The Empty Boat

A monk once set out alone in a small boat to meditate on a quiet lake.

For hours, he sat in peaceful silence.

Then, suddenly—bump.

Another boat crashed into his.

Without opening his eyes, frustration began to rise.

“Who would be so careless? Don’t they see I’m here? How dare they interrupt my meditation?”

Anger swelled.

He opened his eyes, ready to unleash his anger and frustration...

But the boat was empty.

It had simply come loose from the dock and drifted into his.

The anger vanished.

Because you can’t be mad at an empty boat.

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That story—shared in countless fables—is a powerful reminder.

Sahil Bloom calls it The Empty Boat Mindset.

In life, we all experience collisions.

With people.

With environments.

With unexpected circumstances.

Each one has the power to derail us.

To spark stress, resentment, or rage.

But...the emotions we feel aren’t from the event itself...

They’re from the story we tell ourselves about what it meant.

We assume malice or some type of insult.

But what if… it was just an empty boat?

What if it wasn’t about us at all?

It most likely wasn't!

So this week, when something bumps into your life:

A rude driver.

A missed email.

A passive-aggressive comment.

Pause.

Take a breath.

And ask yourself:

“Am I just getting mad at an empty boat?”

​Credit: https://x.com/SahilBloom/status/1949090920873218417