c. 535 – c. 475 BC | pre-Socratic Greek philosopher. Heraclitus was known for his paradoxical style of writing and fondness for wordplay.
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The only permanent thing in life is change. Adjusting and navigating through life’s changes—in other words, “progress”—is the key to living a healthy life. Refusing to adapt leads to inevitable extinction. This is exactly why Blockbuster went bankrupt and Netflix succeeded. Are you adapting to the changes that are happening in your life?
Heraclitus wrote:
“You cannot step into the same river twice; for fresh waters are ever flowing upon you.“
Known for his “doctrine of flux,” Heraclitus teaches that both permanence and change governs your existence. While the water changes, it is still the same river; while your life circumstances may change, you can still decide how to respond.
The question is whether you’ll remain stagnant.
While change happens automatically, progress requires conscious engagement with any changes. Are you living consciously or unconscioulsy? What are some ways you might be ignoring your life circumstances? How can you take advantage of them by adapting to them?