It Takes Much Longer Than You Think (Or Want)

Welcome to the Daily Stoic Podcast, designed to help bring those four key Stoic virtues, courage, discipline, justice, and wisdom into the real world. It takes much longer than you think or want. Nobody likes waiting. Nobody likes it when somebody else's turn takes longer than you feel it should. But you know what?

That's just how it goes. The forties and fifties were rough for a young James Stockdale, as they were for many young military officers. Due to the rapid expansion and contraction of the armed forces after World War II, there was an enormous glut of senior officers that became known as the hump. It took years for these people to retire and make advancement possible for these younger officers, and this was frustrating and demoralizing. was difficult too, especially for people like Stockdale who were ambitious, ready to lead, ready for their turn.

But again, that's life. It's Marcus Aurelius having to wait 20 years for Antoninus to pass the throne to him. It's the professors and executives who were hanging on to their jobs longer and longer, making it hard for new graduates to get those opportunities. It takes longer than you think or want. It just does.

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