Tuesday, November 01, 2005

Chapter 1

I began this chapter a bit discouraged, because for his "anti-leadership" book stuff, it is ultimately about leadership as we often define it. You have Sweet starting off here talking about leaders "turning possibilities into realities", which to me is a statement about DOING more and not BEING.

But he quickly rallies in the fight for anti-leadership and says that the way we are positioned to do that "turning" (still weird language a bit - perhaps not matching up) is to be who we are - except embracing it.

A few questions out of this:
1) What if I don't like who I am (or think I am)? Why would I want to be more of that? Or why would anybody else?
2) How do I really discover who I am? What's the difference here between reality and my own perceptions? Is there any? Of course there is the point to be made that while I may be good at basketball at the end of the day I'm still only 5'7" and so good isn't good enough. But what if I thought I was? Is my not playing in the NBA a denial of my true heart or an acceptance of reality? How do I know the difference?
3) At what point is being me just about me and not really about anything bigger?


A comments on this:
1) I love that the focus here is being and not doing.
2) I love the emphasis on truth telling and being. Let's face it, if we all just did what we know is right and said what we know is true, then a lot of problems would be diverted and the problems created would be worth it. But it's just plain hard.
3) Originality is big for me as well. The population as a whole is trying way too hard to be only 3 or 4 people.

I again am loving the Shackleton quotes and stories. A few things need to be clarified to me however. Perserverance is important, but it only really matters in the context of commitment to relationship. I can make a difference and work through things with others if there is a commitment to the relationship. If I stick around and just continue to make my point for the sole purpose of getting MY way and making Brian clones, well the world may get better looking, but it's not going to get better.

Time for bed.
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1 comment:

Josh Kleinfeld said...

My answers to your questions:

1) I like who you are.
2) Look in the mirror.
3) At another point.

No, I agree with your questions. Maybe you've answered these questions already...but you've sparked something in me so I'm going to write about it.

I think we discover who we are in a larger context. I don't think we have any identity besides those that are around us (this include Ultimate Reality). I think identity is ultimately about what we hang our life on. If we hang our life on things that don't change (love hasn't changed), things that don't sag (muscles and stomachs and chins sag), then our identity will be that. People around us will see us as people committed to love, committed to generosity. Love and generosity are states of being that lead to actions. So my identity is tied to both what I do and what is within me (b/c those two things are tied together...)

Practical example: Jon boy loves to talk about love. But he's a prick. He always cuts people off on the highway. He always sends his projects in late. But he talks about love a lot. Most people around him (those getting cut off and recieving his projects late) will think that he is inconsiderate (and he is).

If love was what he hung his hat on, then he might actually rethink the things he does.

But I think we are original in the way we convey the unchanging things, b/c we all have different inclinations. I would love to be able to draw really well and make cards for people, but all I can do is stick people jumping on trampolines and blowing each other up. But somebody who can draw well, can make cards for others...or other things...haven't worked this one out...

This is all jumbled.
Main points:
Identity should be in unchanging things.
Identity is found in community (b/c community is where we live out who we are).
Identity is unique b/c we all have different inclinations.

I've just read over this and I think it might be hogwash.

8:03 AM

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