Greetings my Month 11 MAC cohort.
Are you enjoying 'The Art of Possibility' yet? Did you think it was possible to remove yourself from a seemingly constrictive and incessant bind to rack up accomplishments and enter a convalescence of enjoying a life full of zest and free will? I live in Chicago guys, where this week into next the NATO summit will literally be invading all aspects of my world. My family and I received letters of bizarre announcements, such as our mail being delayed and to avoid bringing backpacks or water bottles onto the public transportation services. Yet, rather than complain, I have bestowed upon myself the opportunity to practice Rule Number 6 (to lighten up), succumb to a newfound appreciation for the global leaders from 28 countries visiting Chicago, be in the present and embrace the silver lining, and give way to what is to come. This book we are all reading is changing my life completely.
Chapter 5, Leading From Any Chair, taught me the real worth of a humanitarian by looking out for the good and engagement of the group, as opposed to gaining personal stature. You guys might already know, I'm a current resident of i.c.stars|* (http://icstars.org/), a technology-based workforce and leadership development training program to create change-driven, future leaders and create opportunities for others. Our mission is to create 1,000 community leaders by the year 2020. I gained a lot of insight into leadership from this chapter. I had no idea that conductors and corporate heads and managers blame their mistakes on their orchestra or employees. I came to the awareness that leadership is not limited to conductors, presidents, or CEOs, though includes average people like musicians who communicate newfound appreciation for their tasks or parents who nurture their children to have a desire to speak up and contribute.
Chapter 6, Rule Number 6, is something I need to print out and tape up on my wall. Ever since I can remember, I have been drenched with a "calculating self" -- not so much with the desire to "look out for Number One", yet keep up with our competing world. The "Have the Best Sex Ever" game was hilarious and the rules are marvelous: Have it. Be Fulfilled. What guy wouldn't love to receive a phone call like that with an invitation to play? The quote: "Imagine a world in which your entire possession is one raspberry and you give it to your friend" really spoke out to me and gave me the clearest perception on our "central selves". I understand the "central self" as the part of us that should promote human development and transformation -- hence, the reason why we are all in the EMDT program! However, the most profound story I enjoyed in Chapter 6 was about the homeless man offering HIS worldly possession of 3 dollars for Vikram's hamburger meal. Clearly, there isn't much the homeless can do to create a humane world and offer charity and abundance, yet his act was his golden ticket to the remarkable "Universe of Possibility".
Chapter 7, The Way Things Are, was my favorite chapter for this week's reading. Seriously -- if you had the opportunity to be in Florida for winter vacation, and instead of getting sun and warmth, it rains like cats and dogs, would you sit there nagging about it throughout the vacation? So what if you don't get to play golf. You can dance in the rain. You can order take-in. You can REST. You can make love. You can play video games. The POSSIBILITIES are endless. Same thing about skiing on ice. It's ALL a state of mind. You WILL fall flat on your behind if you go down the slope thinking it will be painful. However, you will gracefully make it to the other side if you think of it as a friendly walk in the park. My favorite quote of this chapter was: "A canceled flight may wreck our schedule and bring us face to face with our future spouse in the airport lounge." It's exactly true. Avoid the downward spiral talk that excludes possibility, and embrace the silver lining.
Chapter 8, Giving Way to Passion, was a simple read, because it was a no-brainer. If you hold back and refuse to let up your barriers, you can't lose control of yourself and feel free. If you can't participate wholly, you can't create a new expression for the world. I loved the quote from the A Leap story: "Let it's (the river) force run through me. Let it turn all my molecules in its direction; trust it and surrender. Let it give me what it has to offer." It sounds like passion, smells like passion, and will churn through you like passion. Giving way to passion is like performers connecting to the long line of music rather than focusing on perfecting individual notes and harmonies. Giving way to passion is connecting with what's all around you (i.e. the waves in the sea, the wind through the grass, etc). All of these stories in Chapter 8 reminded me a lot of both Pocahontas' Colors of the Wind song and The Lion King's Circle of Life song haha.
Well, if you'll excuse me, I would like to return back to the "Universe of Possibility" and not worry about getting my assignments on FSO completed. Adios.
Are you enjoying 'The Art of Possibility' yet? Did you think it was possible to remove yourself from a seemingly constrictive and incessant bind to rack up accomplishments and enter a convalescence of enjoying a life full of zest and free will? I live in Chicago guys, where this week into next the NATO summit will literally be invading all aspects of my world. My family and I received letters of bizarre announcements, such as our mail being delayed and to avoid bringing backpacks or water bottles onto the public transportation services. Yet, rather than complain, I have bestowed upon myself the opportunity to practice Rule Number 6 (to lighten up), succumb to a newfound appreciation for the global leaders from 28 countries visiting Chicago, be in the present and embrace the silver lining, and give way to what is to come. This book we are all reading is changing my life completely.
