One of the invitations before session 2 was to write a letter to yourself, to be sealed and delivered to you at the Journey's end.
Since I am still so unsure of what I hope to gain from this experience, I am trying to accept all invitations, I have a worry of 'doing it wrong' or 'missing something important' that will keep me from reaching whatever pinnacle it is I have yet to identify.
So, I wrote the letter today and it kind of turned into a journal and totally got away from me at points, but I tried to just let it flow unedited. Some of the things I wrote were hard to put in print, where someone might see them! I kept saying, "pen to paper, now! It's a letter to yourself, so you can see how much you grew in 4 months, not a manuscript for publication" but then I start thinking about the poor relatives who might have to suffer through my ramblings long after I'm gone and am reminded of why I do not keep a diary. The letter remains unshredded, invitation accepted, but I don't expect it to live long past its April delivery. The conversations I have with myself are not the perspectives I put forward as my identity, and I'd like to keep it that way. Plus, the letter was damned depressing.
Showing posts with label Pre-reflections. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pre-reflections. Show all posts
Thursday, January 6, 2011
How to stay foolish, and my emotional sense of smell
Tonight I read a copy of a commencement speech given by Steve Jobs. In it he referenced The Whole Earth Catalog, a publication I had quite frankly never heard of. He desribes the back cover of an issue in the 70's as having a photo of the open road with the quote "Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish." His description of it, and the way he used this quote to sum up his own philosophy of the importance of following your passion left me with the overwhelming need to see this image.
Digital archiving and the internet to the rescue. It was odd scrolling the pages with listings so diverse I won't even try to describe them, you'll have to experience it for yourself. The odd part was I suddenly smelled old books. Just looking at the typewriter typeface and the microfiche-y edges to the scans made me think of something that has been around longer than me. Not much longer, the issue with the image I was hunting for was from 1971, but still old enough to have that musty-pile-of-magazines-in-the-back-room smell. I have always found old books to hold immediate appeal, and many of my most 'new' ideas or revelation causing works have been stumbled upon in titles no longer in print.
The catalog itself is not profound. Ambitious and unique for its time I read, but fun more than anything. Something I never would have found if not for the Steve Jobs speech being provided as a piece for potential reflection.
The image is grainy and reminds me of my parents pre-kids polaroid photo albums, full of slightly unrealistic colors and adventures they kissed goodbye when I was born.
But back to the tagline, Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish. According to Jobs it refers to living your life and not being trapped by the thinking of others, of boldly doing and trusting that it will all work out in the end. How can I 'stay foolish' when I have spent my whole life fearing making the wrong choices, or of being selfish in a way that would threaten my security or that of my family. Can a person intentionally learn to 'be' foolish?
I'm not saying I haven't made stupid choices, but that's not what it's about. Foolish in this context is perhaps better defined as doing what the world might deem stupid or inappropriate, but doing it anyway because it is right for you. Which brings me back to the question I have had since beginning the Journey program, what is right/important for me? Reflection so far has only pointed out what is not.
Digital archiving and the internet to the rescue. It was odd scrolling the pages with listings so diverse I won't even try to describe them, you'll have to experience it for yourself. The odd part was I suddenly smelled old books. Just looking at the typewriter typeface and the microfiche-y edges to the scans made me think of something that has been around longer than me. Not much longer, the issue with the image I was hunting for was from 1971, but still old enough to have that musty-pile-of-magazines-in-the-back-room smell. I have always found old books to hold immediate appeal, and many of my most 'new' ideas or revelation causing works have been stumbled upon in titles no longer in print.
The catalog itself is not profound. Ambitious and unique for its time I read, but fun more than anything. Something I never would have found if not for the Steve Jobs speech being provided as a piece for potential reflection.
The image is grainy and reminds me of my parents pre-kids polaroid photo albums, full of slightly unrealistic colors and adventures they kissed goodbye when I was born.
But back to the tagline, Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish. According to Jobs it refers to living your life and not being trapped by the thinking of others, of boldly doing and trusting that it will all work out in the end. How can I 'stay foolish' when I have spent my whole life fearing making the wrong choices, or of being selfish in a way that would threaten my security or that of my family. Can a person intentionally learn to 'be' foolish?
I'm not saying I haven't made stupid choices, but that's not what it's about. Foolish in this context is perhaps better defined as doing what the world might deem stupid or inappropriate, but doing it anyway because it is right for you. Which brings me back to the question I have had since beginning the Journey program, what is right/important for me? Reflection so far has only pointed out what is not.
Friday, December 10, 2010
The Journey begins today
So, I'm a little nervous about the new training I am starting today. It's not your usual prescriptive workshop where you come away with some specific things to try, it's a four month "Journey into Leadership" which is really about finding your own path to being a leader in your own life, which has nothing to do with your position.
I have to give a 2-3 minute introduction and I really hate talking in front of groups. I spent some time last night writing and then typing what I thought I wanted to say, but today I think it sounds too stuffy and speechy and, did I mention I hate talking in front of groups?
I have to give a 2-3 minute introduction and I really hate talking in front of groups. I spent some time last night writing and then typing what I thought I wanted to say, but today I think it sounds too stuffy and speechy and, did I mention I hate talking in front of groups?
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)