Per aspera ad astra: Through hardship to the stars
Eva Ries’s motto, through hardship to the stars, inspires a reflection on persistence, difficult paths and keeping a sense of perspective.
What Eva Ries’s motto in life means to me
“Per aspera ad astra” means “through hardship to the stars” and is the motto of Eva Ries, the former manager of the legendary Wu-Tang Clan. This is the first “Mindset Moment” episode. Reza Mehman revisits a striking quote from an earlier conversation and places it in a broader context. He explores why it’s worthwhile to consciously choose the more difficult path instead of taking the path of least resistance. Reza also discusses the so-called Happiness U-Curve, which shows that many people experience their emotional low point between the ages of 35 and 40.
He shares personal observations from his own life and offers concrete tips on how to get through stressful periods without neglecting one’s health. This episode offers perspective during a difficult phase. Reza reflects on persistence and the hope of better times ahead.
Eva Ries: the episode in brief
In one sentence: Eva Rie’s motto “Per aspera ad astra” shows that the rocky path is often the right one, because hardship and perseverance lead to the stars in the long run.
In three sentences: In this Mindset Moment episode, Reza Mehman reflects on the quote “Per aspera ad astra” by Eva Ries, the longtime manager of the Wu-Tang Clan. He connects the motto with the Happiness U-Curve. In his discussion, this idea offers a perspective on dissatisfaction in midlife. His message: Even in the deepest valleys, it’s worth persevering because more relaxed and happier phases are guaranteed to follow.
In five sentences: Reza Mehman introduces a new format: “Mindset Moments,” in which he revisits influential quotes from previous podcast episodes. Eva Ries kicks things off with her life motto, “Per aspera ad astra” (Through hardship to the stars), which she has also passed on to her daughter. Eva demonstrated this mindset for over 20 years as manager of the Wu-Tang Clan, where perseverance and resilience were essential daily.Reza places the quote within the context of the Happiness U-Curve, which illustrates how career, home building, children, and a lack of time between the ages of 35 and 40 can lead to an emotional low point. His advice: Especially during stressful periods, it’s crucial not to neglect exercise, quality time with friends and family, and hobbies in order to maintain physical and mental well-being.
Context: Who, What, Why
Who is speaking: Reza Mehman, host of the Project Mindset podcast, reflects on a quote from Eva Ries, who appeared as a guest in episode 76. Eva Ries was the manager of the Wu-Tang Clan for over 20 years and brings extensive experience in dealing with both highs and lows.
What is it about: The focus is on the Latin proverb “Per aspera ad astra” and the question of why the more difficult path is often the more rewarding one. This is complemented by the Happiness U-Curve and personal observations about life phases between the ages of 35 and 40.
Why is it relevant: Many people find themselves in phases of life where career, family, finances, and personal fulfillment simultaneously create pressure. Understanding the happiness U-curve and the certainty that better times will follow hardship can provide guidance and strength.
Three key questions from this episode:
- Why is it worthwhile to choose the more difficult path instead of taking shortcuts?
- What does the Happiness U-Curve show, and why are many people most dissatisfied between the ages of 35 and 40?
- How can you stay physically and mentally healthy during stressful periods in life?
Table of contents
- Introduction – Overview of the episode and its relevance
- Summary – The most important points in brief
- context – Background information on speaker,topic and relevance
- Table of contents – Navigation through the article
- Topics and classification – Central themes of the episode
- Key messages – The most important messages
- Frequently Asked Questions – Answers to the most important questions
- Highlight quotes – Key statements from the episode
- Transcript – Full transcript of the episode
- Keywords – Relevant search terms
- Names and terms – Important references
- Quotable passage – For sharing and quoting
Topics and classification
1. Per aspera ad astra: The strength of the difficult path
Eva Rie’s motto reflects her conviction that growth and success come from effort and perseverance, not from shortcuts or taking the path of least resistance.
