- The Daily Rocket
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- Calm Amid the Storm
Observe constantly that all things take place by change,
and accustom thyself to consider
that the nature of the Universe
loves nothing so much
as to change the things which are,
and to make new things like them.
The faster the pace of change, the faster we ourselves must accelerate in order to maintain a familiar sense of calm. In the next few years, the compounding impact of our technological progress will not only introduce a hurtling sense of speed, but also a tremendous groundswell of nostalgia as we collectively, and individually try to halt the rate of change.
Of course no amount of nostalgia can turn back time. The new new is rushing in now, and like surfers gathered for the swell, we must learn to watch and wait, ready to launch ourselves into the surf.
Fortunately, we are never too old to learn how to surf… According to the Greek sophist Philostratus, Lucius, who had just come to Rome, asked the Marcus Aurelius, whom he met on his way, where he was going to and on what errand, and Marcus answered,
“it is good even for an old man to learn; I am now on my way to Sextus the philosopher to learn what I do not yet know.”
And Lucius, raising his hand to heaven, said, “O Zeus, the king of the Romans in his old age takes up his tablets and goes to school.”
So as we enroll willingly - or unwillingly - into this swirling School of Change, what can we expect? Here are the three most common mistakes that surfers make when confronting the waves of change.
A common mistake is surfers spending way too much time analyzing oncoming waves of change while sitting on their surfboards. The quicker your reaction and response time to change, the better and sooner you can position yourself. There’s no time to be wasted!
Surfers not consistently adjusting their paddling lines toward the change, according to what the wave of change is doing, is another common mistake we see happen frequently. Every wave of change is different, so identifying the peak (specifically on a shifty beach break) requires a proactive approach, adjusting your paddle strokes to match what the wave of change is doing.
Lastly, decision-making. Save your energy and have selective wave choice. A common mistake is paddling for a wave of change that may be closing out or paddling too hard too soon. Be sure to identify the change on the horizon first and choose wisely.
The Universe is not only full of change, it seems to take immense delight in sending wave upon wave of change to all things. As Marcus Aurelius showed, learning to share in this delight for change is the starting point of wisdom. What else is there to do but get out there and dive in!
Pretty soon you're gonna get a little older
Time may change me
But I can't trace time
I said that time may change me
But I can't trace time
-Ziggy Stardust