The Daily Stoic - It’s True: You’re Exactly Where You’re Supposed To Be

Episode Date: October 24, 2019

Keanon Lowe grew up in a family struggling to make ends meet. His father left when he was nine. When money was tight or when things were hard, his mother would try to encourage him by saying that it was alright. “You’re just where you’re supposed to be,” she said. This would be hard to accept over the years. It was hard to accept his college career at Oregon ended when the team lost in the playoffs to Ohio State in 2015. It was hard to accept when the NFL career he dreamed of ended by getting cut from the Arizona Cardinals after four days, with no more than a pair of gym shorts for his trouble. Then his first year as an NFL assistant ended when the coach who hired him got fired, and his second year ended the same way. Shortly thereafter, one of his best friends from his playing days died of an overdose. This is where he was supposed to be? This is how things were supposed to go? These are the kind of twists and turns of fate the Stoics tell us we’re supposed to love? How could that possibly be right?Well, as Greg Bishop (himself a fellow Stoic traveler) writes in his beautiful Sports Illustrated profile of Keanon, it is right. Because it is all leading somewhere, whether we know it or not. After all those losses and setbacks, Keanon ended up taking a job coaching at Parkrose High School...and working as the school security guard to make money on the side. On May 17th, Keanon was sent to Mr. Melzer’s Government class to grab a student who had been requested by a counselor. It just so happens that the very student he was looking for was working his way toward the classroom with a loaded shotgun. In a moment, they met. Keanon was exactly where he was supposed to be. Instead of running away, he ran towards it. He fought the young man and stopped an active shooter from doing god knows what. Keanon’s mother had been right. The Stoics were right. We have no idea what life has in store for us or what it is saving us for—even as it kicks our ass and breaks our hearts. Whatever we are going through, whatever is happening to us, we must know that: we are where we are supposed to be right now. How’s that?Because we can make it be where we are supposed to be. By the actions we take and the choices we make.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Hey, prime members, you can listen to the Daily Stoke podcast early and add free on Amazon music. Download the app today. Welcome to the Daily Stoke. For each day, we read a short passage designed to help you cultivate the strength, insight, wisdom necessary for living good life. insight, wisdom necessary for living good life. Each one of these passages is based on the 2000-year-old philosophy that has guided some of history's greatest men and women. For more, you can visit us at dailystoic.com. It's true. You are exactly where you're supposed to be. Keenan Lo grew up in a family struggling to make ends meet. His father left when he was nine. When money was tight or when things were hard, his mother would try to encourage him that it was all right.

You are just where you're supposed to be, she said. This would be hard to accept over the years. It was hard to accept his college career at Oregon had ended when the team lost in the playoffs to Ohio State in 2015. It was hard to accept when the NFL career he dreamed of ended when he got cut by the Arizona Cardinals after four days, with no more than a pair of gym shorts for his trouble. Then his first year as an NFL assistant ended when the coach who hired him got fired in his second year ended the same way.

Shortly thereafter, one of his friends from his playing days would die of an overdose. This is where he was supposed to be. This is how things were supposed to go. This is the kind of twists and turns of fate that the Stoics tell us were supposed to love. How could that possibly be right? Well, the writer Greg Bishop himself a fellow-sterew traveler writes in his beautiful sports illustrated profile of Kenan it is right. Because it is all leading somewhere, whether we know it or not. After all those losses and setbacks, Kenan ended up taking a coaching job at Park Rose High School

and working as the school security guard to make money on the side. And on May 17th, Kenan was sent to Mr. Melzer's government class to grab a student who had been requested by a counselor. It just so happens that the very student he was looking for was working his way towards the classroom with a loaded shotgun. In a moment they met, Kenan was exactly where he was supposed to be, and he stopped an active shooter from doing God knows what.

His mother had been right. The stoics were right. We have no idea what life has in store for us or what it is saving us for, even as it kicks our ass and breaks our heart. Whatever we are going through, whatever is happening to us, we must know that. We are where we are supposed to be right now.

And one day soon, where in many years, the purpose of it will all be made clear. Hey everyone, as you know, reading books is a huge part of my life. They've helped me accomplish my goals and become a better person. And if you're listening, reading this, you probably feel the same way. But like me, you probably feel you're not getting all you can out of the books that you read.

And maybe you feel like you're kind of reading the same books over and over again that you're stuck in a rut, or that your reading habits could be elevated, taken to a new level. Well, we've come out with a new 13-day challenge to help you do just that. It's called Read to Lead. We've got 13 days of stoic inspired challenges to help you take your reading to the next level. It comes with exercises, a new reading list each day, and some really awesome bonus material. You can check it out at dailystoch.com slash reading.

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