Keywords: per aspera ad astra, through hardship to the stars, difficult path
2. The Happiness U-Curve: Why we are most dissatisfied at 40
The happiness U-curve describes the phenomenon that life satisfaction reaches its lowest point between the ages of 35 and 40, before rising again from the age of 50 onwards. Career pressure, building a house, raising children, and lack of time all converge during this phase.
Keywords: Happiness U-curve, life satisfaction, midlife crisis
3. Resilience and perseverance in stressful phases
Reza emphasizes that stressful periods are finite and that sports, social contacts and hobbies should not be neglected, especially in difficult times, in order to stay mentally and physically healthy.
Keywords: Resilience, stress management, mental health
4. Mindset Moments: Learning from past conversations
Reza introduces the new format “Mindset Moments,” in which he revisits formative quotes and insights from previous episodes and places them in a new context.
Keywords: Mindset moment, podcast reflection, personal growth
Key messages
- “Per aspera ad astra” means that the rocky and arduous path pays off in the long run and leads to the stars.
- Eva Ries lived and proved this mindset for over 20 years as manager of the Wu-Tang Clan.
- The Happiness U-Curve shows that many people experience their most dissatisfied phase of life between the ages of 35 and 40.
- Career, building a house, children and less time for friends and hobbies all come together in this phase of life.
- Many people don’t admit to themselves that they are struggling during this phase because outwardly they “have everything”.
- Financial dependencies lead people to remain in unfulfilling jobs instead of trying something new.
- Stressful periods are finite, and after every downturn, a more relaxed period is guaranteed to follow.
- Sports, quality time with friends and family, and hobbies should not be neglected, especially during stressful periods.
- It is worthwhile to regularly revisit past conversations and insights, because new life experience often helps one to truly understand things.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does “Per aspera ad astra” mean?
“Per aspera ad astra” is a Latin proverb meaning “Through hardship to the stars.” It expresses the idea that through effort, perseverance, and enduring difficult phases, one ultimately achieves success and fulfillment.
What is the Happiness U-Curve?
The happiness U-curve is a scientific concept that suggests that life satisfaction for many people reaches its lowest point around the age of 40. Afterward, it rises again, so that people in their 50s and 60s are often happier than they were between 35 and 40.
Who is Eva Ries?
Eva Ries was the manager of the legendary hip-hop collective Wu-Tang Clan for over 20 years.In episode 76 of the Project Mindset podcast, she shared her motto “Per aspera ad astra” and spoke about the highs and lows of her career.
Why are many people between 35 and 40 dissatisfied?
Many stressors converge during this phase of life: career pressure, buying or building a house, raising children, less time for friends and hobbies, and financial obligations. Many people don’t admit this dissatisfaction to themselves because, on the surface, they “have everything.”
How can you stay mentally healthy during stressful periods in your life?
Reza Mehman recommends not neglecting exercise, quality time with friends and family, and hobbies, especially during stressful periods. It’s important to remember that stressful times are finite and that more relaxed times will follow.
What are the “Mindset Moments” in the Project Mindset Podcast?
The “Mindset Moments” are a format in which Reza Mehman revisits and reflects on formative quotes and insights from previous podcast episodes, placing them in a new context. The aim is to bring valuable insights back into focus.
Is it worth choosing the more difficult path?
According to Eva Ries and Reza Mehman, the more difficult path is often worthwhile because it leads to genuine growth. The path of least resistance may be more convenient in the short term, but often does not lead to the desired goal.
Highlight quotes
“Per Aspera ad Astra,through hardship to the stars.”
– Eva Ries
“Always taking the harder path sometimes pays off. Like taking the rocky road to the stars.”
– Eva Ries
“I could have taken shortcuts or easier routes, or simply taken the path of least resistance. But that probably wouldn’t have led to the goal as effectively.”
– Eva Ries
“I remind myself every time that it’s simply a stressful phase right now. And if I just close my eyes and get through this phase, then a more relaxed phase is guaranteed to follow.”
