The Cycle of Growth and Stoic Philosophy

Howdy friends! 👋🏻We're in issue 8 of this newsletter 

I'm still exploring quite a bit (experimentation in the past issues) so you have my deepest appreciation for hopping aboard this train so early on in the journey. 

If you have any suggestions, advice, or just want to say hello, just hit reply to this email. I read all my replies. Hope you enjoy this issue of I.D.E.A.'s!💙💙💙,PJ

INTERESTING

This image made it to the Interesting slot because it's the first image I posted where I received a ton of feedback on the analogy itself (which I love actually because it forces me to improve my thinking and iterate the drawing).

For me, the key idea is when you're working on something alone, the low-hanging fruit is the easiest to grab. 

But if you want a sweeter reward, getting there in a team is easier, even if the fruit (🥁) of that labor may need to be shared.

Honestly though...working together with a community toward a goal is more fun and better for the spirit.

I imagine the characters in this picture cracking up as they try not to topple over one another. 😂

Artist's Note: Iteration for Clarity• Include all three of the characters grabbing low-hanging fruit with three golden apples at the top. • When they're grabbing the fruit on the right, "Bluey" will have a basket full of 2 golden apples as he holds the third. 

DRAWING

You'll often hear brilliant ideas from books, conversations or courses you should apply immediately in your life, but rarely do. 

Why is that?

Unfortunately, it takes time to get to the "aha moment." What leads to change is not the discovery of an insight, but how long and how deeply you engage with it.  

Artist Note: Trying to figure out how to draw melting ice took me far longer than I'd like to admit. 😅 This idea initially came to me as an 'icebreaker' metaphor, but evolved to this.

ENCHANTING 

99% of people who embrace a growth mindset fall into the trap thinking there's a singular moment when they'll be...well...fully grown (AKA good at the thing).

But this is a mistake. 

Growth is a cycle, not a destination.

You're playing an infinite game. Enjoy the swim.

Artist's Note: I saw this weird looking circle in one of my kid's children's books. It got me thinking about this birds eye shot of an ocean with this image of a guy swimming around and around, lap by lap, hour by hour, with no goal but to keep swimming. If I drew this in my 20s, I'd probably draw the guy swimming the whole cycle through. But being in my 40s now, I see the value of rest and how it contributes to a more solid lasting foundation of growth.

ANALOGY

Inspired by one of my favorite ideas of Stoicism illustrated most eloquently in this line:

How you perceive the obstacles in your life defines your path forward.

The obstacle isn't a bug. It's the feature.

Artist's Note: This idea came to me when I was looking at my staircase. When I looked straight at them, the tiling made it look as if one stair blended into the next! It got me thinking...this is actually quite dangerous...😅 

Thanks for Reading! 💙

If something in this email resonated with you, or you found the insights in here helpful, please consider sharing this issue with your audience by clicking on one of the icons at the top of this email.

Until next time! Stay Curious! 👋🏻-PJ Milani