[This is a continuing series of 100 Daily Aphorisms that I started writing on August 21, 2021].

There really are two kinds of people! One kind wrings their hands and frets about everything that might not be perfectly safe and happy, peering out at the threatening world through their blinds. The other kind sees the world as a big playroom, filled with opportunities to have adventures. For this second type of person, there are two kinds of adventures: either you try something and it is exciting/fun/inspiring or you try something and you fail, which is a learning experience, a foundation for future happy adventures.

What is the world for you, an ominous place or a cheerful playroom?

We are all looking at the same physical world, but we are seeing that world through two different lenses. To explore the world in a joyful way, it will takes a lot of work. It will take a lot of Vitamin Y, uttering “Yes” to get started. It will take grit, the willingness to get back up if knocked down. You’ll also need to understand antifragility: you will thrive in a world because it is filled with stressors, shocks, volatility, noise, mistakes, faults, attacks, or failures. Do you understand Nietzsche’s point that what doesn’t destroy you often makes you stronger?

If you are afraid to go out into the world as a joyful adventurer, my prescription for you is to go look in the mirror, think about your limited hours on the planet, and ask yourself how they will write your epitaph. Imagine that it reads: “Here lies _____ ______ , who was afraid to leave the house.” That epitaph should scare you far more than the world.