– Reza Mehman
“I swear by the topic of sport and the topic of spending quality time with friends, spending quality time with family. Also pursuing one’s hobbies in some form or another.”
– Reza Mehman
“Sometimes there are phases in life where you only then understand what a conversation partner you had actually meant.”
– Reza Mehman
The full conversation
Hi everyone and welcome to Project Mindset. The channel for all those who know that with the right mindset, anything is possible. In today’s podcast episode, I want to talk about a mindset moment—that’s what I’ve decided to call it today—a mindset moment with Eva Ries. She was a guest on episode 76 of my Project Mindset podcast. And this episode, or rather this quote that’s about to come, has really stuck with me, which is why I want to discuss it in a little more detail today.
Here’s the excerpt. Now I come to my final question, which I ask every guest. Which mindset has had the greatest influence on your life? Again? Which mindset, which attitude, has had the greatest impact, the most positive impact on your life? Well, if you talk to the ancient Romans, or generally speaking, I would really say this one, which I often quote, which I’ve also often told my daughter, this “per aspera ad astra,” through hardship to the stars. Yes, that’s actually it.
So even taking the path, always choosing the harder path, sometimes pays off. Taking the rocky road to the stars. Wow, great closing question. I really think so, there’s a lot of truth to that. Yes, I believe you’ve proven it on your own life’s journey, that you’ve walked through the rocky paths.Because I could have taken shortcuts or easier routes, or simply the path of least resistance. But that probably wouldn’t have led to the same goal.
Eva Ries and her journey with the Wu-Tang Clan
As I said, that was episode 76 with Eva Ries. And I found that moment particularly interesting. It also kind of showed Eva Ries’s life story. She was the manager of the legendary hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan for over 20 years. I think she went through a lot. In the episode, she describes, or rather, in the conversation, the highs and lows she experienced. And it quickly becomes clear that you really need a high tolerance threshold, so you don’t immediately freak out when someone in the Wu-Tang Clan does something completely wrong.
And it also showed me that Eva definitely followed through on what she believed in. The quote was about going from arduous to the stars. And I think this quote applies to many people who might be going through a phase in life where everything seems a bit arduous, a bit more burdensome. “Irrigated” means something like effort associated with hardship. And interestingly, to connect this to the other topic, there’s this happiness U-curve.
You might have heard of the happiness U-curve. Just Google it. It suggests that most people are unhappy with life between the ages of 35 and 40. So, the happiness curve is at its lowest point around age 40. And after that, it gradually rises again until you’re happier with life around 50 or 60. Of course, there are also studies that show the opposite, as is the case with almost every study out there. I’ll just leave it at that.
Many demands in one phase of life
Based on my observations of people around me, I can honestly say that those between 35 and 40 are currently experiencing the biggest struggle of their lives, because everything seems to be coming together at once. They’re at an age where they can really take off professionally, having a few years under their belt, some work experience, and a good understanding of the working world. It’s also almost the point where most of them want or need to buy or renovate a house, move in, and so on.
So, there’s obviously a lot of stress involved. Then, of course, you have one, two, or more kids, which is another stress factor. You have less time for friends as a result. You have less time for your hobbies. So, somehow, it all probably comes together between the ages of 35 and 40. And I can understand that many people, and that’s why we see this U-shaped curve—I can certainly imagine that it’s true that many people are tick-raisers. Maybe it’s not even about admitting anything.
Perhaps it’s also about not admitting anything to yourself, because you think, “Well, I have everything. I’m building a house, or I already own a house,or I have kids, and I have a great job, and so on and so forth. Actually, I should be doing well, and yet many people struggle. That’s my impression. Many people, as I’ve already discussed in the podcast, say or think, ‘Yes, my job isn’t exactly fulfilling, but I have to earn money somehow.'”
Continued
I have to keep my finances going somehow, and moving up the career ladder, doing something new, starting a business, or whatever, is completely out of the question right now because the financial risk is simply too high. And that way, you might end up stuck in jobs that aren’t even that enjoyable. So, as I said, there are definitely people who reach their peak happiness around 40. Anything is possible. I’m all for that. But I actually think most people, based on my observations, are in this U-shaped curve of happiness.
