“Please remember that a life of passion and purpose
will take no less than every single thing you have.”
~ T. S. Elliot
Okay, you’re still here and you’re still reading so I’ll assume you’ve chosen a path of your own Ultimate Performance and greatness.
Congratulations!
Make sure you fully internalize Elliot’s admonishment above.
So let’s go back to the price of greatness that we’ve been discussing for the past few weeks. For hard work and relentless practice is just the beginning.
The life of mastery is a never-ending and life-long pursuit.
Ten thousands hours are just a warm up.
I spoke with a good friend of mine in the past. John is one of the most successful talent managers in Hollywood; it was dinner time. I said, “John how are you doing?” He replied with a chuckle, “Great! I’m just grabbing dinner and gearing up for the second half of my day.”
Why is he one of the most successful individuals in his field? Because it’s his purpose and he’s giving it every single thing he has.
What are you doing?
I’ve spoken at great length in previous writings about the necessity of solitude; and the differences between networking and socializing, so I won’t go into depth again here. (reference Mastery, Genius and Greatness 8) on networking; and (reference Ultimate Human Performance 9) on solitude.
Yet, let’s come back to the controversial topic of solitude.
There’s a big difference between choosing to be alone and loneliness.
If you choose to pursue your own Ultimate Performance you cannot escape the fact that this outcome will only be achieved by you; and by you alone.
Please understand that the term alone not only implies that you’ll have to do it yourself (which you will), but also indicates that you’ll do it in solitude. For such is the price of greatness.
This doesn’t mean you won’t have a team, for all greats have great teams; and research from Washington University proves that a powerful community is paramount to focused flow and Ultimate Performance.
Yet this does not neglect the fact that personal greatness is ultimately achieved personally.
Back to aloneness.
When someone tells me they’re lonely it tells me they’re longing for something that’s not there. Focusing on what’s not there is a very disempowering state and a less than enjoyable way to experience life.
Focusing on what’s not there fragments your energy and makes you less than the whole. When you’re fragmented, you have less than your full abilities to use for ultimate performance. Do you follow?
My mother frequently asked way back before as I jetted around the globe by myself, “Son aren’t you lonely?” To which I would reply, “No mom, I’m choosing to be alone.”
Choosing to be alone and loneliness are two vastly different experiences.
Bottom line?
Are you sitting down?
Is your seatbelt buckled?
This may not be popular, and it just might rock your programmed world…
If you choose to pursue your own Ultimate Performance it’s a fact that while you may have lots of associations and acquaintances, you’ll have very few friends.
Let that sink in for a minute.
If you can find a community and team of common minds, then you’re rare and truly blessed.
Determine if your community either makes or breaks you. Read more about it here.
This is contrary to the collective thinking of “being social and continually active.”
To develop your mastery and bring your greatness to the world takes the very difficult task of breaking from the patterns of the past.
You are the by-product of other people’s habitual way of thinking!
Those who choose mastery and greatness think for themselves!
Are you thinking? Unfortunately, most people only think they think.
In reality, they’re just ruminating on the same information from the past.
Over and over and over again.
True thinking is creative and instantaneous.
All else is just rumination on the programs of the past.
Yet even when you do truly think, it still takes a large amount of energy and time to break free from the programming of the past.
There are only two ways to live your life as I see it: leashed and limited. Or Unleashed and Unlimited. The choice is yours!
There are only two ways to live your life:
leashed and limited. Or Unleashed and Unlimited; and the choice is yours!
Which do you choose? Leashed and limited? Or Unleashed and Unlimited?
The unleashed and unlimited, and likewise Ultimate Performing, life will again have lots of associations and acquaintances, yet very few friends. Accept it. Get used to it.
Why?
Most people won’t “get you.”
They won’t understand your level of passion, purpose, and commitment. Remember, it will take “no less than every single thing you have.”
One of my associates told me, “My family asks me why I’m doing what I’m doing because they say I don’t seem happy.” I get it. For true happiness as we’ve explored in the work of Csikszentmihalyl and others is experienced while pushing against challenges.
True happiness is not the tip-toe through the tulips and dancing in the rose garden and toasting with acquaintances that society has programmed us to believe. In fact, it’s just the opposite.
Those things are actually the antithesis of true happiness.
True happiness and fulfillment are experienced, only when and if they are experienced, when you’re going after your own personal best!
Your personal best of today must become the norm of tomorrow.
If most people don’t get you then you’re probably on the right track!
The true friends you will have will be on the same path as you. Not necessarily going after the same things as you, but going after their own Ultimate Performance like you.
As a result, there will be a commonality. There will be a resonance and a rapport. And there will be a deep and mutual understanding. There will be a common mind.
They, like you, will not have time to waste on superfluous things. For they, like you, realize that time is short; and therefore time is of the essence.
Tick tock.
Can you handle it?
Get used to it.
And the journey continues…
Be a Leader. Live Your Purpose, and Take Your Power Back!
James
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