the ultimate gift

We tend to get tunnel vision when we’re only thinking about ourselves. The big picture becomes impossible to see.

Things eventually get real small and the pressure goes up.

Ironically, it’s through service - the efforts that bring forth a greater good, the energy that positively affects others - that the self’s needs truly get met.

As life’s possibilities and passions begin to be realized, the world opens up, gets bigger, and the pressure goes down.

Once things become more about others and less about ourselves, do things really begin to matter.

This is the only way to spend one’s life for maximum meaning to emerge.

This pursuit of life’s purpose, and the hope of finding it, is the great obsession of many who desire to make a difference in the world.

And to make a difference - to leave more than you take - is the ultimate accomplishment… and the ultimate gift.

Today in Music History 06/30

TiMH June 30

In 1943, The Supremes vocalist Florence Ballard is born.

In 1944, Little River Band lead singer Glenn Shorrock is born.

In 1951, Sweet guitarist Andy Scott is born.

In 1968, Pantera lead singer Philip Anselmo is born.

In 1973, George Harrison knocked Paul McCartney from the top of the US singles chart with “Give Me Love, Give Me Peace On Earth.” His second US No.1 hit.

In 1984, Huey Lewis and the News went to No.1 on the US album chart with Sports.

In 1995, Garth Brooks was given a star on Hollywood’s Walk Of Fame. The Country singer buried the master tapes of his Hits album under the star.

Good intentions are sometimes only sentiments of pending procrastination.

mirror

Sometimes it’s necessary to make changes to things that may have long been apart of who you’ve been and who you are, but are now holding you back.

“I was doing superficial comedy entertaining people who didn’t really care: Businessmen, people in nightclubs, conservative people. And I had been doing that for the better part of 10 years when it finally dawned on me that I was in the wrong places doing the wrong things for the wrong people.”  - George Carlin on evolving his comedy act in the early 1970’s.

Whether it’s tweaking your act, adjusting your business approach, or revamping how you manage your relationships… the key is awareness followed by immediate action. Truly look at yourself inside out. Pay attention to what hasn’t been working in life up to this point. Then decide if you really want to make some changes. If your motivation for change is more about wanting to rather than needing to, your results will be greater. 

If you’re honestly in the right place, doing the right things, with and for the right people, then commit to doing everything you can not to screw it up. Look in the mirror, make the tough decisions, and continue making the necessary changes as needed. You really can’t afford not to.

“Reinventing the Sacred”

Reinventing the Sacred by Stuart A. Kauffman

If you’re one who enjoys deep, philosophical reflection, meaning-of-life-type books then Reinventing the Sacred, by a renowned biologist and complexity theorist, may just be for you. This book addresses the limitations of rationality (and reason) in the face of an evolving, creative universe. It’s heavy, yet helpful:

“One view of God is that God is our chosen name for the ceaseless creativity in the natural universe, biosphere, and human cultures. Because of this ceaseless creativity, we typically do not and cannot know what will happen. We live our lives forward, as Kierkegaard said. We live as if we knew, as Nietzsche said. We live our lives forward into mystery, and do so with faith and courage, for that is the mandate of life itself.

But the fact that we must live our lives forward into a ceaseless creativity that we cannot fully understand means that reason alone is an insufficient guide to living our lives. Reason, the center of the Enlightenment, is but one of the evolved, fully human means we use to live our lives. Reason itself has finally led us to see the inadequacy of reason. We must therefore reunite our full humanity. We must see ourselves whole, living in a creative world we can never fully know.”  - Stuart A. Kauffman, Reinventing the Sacred

Whew! The translation you ask? Here’s my take in 87 words:

Reason and intelligence have limits that the most reasonable and intelligent among us, by definition, have to concede. To declare that we “know” what is impossible to know is unreasonable and the ultimate ignorance. We cannot know what we do not understand. Yet we understand that some things are unknowable. Moving forward through life we make our way while taking our best guesses at how things will play out. When we’re right, we say we knew it; when we’re wrong, we should say we knew that too. BUY the book.

“Peaceful Warrior”

The motion picture version of author Dan Millman’s classic book, Way of the Peaceful Warrior had a big impact on me for a variety of reasons. First, like the book, it is simply one of those movies that gets you thinking… about the positive. It encourages a person to reconsider what’s really important in life. Second, it’s honest. The storytelling combines optimism with the challenging realities that life throws at us sometimes. Without being an overblown, fairy-tale-type film, the movie’s message is able to inspire while not coming off predictable. Finally, we’re left with the all important take-away. Co-star Nick Nolte (Soc), lists the three keys to life. Here they are, in order, complete with my take… Get the movie & read the book, you’ll be glad you did!

1. Paradox - Things aren’t always what they seem; sometimes they are the opposite of what logic would dictate. In order to be more, we often have to become less; we have to serve. Sometimes what appears good on paper, is actually poison for the soul. Blazing new trails and being true to yourself is uncommon in these times where conformity is king. Don’t settle. Seek what’s true for you… especially if it goes against the grain. You will what you will.

2. Humor - Don’t take yourself and everything in this life so seriously. We have to be able to laugh at ourselves. It invigorates the soul and prolongs life. Find the humor in situations that gnaw at you. It’s there, you just have to look in the right places. Laughter is medicine for the spirit; the elixur of life.

3. Change - It’s inevitable. The unhappiest people in the world are 1) those who don’t really know what they want, and 2) those who resist change. Figure out what really inspires you and then face the inevitable challenges that come with pursuing a dream. The alternative to embracing change is stagnating in the status quo… and for this writer, life is just too short for that.

It’s the journey of course, not the destination, that yields true happiness. So why is it so hard for most of us to be in the now and enjoy the moments of the journey? The revelry and regrets of yesterday, and the promise of tomorrow are often attractive distractions. But they are just that… distractions that block us from really living today. It’s an ongoing effort for most, but one that we cannot afford to do without. BUY the movie. BUY the book.

Today in Music History 06/22

TiMH June 22

In 1936, singer/songwriter/actor Kris Kristofferson is born.

In 1948, guitarist/producer Todd Rundgren is born.

In 1953, singer/songwriter Cyndi Lauper is born.

In 1956, Simple Minds bassist, Derek Forbes is born.

In 1957, INXS bassist Gary Beers is born.

In 1968, The Jeff Beck group featuring Rod Stewart made their US debut at the Fillmore East, New York.

In 1974, Gordon Lightfoot started a two-week run at No.1 on the US album chart with “Sundown.”

When you know it, and you doubt it, you kill it.

the time of my life

Frequently rushed → Usually on time.
Moderately successful → Occasionally frustrated.
Incessantly driven → Rarely lazy.
Temporarily crazy → Partially idealistic.
Consistently optimisitc → Endlessly learning…