The Last Coffee…

The cool breeze of the early morning whispered through the small, bustling café as Robert Dawson stared into the depths of his coffee cup, lost in the chaos of his own thoughts.

The world outside continued its relentless pace, oblivious to the fact that Robert was teetering on the edge of a decision that could end everything.

Just weeks ago, his software company, his pride, and joy, had declared bankruptcy. A massive setback, unforeseen, had swept away years of hard work, savings, and hope — leaving nothing but despair in its wake.

Across from him, two students were engrossed in a discussion of their latest assignment of a stoic paper. Their animated voices cutting through the haze of Robert’s thoughts. He was barely listening until a particular phrase caught his attention: “premeditatio malorum.”

The words hit him like a jolt. He tuned in, curiosity piqued despite himself.

“So, what exactly is this premeditatio malorum?” one of the students, a tall boy with glasses, asked his friend.

The second student, a girl with a thoughtful expression, leaned forward. “It’s a Stoic practice. It means imagining the worst-case scenarios. Like, you think about everything that could go wrong. You prepare for failure in your mind so that when it happens, you’re ready.”

The boy frowned. “But that sounds so pessimistic. Why would anyone want to dwell on the bad stuff?”

“It’s not about dwelling,” the girl replied calmly. “It’s about being realistic. Seneca said, ‘Nothing happens to the wise man against his expectation.’ It’s not that you want things to go wrong, but if they do, you’re not blindsided. You’ve already considered the possibility, and you’re prepared to face it.”

Robert took another sip of his coffee, his mind racing. The idea struck a chord. Hadn’t he been blindsided by his company’s downfall? He’d always planned for success, never imagining the kind of failure that had come crashing down on him.

“And what if you didn’t prepare?” the boy asked, his voice tinged with anxiety. “What if you’re already at the brink of failure, like right now?”

The girl smiled faintly. “Then, you remember another Stoic principle — ‘The obstacle is the way.’ It’s from Marcus Aurelius. The idea is that failure isn’t the end. It’s just another step on the path. It’s an opportunity to do better, to improve. You use it to become stronger.”

“But that’s easier said than done,” the boy replied, skepticism creeping into his voice. “It’s one thing to talk about it, but to actually live that way? To see failure as a chance?”

The girl nodded. “It’s tough. No one’s saying it’s easy. But it’s about progress, not perfection. You start with one small step — just asking yourself, ‘What can I learn from this? How can I use this to grow?’ And then you try again. And again. Until it becomes second nature.”

Aerial photo of A Café by No Revisions

Robert sat back in his chair, the wheels in his mind turning. The conversation had ignited something within him — a flicker of the resolve he thought had been extinguished. Could it really be that simple? To face his failures head-on and turn them into opportunities?

He thought about his son, just about to enter college, and how he had lost the college fund in the collapse. The guilt had been crushing, the sense of responsibility unbearable. But what if, instead of giving up, he chose to start over? What if he turned his focus to the one thing that had always brought him joy — developing VR Racing software? It was a hobby that had once made him feel alive, but he had abandoned it in the pursuit of building a traditional business.

Maybe it wasn’t too late. Maybe, instead of ending it all, he could rebuild — differently this time. With purpose, passion, and a willingness to face obstacles as they came.

Robert pushed back his chair and stood up. He looked at the two students, still deep in conversation. They had no idea that their discussion had just saved a life — or perhaps more accurately, had given a life new purpose.

As he walked out of the café, the fresh morning air filled his lungs with a renewed sense of determination. The future was uncertain, but he was ready to face it. His mind was made up.

Later that day, as he dusted off his old VR racing software project, he muttered to himself, “The obstacle is the way,” allowing the words to sink in.

A year later, Robert sat at the same café, his laptop open in front of him, working on his newly launched VR racing platform.

The setbacks he had once faced seemed distant now, replaced by a sense of accomplishment and resilience.

He was no longer the man who would be undone by failure. Now, he was the man who used it to fuel his success.

No man was ever wise by chance. Robert had learned that lesson the hard way — but he had learned it well.

Think it all in advance.

Hope It Helps.