June 8, 2022 –
“The essence of genius is knowing what to overlook.” -William James
All people have problems, some their own and some that they get roped into. The art of being wise is the art of knowing what problems to hang onto and the problems to overlook and let go of.
Accept that problems are obstacles placed in your way to help you develop strength and growth. Problems are often opportunities in disguise. Socrates wisely said, “If all our misfortunes were laid in one common heap whence everyone must take an equal portion, most people would be contented to take their own and depart.”
Many of those who get emotionally involved in other people’s problems sometimes end up overlooking their difficulties. The longer you engage in attempting to solve the problems of others, the less time available to solve your own.
What you do is important, but so is what you don’t do. Work on solving your problems. Never get so involved in the problems of others that you forget to solve your problems. Your goal is to deal with factors you can control.
The phrase, “Not my circus, not my monkeys” has described the problems of others. Not everyone can be a genius, but most can be wiser by not getting drawn into someone else’s troubles