Do not go where the path may lead; go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. Ralph Waldo Emerson.
In Zen Buddhism Shoskin is a concept meaning “beginner’s mind.” It refers to the idea of having an attitude of openness, an eagerness, possessing a lack of preconceived notions, willing to admit you haven’t all the answers.
With a beginner’s mind, there is enthusiasm, optimism, zeal – and the courage to take that all-important, first step on a journey without knowing the destination.
It is always important to know when something has reached its end; closing circles, shutting doors, finishing chapters it doesn’t matter what we call it: What matters is to leave behind us in the past those moments in life that are over. Paulo Coelho. The Zahir.
How many times a day do we hear ourselves saying, “What if…?” or “If only…?”
In today’s world you can so easily get caught up in doing instead of being. Has that ever happened to you? I know it has to me.
You can get so focused on creating the perfect life, the perfect business, the perfect home, the perfect mate…. the perfect whatever. You are constantly striving, worrying about losing your place in the pecking order, winning or losing, protecting what you have while looking for more.
You get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life.
It’s at this point when you begin to think, hey, wait a minute. If I have all this stuff and I have done all this, why do I feel so empty? Boredom and ennui become your constant companions.
What’s next, you wonder and what do I have to do to get it?
That’s the point to to those open-ended questions “what ifs…?” and “If onlys…” They can provide clues to a possible new direction or vocation if you will follow up on them.
For some, when they do, the dreaming begins again. Imagining begins anew. When you imagine you open up to different possibilities, new life styles and different goals. You start exploring again and asking questions.
More often than not the answers arrives with the knowledge that it’s not what you are doing. It is who you are that counts. So you take a different tack, closing he door behind you and move on – this time working with your heart and not just your head.
And jump right back into the absolutely amazing game of life.
Audacity – a noun meaning boldness, courage or chutzpah
Try as we might, we cannot hold back change. It is fruitless to try. As innovation and technology continue unabated, many companies and whole industries are faltering and slowly losing traction – unable or unwilling to adapt or change to the new realities.
It applies to individuals, too. There is no escaping. If you want to grow, as difficult and scary as it is – and it is very scary – you must break out of your comfort zone and become comfortable with the unfamiliar and unknown.
Sometimes you have to have the audacity to do something you have never done before.
In our social media driven, 24/7 world just keeping up is a challenge.
There is hardly a pause. We’re tweeting, texting, emailing… chattering away… like birds on a wire. Looking for what’s next and newest.
Distractionitis is spreading. If you think you have caught it, don’t worry. There is a cure. It is called focus.
Get focused again. Stay focused.
Whatever your business or your objective, at the start of everyday, ask yourself this one, all important question: Is what I’m doing right now moving me towards or away from the outcome I am looking for?
The late American author Neil Postman in his book, Amusing Ourselves To Death, suggested that America, seduced by the mass media and entertainment industry was slowly, inexorably spending more and more time entertaining itself to death.
And he wrote that way back in the 80’s. Before the advent of social media. Prescient as be certainly appeared to be, it seems almost impossible to deny this premise today.
Still, real life isn’t as we see it portrayed in the movie, on TV and our various digital devices.
Real life is often complicated and messy. Everything doesn’t play out in a tidy hour or so and it doesn’t depend upon what happens in the next few minutes.
Building, living a real life takes time, a lifetime.
