Doing What You Love v. Loving What You Do (The Sequel)

Posted on April 3, 2013 by Chris

We should all be so lucky to find our dream calling. That thing that we are so called to doing that we are “self-actualized” (see Maslow’s Hierarchy; also see The Problem with Maslow). I wonder if any of you have had a self-dialogue like I have had similar to the ones below:

“As soon as I find my calling, then I’ll be happy. Certainly, what I am doing now certainly is not it. I am definitely not fully satisfied doing this/being here. I need to find my dream job/life/place to live/love/home/etc., and then I will find happiness.” YOU ARE STUCK IN A TASK THAT IS NOT YOUR LOVE.

or maybe you’re here:

Continue reading →

Doing What I Love or Loving What I Do?

Posted on March 30, 2013 by Chris

I recently had an opportunity to meet up with some old friends from the military at a retirement for a friend. This friend was doing what he loved, the Air Force was his dream job. I was envious. I retired from the military precisely because it was not what I loved. It was not my “dream job.” My friend will be moving on to a high-powered corporate management gig, and I started to wonder how he will do outside of his “dream job.” But then I realized something about my friend. It wasn’t that he was doing what he loved, it’s because he loves what he’s doing. My friend is going to love his new gig because he simply has a great attitude about things wherever he goes. More specifically, he loves making “good things happen to people” (his words). Fortunately for him, in management (a field used in every industry and calling) it always involves people.

This retirement event was a soul-searching one for me, Continue reading →

The Journey Toward Consistency

Posted on March 27, 2013 by Chris

“Every error implies conflict; for since he who errs does not wish to go wrong but to go right, plainly he is not doing what he wishes.” Epictetus (See Full Quote Here)

What is Epictetus getting at here? If you read the full excerpt, there is a lot to digest in this philosophical pondering. In the end, it comes down to this: Think before you do. When I take an action, when I make a decision about what to do, and when I choose how I will live my life, it should be consistent with my values, with my rationality. Continue reading →

Take a Breath, Reflect

Quote

Posted on March 16, 2013 by Chris

“Adorn thyself with simplicity and modesty and with indifference towards the things which lie between virtue and vice. Love mankind. Follow God.” –Marcus’ Meditations Book 7

In this case, Marcus Aurelius wants to stress to himself that to be simple and modest is best. As for the things which “lie between virtue and vice,” maybe we really don’t know it all. Maybe we don’t know the answer. We all have our judgments of right and wrong, but maybe we should stop judging, at least a little bit. Sometimes, we might just be better to just breathe…to just “be.” Don’t judge, like we always do as humans…just exist, take a breath, take several breaths. Be like the stone at the bottom of the river and let the water flow over you, and just be there and exist…not judging.

Take some time, and just be.

When you’ve mastered that, then love everything around you (especially “mankind”). Sometimes this is hard to do, no? ALL of mankind? Really, really try. Don’t hold back. Love all of mankind. All that is happening now, is meant to happen. The good, the bad, and the ugly. It is all under the auspices of the cosmos, our divine existence.

Young or old…

Be good to yourself, be good to those close, be good to those beyond (me, we, they…).

I “am” as I “do?”

Posted on March 14, 2013 by Chris

Who am I? I have had many roles, and continue to have more…too many in fact. Here are the ones I can think of:

Blogger
Father
Husband
Pilot
Personal Trainer
College Instructor
Teacher (to my young children)
Investor
Brother
Son
Philosopher
Retired Officer
Veteran
Liberty Activist

But these are just roles I play. There were times in my past when I wanted some of these to define who I was. Occasionally, I still latch on to one of them and think, “that’s my calling, that’s who I am?” However, none of these roles are who I am in entirety. I am all of these and none of them all at the same time. When someone asks me, “what do you do?”, it’s a tough question. I do a lot. If someone asks me “who are you?” (which they never do), then what is the answer? It’s an even tougher question; or is it?

What role will I play today?

I am at a point in my life where I am defined by no one thing. This is a good thing, I think. I have been headed in that direction for some time now. In the past year, since I retired from military servitude, I have had much more time to explore and dive into things that I like and do things that are more productive. I don’t have goals, so much as I have themes (I stole the “themes” theme from James Altucher: see more). My themes are simple, yet my means seem to be surprisingly complicated. Every time I write down the themes I wish to pursue, they come down to these three:

Have Fun (through interesting and meaningful pursuits)
Help People (family, job, and community)
Pursue Liberty (for me and others)

I will readily admit that these three themes necessitate a grasping of this world. However, I always try to remember that my participation in this world doesn’t necessitate my belief that this participation in it is permanent, or that I will make a lasting impact in much of what I do. I just am, while I try. As a philosopher, I should pursue my themes with some rational detachment. In the end, I will be gone and so will you. The goal then is to just “be,” while pulling your weight along the way. At the end as I utter my last breaths, I could ask myself:

“Did you enjoy it along the way?”
“Did you do your best to be a positive influence on those around you?”

However I can answer these 2 questions, then that is who I am. I hope to answer YES, to both.

PS: I just realized 2 things: 1) This post is like an open journal entry and 2) It comprises bits and pieces of the three influencing philosophies from my life raft.