one billion people won’t do. Would your success earn you more money? Well, if that solves your problems, then you are no more human than a… rock. And at the end it would not be nihillistic but rather realistic to state the obvious: you ARE going to die some day. And even though I have stressed more than once the importance of remembering this simple fact every day, in this case I have to say it once more. Failure is not “bad” in the same way death is not “bad”. Life is life. And life is not just “being able to meet the deadline or else I will be dead”! Everything that does not kill you makes you stronger. But… wait a minute! I just remembered one thing! We WILL die after all! 🙂

The word “work” is called “δουλειά” in Greek, the mother of all languages. And “δουλειά” is derrived from “δουλεία” (only difference the tone in a different letter), which means “slavery”. Who want to be a good slave?

 

Close your eyes. Imagine yourself one minute before dying, surrounded by the people you love. Honestly think for yourself: at this precious moment, would you really think of what makes you now anxious and stressed, as one of the most important things in your life? Most probable not.

Take a step back. Look things from a different perspective.