Don't Need a movement, LEAD a movement!

 

 

 

So Tananarive is back from New York, and I can relax a bit and dream.   Now that it SEEMS that the physical aspect of my training is on track for Manila in '24, I can put that on automatic, and look at the emotional and mental aspects.

 

This week is probably time to focus on the mind. Finances and career.  The nice thing is that the notion of a week-long Filipino Martial Arts gathering is inspiring and challenging--for the next year it will be easier to motivate myself to be really disciplined.

 

 

The most important thing with the emotions is to use them as energy to drive action.  Do that, and you are automatically in greater alignment with your internal gears than the majority.  And the best way to do that is to change your physiology--MOVE!  The Morning Ritual is all about that.

 

So…move (Tai Chi), visualize your mentors and happy memories and things you love, and see the end point of your goals.  That's the mind aspect: in this sense, the mind is a problem-solving machine, and the primary problem is "how to avoid pain and gain pleasure?"   As this involves long term solutions, you need to "solve the problem" of money.  There are few things sadder than people who lie and say money doesn't care, but then complain about things money would solve:

 

--time to go back to school

--time to practice their art

--working in a terrible job

--living in bad circumstances, with bad roommates

--wish to travel

--urge to support causes

--urge to be of assistance to distant loved ones

--medical care

--time for exercise or meditation

--ability to start a business

 

 

All of those things can be aided with money.  The trick is how to make it in alignment with your values.  I have time to talk with you RIGHT NOW because I've spent YEARS plotting and planning to get to a point where I can support my family with integrity and style, and simultaneously have fun. 

 

I believe this starts with GOALS.  And you need a goal in each of the three major arenas, AT LEAST.  Body. Relationships/Emotions, Mind/Career.

 

Say: 165 lbs weight.  Married to Soul Mate.   Bestselling novel.

 

Decent goals.  Photographable, clear.  How to approach it?  FOCUS ON THE DAILY ACTIONS THAT OPTIMIZE YOUR chances of reaching them, staying within the Three Gates.  Moving away from pain toward pleasure. Living for joy and service.

 

There will be people who insist that this is selfish, that what is needed is to change the system so that EVERYONE has the freedom of time and basic support they need to thrive.  GREAT!

 

A long conversation with Tananarive yesterday clarified something for me. Her family was DEEP in the Civil Rights movement, and she agreed with a hypothesis of mine:

 

Leaders of transformational movements do NOT need the movements to transform.

 

The concept of Boddhisatva comes in here. An enlightened being who returns to the world to lead others out of suffering.  THE LEADERS WE NEED LEAD US OUT OF LOVE.  They, personally, could have, and often HAVE, already made it. They return to the struggle for sheer love.

 

Tananarive said with chagrin that her parents, had they NOT invested so much time in the movement, could have had a very comfortable and successful life. But they had that Boddhisatva spirit, and wanted to help their tribe come with them.

 

So…THE MORE YOU CARE ABOUT THE MOVEMENT, THE PEOPLE, the more you need to solve the problems of health, love, and finance YOURSELF, so that you can honestly say "follow me!" and craft social versions of personal success patterns.

 

That's my position.  There is an implication: the people who claim that they cannot make it until the world changes are not the people who can change the world. The people who can change the world are explorers, who chart paths through hostile territory, map the path, and come back to lead others through the mine field.

 

I love them so much.  This is the kind of human I want to enable: they don't NEED movements, they LEAD movements. I hope that makes sense…but it is so critical ("the meaning of life is to live a life of joy…and service") that it might be a basic piece needed to understand this path at all.  Those who disagree…I sincerely hope you find a path you CAN follow, and both escape pain and lead others to happiness.

 

Personally, the leaders I want have solved the problems I face.  Does that make sense to you?

 

 

Namaste

Steve

www.stevenbarneslist.com

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