Many years ago, I remember a gutsy phrase from my English teacher in high school. In that moment, everybody laughed because one of our classmates understood "sexo." A word that in Spanish means sex, you can imagine the full disturbance in class. That was superficial.
Now, thinking about having to pay my bills, this phrase comes to mind because I said so with all other meanings. It could sound authoritarian or powerful. So this is my analogy.
When you say it properly, you will have to put it into action. From my point of view, this is about the Machiavelli inside you. Think about it. You sacrifice yourself every day to complete all your responsibilities, which include your job, marriage, kids, family, etc. At the end of the day, you have stress, anxiety, confusion, fatigue, and maybe some dreams in the drawer. Then the apathy and routine sustain that feeling.
One of its fundamentals, Machiavelli’s conception, said, “It is key to know history with an imperative desire to learn from it." The books, articles, or newspapers contain thousands of good and bad examples that can inspire daily actions. If you know your past, you can understand your present and your current environment.
Nicolas Machiavelli was declared the father of modern political theory. He believed that “morality had to be understood as two different things in order to rule well." This thinker reflects on “the use of bad actions when the end justifies it." History says that Napoleon Bonaparte, in fact, wrote the phrase on the last page of his book The Prince.
I understand that my friend Nico has a deep knowledge of human beings. Ask yourself: What would you do for your family? Hey, I am not talking about robbing a bank, not paying taxes, or running a red light. Our realities are the conditions that rule society and our lives. We have to deal with it. We can’t go through life as humans remain unchanged in human history.
We need to make changes. It may be the reason why we will have the same results or repeat history. So what would you do differently to have a different result? Learn to define your fears with a statement. Ask yourself: What type of quality life do I want? What could be my best dream job? What should I do for my health to stay healthy? What kinds of hobbies or activities do I actually enjoy? What do I need to do in order to focus on my priorities?
Aristotle said that if you overcome your fears, you will be free. I take these quotes and analyze them according to my issues:
Pay the bills: “The credit card company wants a monthly payment." Solution: I’m going to pay a little more than the minimum and then pay other bills using the same credit. Meanwhile, I recovered a balanced account again.
Gas is expensive: “I worked from one place to another, wasting gas all the time. Solution: I’m going to define my calendar for meetings and classes in three days; the rest I will be working from home.
We play the rules in our favor, and I control the situation. Machiavelli understands the personal capacity to dominate events and to carry out, even using any means, the desired end. Don’t let the condition rule your behavior. Be crafty. Empowering attracted good fortune! To make a life statement, you need to see your horizons wider and the scope greater.
Only freedom makes the deployment of virtue possible, which is nothing other than the manifestation of willpower. This is the learning of Nicholas Machiavelli about human existence. Know the history. Know the rules so you can play with them. You can’t control your environment or its circumstances, but you can control your situation or how you want to be. You know why? Because I said so!