David Foster Wallace speaks on the monotony of life in his speech This is Water. I’ve found this to be a struggle more recently. This in combination with reading How Will You Measure your life has caused me to pause and reflect. I consistently find that I’m saying yes to things. I’m finding the importance of seeking more information. Premature allegations can get you in trouble. Asking questions may appear threatening, but it can be significantly helpful in developing a larger picture of an organization. I’ve found the transition back into the grind of the day to day hard to stay focused on my global objective.
Source: How will you measure your life – Clayton Christenson
Lesson: Don’t get caught in the rat race.
I first read Christenson in my strategy course. I think I need to keep coming back to his wisdom. It seems that he found great value in having multiple careers. In each of these he used skills he developed earlier to build on the next job. In doing this he never lost his commitment to his family. He had a statement that Saturday was for his family and Sunday was for God. He also discussed that for a year he prayed an hour a day on finding his purpose. It’s easy to fall into the trap of just building a resume.
Source: Dan John
Lesson: Legacy building vs Resume Building
Legacy building is what will cause people to change based on the actions of our lives. Resume building is what might make you look like a good job candidate. I think I personally have been building a resume for a long period of time, while neglecting a sense of a greater purpose. I think the easiest way to build a legacy is to coach others. To help others. To teach. To give back. To give others our time. I think it’s easy for me to get lost in personal growth and development. In doing so, I can neglect spending quality time with my wife and serving the community. I think this like anything else just comes from picking something and doing it.
Source: Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior
Lesson: Key to Warriorship and the first principle of Shambhala vision is notn being afraid of who you are. Ultimately, that is the definition of bravery: not being afraid of yourself.
I think this tied in nicely to finishing a review of Nietzsche’s work on becoming who you are. The more I read on focusing on creativity the more I think it needs to be a consistent focus in my life. Whether that’s singing, dancing, writing, or just working on problems this is important for my day to day life.
Album of the week: Chris Stapleton – From A Room, Volume 1
Seeking Progress 