In Going SMALLer, I noted ““Stickin’ to the knittin’”… focusing on the fundamentals… keeping our focus simple, moderating and adjusting on the fly avoiding unnecessary distractions, holding daily Accountability for effort over outcome, finding what we love such that we will stay engaged, and practicing our own best sense of Leadership… this is SMALLer. If everyday, I keep my focus simple, moderate as needed, take account each day for my efforts, follow my love and engage my own personal Leadership… I will get “there”, wherever there is.”
In diving deeper on SMALLer this week, I came back around to the notion that “settlin’ sucks”. If indeed everyday, I keep my focus simple, moderate as needed, take account each day for my efforts, follow my love and engage my own personal Leadership… I will get “there”, wherever there is…. and the “there” brought me back to the settlin’ thing.
Call it misguided, but amidst my ongoing meditations, I keep getting the sense that I have another 30 years; about 11,000 days. Whether I do or do not is not the point. We all somehow subconsciously presume and act like we “have plenty of time”. To paraphrase the Buddha, we think we have time. I don’t know the time I have. Neither do you. What I do know is that John Mellencamp sang to my Soul back in my late twenties… and still does. That “real life” is about sayin’ to hell with the settlin’.
That “ok” relationship, that often numbing work, that sterile “picket fence thing”. that “what are ya gonna do anyway” mentality… all the seduction of settlin’. And it sucks; it sucks the Soul out of us. It might be “easier” but it is the road to regret; and I want no part of it.
For me, as I reflect at The Spear, I truly love my work teaching and my enterprise with Epic Engage. I love my modest home and little black beast of a Honda 6-speed. I am so thankful for my handful of friends who can’t be bought. But, there is that “eyes on the prize, feet on the ground thing” and, with that in mind and heart… I noted on LinkedIn today that…
“For the past few years, I have been meandering through meaning and “next chapter”. Observing, reflecting and tweaking. Noticing and noting what sings to me and what does not. These past few days have shown me again that tweaking has its purpose but needs lead to a true leap of Faith. It has shown itself 3 times before in my life. With big #change following. The leaps. That kind of leap is born of #Candor with oneself. And the #Courage to act upon it. Have seen it before. #Discernment and decisions are coming fast now and will be manifested over these coming days. Eyes are getting lit up. Claws are coming out. Tweaking is done. Now, the leap. Consider your own signs and what you are nudging towards. At some point… the leap will come. 😉”
Let us not confuse the Simplicity and focus of SMALLer living with living small. The former moves us towards more Soulful living. The latter moves us further away. If we are in that “OK” or worse relationship, we need make it more Soulful or move on. If we are experiencing a numbness in our work, we need make it more Soulful or move on. You get the picture. Life is short, Regrets are huge.
So, if I have 11,000 days or 1, to hell with settlin’. I know what and who my Soul seeks. Game on. It is not about seeking a “perfect” life and that useless myth. It is about perfecting and ever going after our real life.
So, how about you? 100 years or 1… where are you settlin’? Use Candor and Courage to nail that thing. And get curious about exploring.
Make your life A PEACE of WORK. I am. 11,000 or 1 day, and counting.
Wishing you PEACE…
Barry Lewis Green, The Unity Guy with Epic Engage.
Developing Leadership Character – Ivey Business Journal
“Intelligence plus character—that is the goal of true education.” ― Martin Luther King Jr.
Human greatness does not lie in wealth or power, but in character and goodness. People are just people, and all people have faults and shortcomings, but all of us are born with a basic goodness. ― Anne Frank
Character is like a tree and reputation like a shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing. ― Abraham Lincoln
Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved. ― Helen Keller
Knowledge will give you power, but character respect. ― Bruce Lee
Sports teaches you character, it teaches you to play by the rules, it teaches you to know what it feels like to win and lose-it teaches you about life. ― Billie Jean King
Our ability to handle life’s challenges is a measure of our strength of character. ― Les Brown
People grow through experience if they meet life honestly and courageously. This is how character is built. ― Eleanor Roosevelt