Choose Your Struggle | Yoga 15

I’m a big Joe Rogan fan. He’s funny, endlessly curious and a seriously devoted yogi. He has this great philosophy that I find really helpful: choose your struggle.

In an interview with his business partner, Aubrey Marcus, Aubrey asks him: “What are some of the challenges that you still face?”

Joe replies:

“They are minimised by work. The more effort that I put into my life-into running, yoga and martial arts, into stand up comedy and the podcast. The more I do those things. I’m creating my own struggle.”

He believes that:

“People need a certain amount of conflict and struggle in their life and they create that struggle if they don’t get it in some sort of organic form. If you’re not at war with your neighbouring tribe or worried about predators, you create that struggle with your girlfriend, your buddies or your co-workers.

The more I orchestrate my own struggle, the more it minimises those other struggles in life. I like it that way better.”

Aubrey responds:

“That’s being the hunter, not the hunted. That attitude of going out there and seeking the challenge is probably the most important thing that we can do to prevent these things from happening to us.”

Every day, I remind myself to “choose your struggle”. But I could definitely do better. I could work harder, workout more intensely and make sure that I keep each and every one of my commitments. Because it may be tough in the moment but it’s a whole lot better than having your struggles chosen for you.

Originally published at https://yoga15.com on February 5, 2020.