How can I use this week’s “On Qualities” theme to handle fear of failure at work?

Try a values-first journaling pass. 1) Start with Heraclitus: “Day by day, what you do is who you become.” List 2–3 qualities you want to practice at work this week (e.g., curiosity, reliability, courage). 2) Pair each quality with one tiny, doable action for tomorrow (ask one clarifying question; deliver an update by noon; volunteer for a small task). 3) Use “You should trust me to…” to identify where you want to be counted on, then write one sentence about how tomorrow’s action earns that trust. 4) Close with Oprah’s reminder: “When you undervalue what you do…” Note one concrete thing you did today that supports your value. In Stoic, keep these notes short and repeat daily—let small, repeatable actions define you more than outcomes.

I’m overthinking who I am vs. what I’ve been through. How should I journal with these prompts to feel more grounded?

Use a two-column entry inspired by Jung: “I am not what happened to me, I am what I choose to become.” Left column: “What happened” (facts, no judgment). Right column: “What I choose” (qualities and next steps). Then pick one daily prompt—like “Finish: You should trust me to…”—and answer it from the right column only. Add a single action you’ll do in the next 24 hours that expresses that choice. Revisit with Emerson’s idea: “The mind, once stretched…” Note one new idea or perspective you tried today and how it stretched you. In Stoic, you can repeat this simple layout all week to keep choice and qualities front-and-center.

How do I write about my strengths without feeling arrogant or fake?

Anchor praise to evidence and usefulness. 1) Use “Make a list of 5 things that you admire about yourself,” then add one proof for each (a moment you lived it). 2) Add why it matters for others—Mary Oliver’s “room…for the unimaginable” can be your cue to imagine how your quality could help someone tomorrow. 3) If it feels cringey, write in third person: “They are patient; evidence: waited and listened during X.” 4) End with a Frankl check-in: how does this quality serve meaning, not just pleasure? In Stoic, keep it brief and specific—facts over fluff make confidence feel honest, not boastful.

On Qualities

This week, we’ll reflect on what makes us us.

May 21, 2023 ― May 27, 2023

HowTo=target

Frequently Asked Questions

monday.

tuesday.

wednesday.

thursday.