Ever feel like you’re stuck in a Catch-22? Can’t figure how to break out of it?
Challenge your premises and identify which one of them is flawed; you’ll find at least one that definitely is. Then just figure out why it was incorrect in the first place, and replace it with one that isn’t!
There is absolutely nothing wrong with holding strong opinions as long as you are their architect; an opinion must be more than just an echo.
Emotional Pollution requires a host environment – it cannot exist outside of you. So if you are feeling lousy, check to see that you’re not keeping any pollutants clinging to your mind by default.
“We become that to which we give our attention.” – Aristotle
There comes a time when each of us, mindful or not, sees our expectations of moving forward outpacing our actual performance. And the result is that we find ourselves mentally stuck or stalled in a, well, let’s call it a “crappy place”. But while it feels very real, it’s often just feeling and not fact. So ending up there once in a while is not necessarily something that has to be “fixed” right away.
Sounds crazy, right? Well, here’s the method behind my madness: If you can focus on maintaining a certain level of objectivity while you are in the middle of a mental maelstrom, you can actually get a lot more insight (about you & it) than if you were outside of it. Think about it: You get the benefits of being an objective observer as well as the benefits of being an active participant – kind of like being a war correspondent on the battlefield but without having to worry about being shot at.
So next time you find yourself mentally in a “crappy place”, don’t be too hard on yourself. Instead, enthusiastically seize the opportunity to learn something about how you operate on your deepest levels – it may be a little scary, but it’s a great way to uncover some of that hidden potential.
Nietzsche sums it up beautifully: “He possesses heart who knows fear but masters fear; who sees the abyss, but sees it with pride. He who sees the abyss, but with eagle’s eyes – he who grasps the abyss with an eagle’s claws: he possesses courage.”
Potential and Possibilities are just two sides of the same coin.
Potential is internal and based on the qualities you now possess; Possibilities are the various forms your Potential may take when expressed in the outside world.
Appreciating the difference helps you make the most of both!
Try looking at uncertainty not as a gun to your head, but as a surfboard for riding rogue waves; now hang ten!
Developing your Principles requires consistent effort over time. The substance of your Principles – maturity, insight, and their development – cannot be “crammed”, as if for an exam.
Every opportunity to develop your principles is singularly unique, and once gone it cannot be recovered. Hence the saying: “Negligence is an extreme thing.”
So remember, each day is full of opportunities to develop your Principles – make the effort to seize every one!