Well-framed and spot on. If our identities are built on an "ought" self - what external perspectives/society tells us we 'ought' to be - our measures for success tend to be externally driven ('outcomes' assessed from the outside-in). This did a nice job reminding me that our ideal/virtous self should be measured on 'progress not perfection' as the saying goes.
I’ve shaded this with at least 4+ different people because of how much and how deeply it struck me. I always look forward to your posts, so thank you!!
I had to smile at this, because you actually just wrote a beautiful, description of karma! In the West, karma is often misunderstood as 'cosmic scorekeeping' or a metaphysical rewards system. But the original word simply translates to 'action' or 'doing.' It’s the reality that our intentional choices leave imprints on our minds, shaping our habits and ultimately building our character.
This hit hard — and not just at the personal level.
I walk into organizations every week where this exact pattern is playing out in boardrooms. They followed the strategy. They hired the right people. They invested in the transformation. And they're still not getting the outcomes they expected.
The Stoic answer works beautifully for individuals — separate what you control from what you don't, and build character through the gap.
But organizations don't get that grace. The board isn't interested in philosophical acceptance. The COO sitting in that room knows something is off — the effort is real, the intent is there — but the thing that's actually missing rarely shows up on a dashboard.
It's not effort. It's not strategy. It's whether the conditions inside the organization make execution logical — not just possible.
That's a different problem than randomness. And unlike the personal version, it's one you can actually close.
Today was a crucial day of inner debate and chaotic struggle to deepen the search for a common, yet significant shadow - performance anxiety and relevance of having to be enough - to be accepted in family, social circles, and professional pursuits. All that I beleived that seem to have led to success was stalling. Your exposition of my disillusionment is timely to the context and state of being in life (87yrs) and yet called upon to be in service of those gripped with dysfunctional anxiety.I am set to 'rebuild my why' of addressing intergenerational anxiety and trauma from a helping avatar, which I always cherished as a virtue.
For 17 years I have been on the hunt for a goal that has sapped all of me without delivering my desired outcomes. I'm so far gone now that I can't bear to stop.
I recently started to think that whatever the outcome is maybe the effort was more my cosmic mission. That way I found peace and extra energy to fight on.
Now I think I'm almost there, my latest opportunity feels like my time has finally come! Reading this just gave me clarity and made me feel less like a "dreamer". Thank you so much.
This piece provides a positive framework to defeat the development of a victim mentality and posture. Success becomes more defined as the result of what the individual has benefited from within the experience, rather than the benefit of a satisfaction of achieving a preset goal. That keeps bitterness on a leash, at the very least. I could've benefited from that perspective years ago, as my anger was given a season to write blank checks, based on entitlement.
Love this! So timely and profound. I work hard because the work itself is fulfilling, and because it increases (somewhat) my odds of success, not because the work guarantees success. And I work hard so I can, idiomatically, look myself in the mirror or sleep well at night. I work hard because it sustains my sense of self. Thank you!
Thanks for this valuable information, I am assuming that this was perfect for so many of us that try so hard to get it right. Shifting this point of view can liberate us in ways that we may not have thought about. Permission to really succeed at a deeper level!
Damn this was good. The most important step is always "the next one" not the first one and not the final one, but the next one. Growth through journey.
Well-framed and spot on. If our identities are built on an "ought" self - what external perspectives/society tells us we 'ought' to be - our measures for success tend to be externally driven ('outcomes' assessed from the outside-in). This did a nice job reminding me that our ideal/virtous self should be measured on 'progress not perfection' as the saying goes.
I’ve shaded this with at least 4+ different people because of how much and how deeply it struck me. I always look forward to your posts, so thank you!!
I had to smile at this, because you actually just wrote a beautiful, description of karma! In the West, karma is often misunderstood as 'cosmic scorekeeping' or a metaphysical rewards system. But the original word simply translates to 'action' or 'doing.' It’s the reality that our intentional choices leave imprints on our minds, shaping our habits and ultimately building our character.
Great!
Absolutely amazing read. Like what bob proctor always says: "Have
faith that what should happen must happen, and in
the right time, it will happen."
This hit hard — and not just at the personal level.
I walk into organizations every week where this exact pattern is playing out in boardrooms. They followed the strategy. They hired the right people. They invested in the transformation. And they're still not getting the outcomes they expected.
The Stoic answer works beautifully for individuals — separate what you control from what you don't, and build character through the gap.
But organizations don't get that grace. The board isn't interested in philosophical acceptance. The COO sitting in that room knows something is off — the effort is real, the intent is there — but the thing that's actually missing rarely shows up on a dashboard.
It's not effort. It's not strategy. It's whether the conditions inside the organization make execution logical — not just possible.
That's a different problem than randomness. And unlike the personal version, it's one you can actually close.
Challenges = Growth
Better to fail 100 times over than to stand still in the safe zone.
This is what I needed today. Very useful to remember when things go bad.
Ok
Today was a crucial day of inner debate and chaotic struggle to deepen the search for a common, yet significant shadow - performance anxiety and relevance of having to be enough - to be accepted in family, social circles, and professional pursuits. All that I beleived that seem to have led to success was stalling. Your exposition of my disillusionment is timely to the context and state of being in life (87yrs) and yet called upon to be in service of those gripped with dysfunctional anxiety.I am set to 'rebuild my why' of addressing intergenerational anxiety and trauma from a helping avatar, which I always cherished as a virtue.
For 17 years I have been on the hunt for a goal that has sapped all of me without delivering my desired outcomes. I'm so far gone now that I can't bear to stop.
I recently started to think that whatever the outcome is maybe the effort was more my cosmic mission. That way I found peace and extra energy to fight on.
Now I think I'm almost there, my latest opportunity feels like my time has finally come! Reading this just gave me clarity and made me feel less like a "dreamer". Thank you so much.
This piece provides a positive framework to defeat the development of a victim mentality and posture. Success becomes more defined as the result of what the individual has benefited from within the experience, rather than the benefit of a satisfaction of achieving a preset goal. That keeps bitterness on a leash, at the very least. I could've benefited from that perspective years ago, as my anger was given a season to write blank checks, based on entitlement.
Love this! So timely and profound. I work hard because the work itself is fulfilling, and because it increases (somewhat) my odds of success, not because the work guarantees success. And I work hard so I can, idiomatically, look myself in the mirror or sleep well at night. I work hard because it sustains my sense of self. Thank you!
Thanks for this valuable information, I am assuming that this was perfect for so many of us that try so hard to get it right. Shifting this point of view can liberate us in ways that we may not have thought about. Permission to really succeed at a deeper level!
What an interesting angle on handling disappointment when you have tried your best. great value
Damn this was good. The most important step is always "the next one" not the first one and not the final one, but the next one. Growth through journey.