Chapter 5, Leading From Any Chair, taught me the real worth of a humanitarian by looking out for the good and engagement of the group, as opposed to gaining personal stature. You guys might already know, I'm a current resident of i.c.stars|* (http://icstars.org/), a technology-based workforce and leadership development training program to create change-driven, future leaders and create opportunities for others. Our mission is to create 1,000 community leaders by the year 2020. I gained a lot of insight into leadership from this chapter. I had no idea that conductors and corporate heads and managers blame their mistakes on their orchestra or employees. I came to the awareness that leadership is not limited to conductors, presidents, or CEOs, though includes average people like musicians who communicate newfound appreciation for their tasks or parents who nurture their children to have a desire to speak up and contribute.
Chapter 6, Rule Number 6, is something I need to print out and tape up on my wall. Ever since I can remember, I have been drenched with a "calculating self" -- not so much with the desire to "look out for Number One", yet keep up with our competing world. The "Have the Best Sex Ever" game was hilarious and the rules are marvelous: Have it. Be Fulfilled. What guy wouldn't love to receive a phone call like that with an invitation to play? The quote: "Imagine a world in which your entire possession is one raspberry and you give it to your friend" really spoke out to me and gave me the clearest perception on our "central selves". I understand the "central self" as the part of us that should promote human development and transformation -- hence, the reason why we are all in the EMDT program! However, the most profound story I enjoyed in Chapter 6 was about the homeless man offering HIS worldly possession of 3 dollars for Vikram's hamburger meal. Clearly, there isn't much the homeless can do to create a humane world and offer charity and abundance, yet his act was his golden ticket to the remarkable "Universe of Possibility".
Chapter 7, The Way Things Are, was my favorite chapter for this week's reading. Seriously -- if you had the opportunity to be in Florida for winter vacation, and instead of getting sun and warmth, it rains like cats and dogs, would you sit there nagging about it throughout the vacation? So what if you don't get to play golf. You can dance in the rain. You can order take-in. You can REST. You can make love. You can play video games. The POSSIBILITIES are endless. Same thing about skiing on ice. It's ALL a state of mind. You WILL fall flat on your behind if you go down the slope thinking it will be painful. However, you will gracefully make it to the other side if you think of it as a friendly walk in the park. My favorite quote of this chapter was: "A canceled flight may wreck our schedule and bring us face to face with our future spouse in the airport lounge." It's exactly true. Avoid the downward spiral talk that excludes possibility, and embrace the silver lining.
Downward Spiral Talk vs. Conversations for Possibility
Chapter 8, Giving Way to Passion, was a simple read, because it was a no-brainer. If you hold back and refuse to let up your barriers, you can't lose control of yourself and feel free. If you can't participate wholly, you can't create a new expression for the world. I loved the quote from the A Leap story: "Let it's (the river) force run through me. Let it turn all my molecules in its direction; trust it and surrender. Let it give me what it has to offer." It sounds like passion, smells like passion, and will churn through you like passion. Giving way to passion is like performers connecting to the long line of music rather than focusing on perfecting individual notes and harmonies. Giving way to passion is connecting with what's all around you (i.e. the waves in the sea, the wind through the grass, etc). All of these stories in Chapter 8 reminded me a lot of both Pocahontas' Colors of the Wind song and The Lion King's Circle of Life song haha.
Well, if you'll excuse me, I would like to return back to the "Universe of Possibility" and not worry about getting my assignments on FSO completed. Adios.
Shrav,
ReplyDeleteWhat a great opportunity to put Rule number 6 into motion... seems the reading came at an appropriate time for you.
Great piece to media to highlight all that we've reading so far. Such wonderful and amazing possibilities in the circle of life... within every aspect of life there are boundless opportunities.
Great way to give back to our global community.
What an awesome opportunity, Shrav! I hope you definitely take this moment to live in the now and enjoy the way things are! With your skills and talent, all those world leaders could be there just for the off chance of bumping into YOU!
ReplyDeleteEnjoy!
Shrav,
ReplyDeleteThe way that you pointed out certain words in your response to this week's readings was unique. The words that were used in all caps were "all", "possibilities", and "rest." As I think about your response to the chapters, I can think of doing all those activities you listed and enjoying the possibilities without relying on one bit or rest. I especially like the thought of dancing in the rain or ordering take-in for a change. I haven't done that in a long, long time. (See how I used those words too; your comments and response got me to thinking of another point of view from which to see the 'art of those possibilities.')
Thanks for the thorough reflection and sharing.
Thanks, Dara
DeleteWonderful and in-depth look at this week's reading... Love how issues that are happening right now in your neighborhood can be brought into aspects of the reading... your comment about vacations in Florida reminded me of when we used to do our monthly graduation at Hard Rock Live at Universal and in the summer months we'd see the families visiting the park who forgot that the summer months are the rainest months in Florida and that the best time in Florida is December through February. Ack. There's no such thing as bad weather, just inappropriate clothing for the weather... Love the book too.
ReplyDelete