#506 Whatever comes next

It’s easy to be non-violent when you’re in a flower garden

Josh Waitzkin – The art of learning

It’s easy to be kind to others when the world has always been kind to you.

It’s easy to say you want to be a writer when you never really put yourself out there to prove it.

To learn writing, I must confront the uncomfortable parts of writing – and learn not to respond by running away from it.

To learn non-violence, I must confront violence – and learn not to respond with violence in return.

To learn kindness, I must confront being hurt – and learn not to use that as an excuse to perpetuate the cycle of hurt.

To build trust in myself, I must stay true to my values under difficult conditions.

When you decide if you should be chasing this goal, job, relationship, or place to live – in other words, commitment – you choose between action or inaction based on if it’s a viable, worthwhile, realistic goal.

When you decide on the course of action – in other words, how to do something – you’re already committed to action.

Sometimes, the commitment might be too big, too hard, or too disruptive – and that’s perfectly valid.

But here’s what I’ve noticed, my friend: whenever I try to decide on the how before I’ve decided on the commitment, I have even more doubts, and any course of action seems complicated.

I’m curious how you feel about it. We’ll talk more about it in the coming days and weeks.