About 6 years ago, I wrote the first draft of a book for my kids titled, Essential Truths You Need to Know Growing Up. Last week, as I started reviewing the content edits I got back from the editor, I got this sinking feeling about how bad it is. It needs a lot of work, and I am questioning if it is worth it. I think it won’t reach anyone. It for sure won’t make any money. Is it worth it? I don’t know.
This brings me back to the quote from St. Thomas, “If we bring forth what is within us, it will save us and if we don’t, it will destroy us.” The more positive version of this is taught by Dr. Srikumar Rao. He says there are two keys to a great life, to real happiness. The first is to accept and enjoy the current moment exactly as it is, without wanting to change anything. I am getting much better at this. The second is what I have written about before, “The purpose recognized by ourself as a mighty one.” except he puts it in a different way. There is something we are put here to do that is uniquely ours to do. It is within us and it is our job, joy, and desire to bring it forth. But here is the key, bring it forth without any regards for the results. If it is a book we want to bring forth, we do so for the joy of bringing it forth, not for it to be a best seller. We don’t make our happiness dependent on the outcome. “As he says, a flower doesn’t flower to get a 1,000 likes on social media. It flowers because it is its nature to do so. Here’s to us all having the courage to bring that forth without being stopped by what the results might or might not be. As I wrote about last week, let’s enjoy the process and time of bringing this forward, be it being a parent, writing a book, making music, launching a podcast, serving our communities, doing an Ironman, connecting others, teaching, creating a technology, product or service, or leading a business. I didn’t do that Ironman to get a certain time, but to do it. If I felt I had to have a certain time, I likely wouldn’t have even done it, and if I had, it would not have been fun and really sucked if I missed that time. I am not a parent to have famous kids, but for the joy, challenges, and love of being a parent. It was precisely by letting go of these high-achieving expectations of my children that has built our relationships and helped them truly thrive. If I really wanted this book to be a best seller, I would never have started it.
What would you do, be, create if you have no concern about the results, if you just did what was in your nature to do?
Have a great weekend,
Art
