Nietzsche was the One who did the Job for Me

By: Joseph Campbell

Photo: Erik Rittenberry

Nietzsche was the one who 
did the job for me. 

At a certain moment in his life,
the idea came to him of what 
he called 'the love of your fate.' 

Whatever your fate is, whatever 
the hell happens, you say, 
'This is what I need.' 

It may look like a wreck, 
but go at it as though it 
were an opportunity, 
a challenge. 

If you bring love to that moment--
not discouragement--you will find 
the strength is there. 

Any disaster you can survive is an 
improvement in your character, 
your stature, and your life. 

What a privilege! 

This is when the spontaneity 
of your own nature will 
have a chance to flow.

Then, when looking back at your life, 
you will see that the moments 
which seemed to be great failures 
followed by wreckage were the incidents 
that shaped the life you have now. 

You’ll see that this is really true. 

Nothing can happen to you 
that is not positive. Even 
though it looks and feels 
at the moment like a 
negative crisis, 
it is not. 

The crisis throws you back, 
and when you are required 
to exhibit strength, 
it comes.

You can find this passage in Joseph Campbell’s fantastic book — Reflections on the Art of Living.