The Hercules Principle (by Sahil Bloom)

Read widely. Here's Sahil Bloom with "The Hercules Principle."

Excerpt:

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.”

"Control what you can control" appears as a theme across literature and storytelling. 

• If you read "The Jungle" in high school, that is a theme..."work harder."
• It's a first principle in Stoic philosophy. 
• It's a core concept for many athletes. 
• Central to Charlie Jones's "That's Outside My Boat: Letting Go of What You Can't Control"
• "The Boys in the Boat" an epic true story about the intersection of the Great Depression, 1930's Germany, and the U.S. Men's Olympic Crew Team

You can't control the opponent's serve, only your receive. You can't control the opponent's block, only your attack. Aside from attitude, the only full controllable in volleyball is your serve. 

Lagniappe. I asked ChatGPT Plus for other examples: 

The Stoic principle “control what you can control”—focusing on your own choices, attitudes, and responses while accepting what lies outside your influence—has inspired many books and films. Here’s a list across both domains:

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📚 Books

• Meditations by Marcus Aurelius – the classic source. Aurelius constantly reminds himself to act with virtue and accept what fortune brings.

• The Enchiridion by Epictetus – concise Stoic handbook; its opening line is the clearest articulation of this tenet.

• The Obstacle Is the Way by Ryan Holiday – modern application of Stoicism, emphasizing turning adversity into advantage by focusing only on controllable responses.

• Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl – Frankl, a Holocaust survivor, underscores the ultimate freedom: choosing one’s attitude despite suffering.

• Atomic Habits by James Clear – though not explicitly Stoic, it embodies the idea that daily choices and habits are within your control, not outcomes.

• Deep Survival by Laurence Gonzales – explores how survivors in life-or-death situations succeed by controlling their mindset when external events spiral out of control.

• Can’t Hurt Me by David Goggins – memoir of building mental toughness by focusing on internal discipline rather than external obstacles.

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🎬 Films

• Bridge of Spies (2015) – Mark Rylance’s character Rudolf Abel repeatedly says, “Would it help?” when asked if he worries—pure Stoicism in action.

• The Martian (2015) – stranded astronaut Mark Watney survives by calmly solving problems step by step, never wasting energy on the uncontrollable.

• Cast Away (2000) – Tom Hanks’ character embodies perseverance by adapting to his circumstances rather than railing against them.

• Invictus (2009) – Mandela, even after decades in prison, chooses forgiveness and leadership over resentment.

• Unbroken (2014) – Louis Zamperini survives brutal POW conditions through mindset, refusing to let his captors control his spirit.

• Groundhog Day (1993) – Phil Connors learns that he can’t change the situation (reliving the same day), but he can change his own choices and character.

• Cool Hand Luke (1967) – Paul Newman’s Luke resists being broken by external control, embodying the Stoic defiance of spirit.

• Rocky Balboa (2006) – Rocky’s speech to his son: “It’s not about how hard you hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.”