Photo by Nick Mundackal on Unsplash 

Zeno of Citium, founder of the ancient Stoic school of philosophy, is recorded as having come up with the following thought-provoking anecdote: A tiny puppy has been tied to a heavy ox cart. The leash is long, and the puppy has significant freedom to explore and enjoy its surroundings.

The puppy can choose to go in the opposite direction to the powerful cart. In that case, the wagon will drag the upset puppy along as it struggles fruitlessly against its leash.

Or, the puppy may stroll alongside the cart, happily following the general direction of travel. By choosing this course of action, the puppy can make the most of the opportunities provided by the long leash.

It’s a metaphor for how we can opt to live our lives: We can struggle against adversities that we have no hope of overcoming: People getting in our way, life’s daily struggles, losing loved ones, ageing, the breakdown of our bodies, death.

Or we can accept them as baked into the fabric of life. We needn’t waste our energy railing against what is unchangeable and unavoidable.

Besides, we frequently do not use the freedom given to us by our own metaphorical long leash: We stay in careers we don’t like; we agree to do things we don’t want to do; we chase money, fame and luxury not because we genuinely want to but because that’s what our modern consumer culture tells us we should do.

The beauty is that there are few actual rules in life—realise this, and you will see the world in a brighter light.

Do you want to stroll further from the cart and make the most of your long leash?