That means they probably had their highlights in life between the ages of 16 and 25. After that, things unfortunately go downhill a bit, and hopefully then uphill again once things have settled down. The children have grown up. The house doesn’t need any more work. They’ve probably found their routines at work, and so on and so forth. And hopefully, by 50 or 60, they’re a bit happier. And I actually think that quite a few of them are moving along that trajectory.
Going through difficult phases
What I want to say today, though, is that I believe 100 percent in what Eva Harries said: that hard work leads to the stars. I experience this again and again during stressful periods in my life. Of course, I have those too. There are times when I’m particularly busy, whether in my personal life, at work, or in business. And there are times when things are a bit calmer. But during those particularly stressful periods, everything seems incredibly arduous.
So every additional to-do task that comes along, especially during such stressful periods, is okay, I’ve completely lost control. I don’t even know which way is up anymore. But I also remind myself every time that it’s simply a stressful phase right now. And if I just close my eyes and push through this phase, then a more relaxed phase is guaranteed to come. And I believe 100 percent that a more relaxed phase will follow. Just get through the valley, make sure you stay physically and mentally healthy, and do certain things to stay healthy.
Space for sports, family and friends
Of course, that’s easier said than done. But I’m a firm believer in exercise and in spending quality time with friends and family. It’s also important to pursue your hobbies in some way. I truly believe that you can’t neglect these things, especially during stressful periods. It’s okay to skip a day or two of exercise, but I wouldn’t go longer than that. Because you might think,”Okay, I’ll skip my workout this week so I can get everything done.”
No, I don’t really believe that. It’s important to take some time to relax, especially when things get stressful. So, as always, a short mindset episode, a Project Mindset episode. I hope you enjoyed it anyway. Today I wanted to talk about a mindset moment with Eva Ries. I’ve been thinking I’ll do this more often now, picking out individual moments from the conversations I’ve had. I think it’s a shame when people only listen to a podcast once and then don’t think about it again.
I actually listen back to my old conversations with guests to understand things again. Sometimes there are phases in life, like when you’ve learned a few things, where you only then truly understand what a conversation partner or collaborator actually meant. So, I listen to them regularly. And I’ve been thinking that in the future I’ll share these mindset moments, which I’ve discovered for myself, with you more often.
Rediscovering conversations later
Alright guys, we’ll talk again next week. Until then, don’t forget, mindset is everything.
This transcript was automatically generated using Whisper AI and may contain occasional errors.
Keywords
Tags: per aspera ad astra, through hardship to the stars, Happiness U-Curve, Eva Ries, Wu-Tang Clan, mindset, resilience, perseverance, life satisfaction, stress management, mental health, Project Mindset, Reza Mehman, midlife crisis, personal growth
Names and terms
Eva Ries, Reza Mehman, Wu-Tang Clan, Project Mindset, Per aspera ad astra, Happiness U-Curve, Mindset Moment, Quality Time, Resilience, Endurance Tolerance, Life Satisfaction, Midlife Crisis
Quotable passage
“Per aspera ad astra” is more than a Latin proverb: It is a principle of life that runs through Eva Ries’ biography and is relevant for anyone who is going through a difficult phase.
The Happiness U-Curve shows that dissatisfaction between the ages of 35 and 40 is not a personal failure, but a widespread phenomenon resulting from the convergence of many stress factors.
Those who consciously focus on sport,social contacts and balance during stressful periods have the best chance of getting through the valley in good physical and mental health.
The central message: After every difficult phase, better times will come again if you have the courage to persevere.
You can find more interviews and mindset moments at Project Mindset.
“Reza Mehman” } } –>You can find more interviews and mindset moments at Project Mindset.
“Reza Mehman” } } –>You can find more interviews and mindset moments at Project Mindset.
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