LIVING PRO pt. 1
05/31/22, 1:37p EST
I’m writing these thoughts sitting on the patio of my grandparents house in Savaneta, Aruba. I’ve been here for going on 7 days. Me and my dad flew out together from Houston last week and he flew back this past Saturday, while I’m staying another week. My older sister Thuli flew in yesterday and will be here until we both leave this coming Saturday (5 days from now).
With the immediate attention to unplug, rest, take a breather, etc being here, the next point of focus for me has been devoting my energy to adjusting the intention of my mindset as it comes to my life’s pursuits.
I’ve been living in Nashville for coming on two years this July and it has been an explosion of peaceful, patient, creative expression in a brand new profession & life overall. If you have had a conversation with me since I’ve moved to Nashville and asked “how I am doing,” you likely heard some form of a response that “my days are full of growth and peace.” My clear sign of the divine guiding that God has (always has) been doing in me. I am far from the person that I was before I moved (all for the better), and am fully expectant that God’s Spirit will continue to do it’s work as I walk in humble step with the truths and lessons that will come my way…
I titled this entry “LIVING PRO” in response to one of the books I’m reading while here on the island: “Turning Pro,” by Steven Pressfield. Easily becoming one of my favorite authors, this book is a continuation of a series of books he has written about stepping into one’s life calling and ‘doing the work’ when you’re there.
This post of mine, and subsequent ones will most simply be reflective thoughts as I chew my way through Pressfield’s book and consider them with my current place in life…
Today’s reflection about the nature of stepping into the life as a “pro” is about leading a life of purposeful activity.
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Living in the technologically advanced century that we do, there is seemingly an endless number of activities to decide between. And when you are not actual doing something, you can be incessantly entranced by living vicariously through others.
Of the many ways to respond, “paralysis by analysis” is a tempting and easy resulting decision; so many things to choose between that you can’t or don’t choose anything at all (or the equivalent “paralysis to NETFLIX”).
But then we make our choices. Take the actions that we do. And while there is no need to be hyper analytical of every move we make and consider whether or not it was the “most productive” or “beneficial” to your life’s objectives, it is easy to live day to day without at all considering the deeper intention for doing things.
A busy life without intention is a life of meaningless action.
The exact description of someone or something just “spinning it’s wheels;” lots of movement but no actual progress.
While there isn’t a general cure-all, I do feel confident that the difference between purposeful and un purposeful action is regularly taking the time to ask yourself the right questions so that you know what actions may get you to the right answers.
This is: be willing to live a deep life with the goal of self awareness & actualization via self honesty. My honest and perhaps self indulgent objective with posting these thoughts.
Renown actor and theorist Stanislavsky’s three famous questions are effective markers to go-by; ask to answer:
Who am I? Why am I here? What do I want?
The life of a “Pro,” is a life of purposeful action.
Ask the questions. Take the action.
