I read a quote yesterday that says, “No one does wrong willingly.”

I find that to be a little hard to believe.

Not that I don’t believe people aren’t good, but there are some exceptions—and I’m sure you can think of some. But, I think this quote more commonly refers to people in everyday life doing everyday things.

Like for instance, the guy who honked at you in traffic didn’t realize he was doing something wrong. He was just doing what felt right to him. Or that woman who you saw yelling at the cashier because her order was made wrong. She was just doing what felt right to her.

People have different reasons for doing what they do, and I’m not saying that excuses them for being an ass, but maybe, just maybe, if we knew what they were going through, we’d understand why they are.

Marcus Aurelius says to start every day by telling yourself, “The people I [will] deal with today will be meddling, ungrateful, arrogant, dishonest, jealous, and surly. They are like this because they can’t tell good from evil…”

To eventually go on to say, “How cruel to forbid people to want what they think is good for them. And yet that’s just what you won’t let them do when you get angry at their misbehavior. They’re drawn toward what they think is good for them.”

What he’s saying is, why should we get angry or frustrated at people doing what they believe is right? It might not be justified in our eyes, but getting angry at someone without knowing the full story only puts unneeded stress in our lives.

A method you can use to calm yourself in these moments is to give people the benefit of the doubt. Maybe that person had a bad day, or maybe they had a child in the car? Whatever it is, consider the fact that whoever offended you or ruined your day didn’t do it because of you, but did it because of something going on in their life. You’re just a fleeting moment caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. Take it with a grain of salt.

So give people the benefit of the doubt. Know you’re going to run into these people because everyone has bad days. And being able to not let it affect it will give you the opportunity to see situation for what it really is.

Until next time,
Isaiah Taylor

Dive Deeper

What I’m Currently Reading - I’m now rereading Meditations by Marcus Aurelius. A Roman Emperor’s journal on Stoic principles and the thoughts of a man who once led an empire.

Quote Of The Week - “I know that anything is capable of happening so also do I know that it’s not bound to happen. So I look for the best and am prepared for the opposite.” — Seneca