Not today

How to keep focus when things around you are crumbling down

The last couple of months have been turbulent for me. The state of Israel is in conflict about legal reform, people are stressed and anxious about the end of democracy. People around me are planning on sending money outside of Israel and building plan B to immigrate away.

The company I co-founded is also in a rough patch, as a startup that got founded in the bull market of 2021, going over to 2022 and 2023 bear market has been a hard ride.

Hardship creates anxiety. It is hard to keep people motivated and focused. They need to be on top of their game to win. It is hard to imagine explosive growth amid a worldwide recession while democracy is crumbling around you.

For this I turn to inspirational stories, they inspire me and keep me on target.

What to say to death?

One of my favorite characters is Arya Stark. She is the toughest most inspiring badass around.

I believe that this short 2-minute clip is just right for this moment in time, and I'll explain why below:

Arya doesn’t want to practice, she is worried about her father. The brilliant dancing instructor drops some wisdom on her:

1. “Trouble is the perfect time for training”

   ”If you are with your troubles when fighting happens, more trouble for you”

   My interpretation:

   If you come to do a difficult job and you are already anxious, it will bring more anxiety to you.

2. “How can you be quick as a snake or as quiet as a shadow when you are somewhere else?”

   My interpretation:

   It is hard to perform when you are not present.
   Being successful in a demanding role is hard enough when things are going well outside work. It is harder when anxiety is high.

   Next, the master explains how to handle trouble.

3. “You are fearing for your father”

   My interpretation:

   First, acknowledge the emotion, it is present.

   People are stressed and it isn’t always easy to notice it.

   Acknowledging and naming emotions is valuable, it normalizes them and permits them to exist.

4. Syrio Florel: “Do you pray to the gods?”

   Arya Stark: “The old and the new.”
   My interpretation:

   When things are out of your control, prayer can help. It can be like sharing troubles with a higher power.

   Prayer is helpful to achieve peace of mind and release things you can not change.
   Prayer doesn’t have to be religious, doing something to share your pain can help. Going out to protest for democracy is as good as praying in that sense.

   It is obvious that praying to the gods, old and new, didn’t help Arya. She is not present.

   The master has one more important teaching.

5. “There is only one god and his name is Death, and there is only one thing we say to Death: "Not today".”
   My interpretation:

   There is one thing to fear - it is death, the end of all things.

   There is no stopping death, it will claim us all.

   There is only one thing we can do. Focus on the moment and say “Not Today”.

   Democracy is ending - "Not Today"

   The business may not take off - “Not Today”
   The company may close - “Not Today”

   All hope is gone - “Not Today”

   Focusing on the here and now, the immediate future is a powerful little trick suggested by the master.

   Pushing away uncertainty and things out of our control. We are saying “Not Today”, regaining control and keep moving forward.

I find this inspiring and helpful, tell me what you think about it.