Today, whatever happens, whether we find ourselves the recipient of a big promotion or the victim of a grave injustice, we would do well to remember a line from Ralph Waldo Emerson (a quiet lover of the Stoics). As he reminded himself, we can remind ourselves: “Keep cool—it will be all one a hundred years hence.”

That is: in a 100 years it will all be the same.

Good.

Bad.

Rich.

Poor.

Famous.

Screwed over.

In 100 years all will seem the same. All will be the same (we will probably be dead).

Take the long view. Don’t get wrapped up in any of it. Take it as it is; do what you can with it. But don’t let it be a big deal. Because it isn’t—not in 100 years, not in 50 years, probably not even 5 hours, not even now.