Hey Friends,
A couple posts ago, I told you I would share a final draft of an essay I had to write for class. Almost forgot about that, but here you go. I hope you can finish it before you fall asleep. ;)
A Core Belief
What do I believe? On the surface that would seem to be a simple question. I’ve even spent time working on a list of ‘I believe’ statements this semester. These statements of belief range from simple, to serious, to downright silly. Perhaps the hardest part in identifying beliefs is that most of my beliefs became a part of who I am a long time ago, and for me, this isn’t one of the deeper questions of life I find myself sitting around and pondering. So it was a little out of the ordinary for me to be considering this question earlier today when I suddenly remembered a belief that has become so much a part of who I am that it was obvious I had to write about it.
“Your work will never be done.” It’s a simple quote, but I have always found it both powerful and motivating. I first came across this quote in a book called The Way of the Superior Man. It would be an understatement to say it was an interesting time in my life when I read this book and discovered this particular quote. I was going thru a divorce, trying to make sense of everything that was happening, and working to put together the pieces of how we’d gotten to this point. I would call it my own personal “Remember the Alamo!”.
This particular statement, more than any other idea I read about or considered in that book, really highlighted the mistakes I had made in my life leading up that moment. I had been content living day to day, with nothing more than a general idea of where life was headed. In a moment, that lack of direction, was no longer ok. I had a mission, and a lifelong mission at that.
As I have pondered this idea, this concept, thru the years it’s easy to see how relevant and practical it is. We witness this in sports more easily than other areas perhaps. An athlete finally achieves some notable accomplishment, or is awarded that extremely lucrative contract they’ve been after for years and then they relax. The foot comes off the gas. Coaches, colleagues, fans all wonder where the star of just a few months ago has disappeared to. It’s an even more useful creed for someone approaching retirement or the so called, ‘golden years’. Your work, regardless of whether it’s for a paycheck or to volunteer or your own sense of accomplishment and satisfaction, gives you a practical meaning to your life. I certainly don’t think we are defined by our work. I do think though, that thru our work, we define a portion of ourselves, and we can affect those around us for better or worse.
Deida, David. The Way of the Superior Man. Austin: Plexus, 1997. Print.
Thanks for reading folks,
D
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