This aint Sunday School

I had an interesting moment with friends of mine earlier this week as we were discussing an audio book, The Four Agreements, by don Miguel Ruiz, we've agreed to listen to and chat about when I mentioned It's not something I particularly care for. They couldn't understand why I found it displeasing to my literary palate and I tried my best to answer the question, much to their dissatisfaction. In fact, I, myself, was unhappy with my inadequate attempt at explaining my feelings on the subject.  

Now that I've had time to organize my thoughts, if it ever comes up again, but mainly just to satisfy my own urge to know why I think this way, I can venture to put it to rest and join in a friendly discussion with my friends without being off-putting.

Last night I was reading a book on creative writing and chapter 9 was about the rules of writing. Rule number 2, Select the Specific and Discard the General and this, I discovered, is the best explanation which describes my feelings about The Four Agreements. 

In writing, an author is to show the reader something, not just tell them. For example, a tree is very general because there are many types of trees but to be more specific a tree can be described as an oak tree. Even within that context, one can get more specific because there are classes of oak trees such as live oaks, black oaks or post oaks. An effective author gets specific like that.

Interestingly enough, the same can be applied to drawing which I've taught in classes. Start with the general and gradually add more and more detail.

The Four Agreements is a general book. It gives few specific tactics I can use in this stage of my life and career. It is an appropriate book for someone just starting out but for my own applications there are many books I've consumed which is solid food to my needs. Books like Grit by Angela Duckworth, Late Bloomers by Rich Karlgaard, Personality isn't Permanent by Dr. Benjamin Hardy, The Now Habit by Dr. Neil Fiore and so many more.

I cant forget the enthralling biographies about people who inherently apply qualities in their life without much rumination over it. Chares Schultz, Dan Rooney, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Vince Lombardi, Walt Disney, Franklin Roosevelt and the list goes on. 

 Out of respect to my friends and in the name of esprit de corps I will continue in the discussion but that's that.

 

I Don't Want Happiness. Just the Universe Will Do.

I've tentatively set the title of my next book as The First 4 Billion Years are the Hardest but I'm not certain of what it will consist, yet. Should it simply be a collection of gags, will they be single panels, quotes, comic style, one main character, a narrative? Whatever I finally decide upon, the bottom line is to just start it. 

I wrote in my personal journal, on many occasions, about one of my biggest weaknesses; my ability to plan and my utter lack of flair to actually do the plan. If I were to embark on a mission to change that crippling habit or trait, then the results would likely be miraculous in nature. The same conditions apply in the case of The First 4 Billion Years. I'm certain that if I begin assembling something today, then I will, without a doubt, formulate a workable, meaningful, purposeful and profitable idea.

Isn't life grand? Everyday in my endeavor to finish strong, I discover so many areas where life can be much more remarkable and yet with each new discovery I find more uncharted regions yet to be explored.

 

The Money is in the List

Upon reading 48 Days to the Work You Love, which was sent to me by my friend Dan Miller, I came across a list in chapter three on ten ways to get an education without a college degree. The list is as follows:

1. Read 12 great books
2. Attend seminars
3. Work on improving emotional intelligence
4. listen to podcasts or read blogs
5. Take courses in your area of interest
6. Reach out to help someone
7. Acquire new skills
8. Become comfortable with presentation skills
9. Design my own health and fitness program
10. Plan two trips

Five of the things from the list I can confidently say I am doing. One of them I am working on in an informal way which leaves four of them I'm not doing at all. There is obvious need for improvement based on this list.

 

Dan the Man

About three weeks ago, I sent a letter to one of my favorite podcast hosts, Dan Miller, about my situation with trying to be successful in this line of work, never really expecting any sort of an answer when to my surprise he actually read the letter on the air. He gave me some terrific props and compliments, as well as pointers on how to capitalize on my endeavors. The cartoon above is one he mentioned specifically. Anyone can do whatever they want for me but if they giggle at my one of my drawings, then that's the ultimate compliment.

 

Yes Regrets

Bumper Stickers Not withstanding

Dan Pink is the author of The Power of Regrets where he points out the value of learning from our regrets. So often, we see in today's world, in the form of bumper stickers, t-shirts, social media etc, phrases such as " no regrets" or "no pain" and everyone's favorite "no fear", but the fact of the matter is that regrets. fears and pain in life are real for everyone and it makes us who we are. Anyone who claims to have none of these emotions are one of two things: a liar or a psychopath.

The key to coping with these emotions is not to avoid them or hide them but instead to examine and learn from them the same way an athlete would watch game film to learn how to be better next time.

What You Don't Do

In his research for the book, Pink found the great majority of regrets are not for what people have done but actually from what people haven't done. So, remember that the next time you want to make a decision. 

 

I'm All About That Bass

I'm All About that Bass is a song I once heard by the Post Modern Jukebox about full bodied women and even though I'm not sure what the significance of it being in the above pen and ink sketch is, I thought of doing it anyway. Actually I may have more of a tendency to prefer more treble in music than bass but I wanted to stay faithful to the song.  

 

Many Miles to Go

There is a timeline to success. No one lives forever and as a younger man I felt I had so much time to do the right things and there was no hurry so I procrastinated. Now, not so much. The fact that I've waited and waited now leaves me with precious little time to do the things I was meant to do and now I find myself in situations that, if I had not wasted time earlier, I could utilize would be success not just for the benefit of myself but for others. I find myself playing an uphill of "catch up".

I don't know if I'm going to see the fulfillment of my idea destiny before the end but that's the very reason I must continue as though my life depends on it.