“The starting point of philosophy . . . is an awareness of one’s own weakness and impotence in matters of essential importance.” – Epictetus, Discourses
Epictetus was a Stoic philosopher, born in the first century AD, but his words still ring true today. His words here are simple. Relevant. Timeless. That’s where I think philosophy begins. It isn’t about big words and grandiose ideas. It starts with a humble acknowledgement that we simply don’t know, but we want to.
Imperfection isn’t really a flaw. It is a door into experience. It isn’t something to be feared. It isn’t a sign of weakness. Imperfection shows that there is room to grow. To some extent, it is all about how we frame it. When we embrace our imperfection and our vulnerability, it gives us the ability to go through this messy, unpredictable journey of life with our eyes open to new ways to improve.
As Epictetus suggests, humility is a cornerstone of true wisdom. This doesn’t mean some sort of false modesty or self-deprecation. It is more about embracing the absurdity of our existence. Learning to laugh at ourselves and our idiosyncrasies, knowing that we are all just bumbling through life together. None of us have it figured out, and that’s not only okay. It is pretty awesome.
True strength is not about being invulnerable. It is the exact opposite. The inability to be vulnerable is more a sign of weakness. We don’t need to put on a brave face or pretend we have it all together. Everybody around us knows it isn’t true, because nobody has it all together. When we own our vulnerabilities, we can use them as a source of power and resilience. We can find the humor in our struggles, knowing that vulnerability is a wellspring of human connection and growth.
Embrace your imperfections. Celebrate your vulnerabilities. Find humor in the absurdity of it all. Being aware of our own weakness is the starting point to great things. Until we understand and accept our weaknesses, we can’t begin to build our strengths.
