Turn your obstacle into an advantage

 Just as the nature of rational things has given to each person their rational powers, so it also gives us this power -- just as nature turns to its own purpose any obstacle or any opposition, sets its place in the destined order, and co-opts it, so every rational person can convert any obstacle into the raw material for their own purpose.

-- Marcus Aurelius, Meditations, 8.35

What things do you think have been holding you back that, in fact, can be a hidden source of strength?

* Source: The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman    

Be consistent in virtue

This can be swiftly taught in very few words: virtue is the only good; there is no certain good without virtue; and virtue resides in our nobler part, which is the rational one. And what can this virtue be? True and steadfast judgment. For from this will arise every mental impulse, and by it every appearance that spurs our impulses will be rendered clear.

-- Seneca, Moral Letters, 71.32

* Source: The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman   

Blow your own nose, get active in your own rescue

We cry to God Almighty, how can we escape this agony? Fool, don't you have hands? Or could it be God forgot to give you a pair? Sit and pray your nose doesn't run! Or, rather just wipe your nose and stop seeking a scapegoat.

-- Epictetus, Discourses, 2.16.13

The world is unfair. The game is rigged. So-and-so has it out for you. Maybe these theories are true, but practically speaking -- for the right here and now -- what good are they to you? That government report or that sympathetic news article isn't going to pay the bills or rehab your broken leg or find that bridge loan you need. Succumbing to self-pity and "woe is me" narrative accomplishes nothing -- nothing except sapping you of the energy and motivation you need to do something about your problem.

We have a choice: Do we focus on the ways we have been wronged, or do we use what we've been given and get to work? Will we wait for someone to save us, or will we listen to Marcus Aurelius's empowering call to "get active in your own rescue -- if you care for yourself at all -- and do it while you can." That's better than just blowing your own nose (which is a step forward in itself).

* Source: The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman   

 

My Amazon/AWS Work of Leaders Profile

The last time I had a detailed psychometric assessment done was in 2015 as I was stepping up to executive management (C-Suite) roles, the Enneagram report, seven years ago.

It's now 2022 and I'm working at Amazon Web Services in a leadership position where the focus is on scaling myself, my team and my business. As part this journey of leading to scale, I completed a new kind of psychometric based on the DiscProfile focused on the "Work of Leaders". 

This Work of Leaders psychometric is different because unlike other DiSC reports, which emphasize understanding the differences between people (like the Enneagram model), Work of Leaders focuses on understanding how your tendencies influence your effectiveness in specific leadership situations.

Here's is decent walkthrough of the assessment:

My Assessment Results

My dot style is Di

My shading style includes Pioneering, Commanding, Energizing and Affirming (which isn't characteristic of the Di style(!)\

My Reflections on my Disc Report as shared with my Manager

Control and Choice

The chief task in life is simply this: to identify and separate matters so that I can say clearly to myself which are externals not under my control, and which have to do with the choices I actually control. Where then do I look for good and evil? Not to uncontrollable externals, but within myself to the choices that are my own...

-- Epictetus, Discourses, 2.4.4-5

* Source: The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman