The Hercules Principle
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read time 3 minutes
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The Hercules Principle
There’s an old children’s fable that I think about all the time…
A farmer was driving his wagon along a dirt road when a heavy rain began to fall. When the rain finally stopped, the road had been transformed into a muddy mess.
The farmer urged his horses forward as they struggled to drag the heavy wagon through the mud. Suddenly, one wheel sank deep into a rut and became completely stuck.
The farmer got off the wagon and stared at the wheel, cursing his bad luck and complaining about the delay. He turned his head to the sky and called on Hercules to come to his aid.
Hercules appeared, but rather than lifting the wagon, he spoke to the farmer:
“Put your shoulder to the wheel and urge your horses forward. Do you think you can move the wagon by simply looking at it?”
The farmer did as he was told, and with great effort and strain, the wheel came unstuck and the wagon lurched forward. The farmer climbed back onto the seat and continued on his way.
Let’s call this the Hercules Principle:
Self-reliance is the ultimate source of strength. Self-help is the best help.
No one is coming to save you. No one will fix your problems. No one will change your mindsets. No one will hand you the things you want in life. It’s just you. It’s all on you.
Philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche once wrote:
“Nothing helps; I must help myself, or I am finished.”
Contrary to what your first reaction to this principle may be, it’s not morbid or depressing. It’s empowering. Even inspiring.
Because the truth is that you are capable of helping yourself. Capable of figuring it out. Capable of squeezing everything you want out of this life.
And to believe otherwise is to do yourself a great disservice. To hand over your agency. To give in. To wait for rescue. To curse your luck. To assume someone else will fix it. To be the victim.
The Hercules Principle is a reminder that you are in control. Don’t look out. Look in. You have within you everything you need.
You are at the wheel. Never let go.
