"The end of all good music is to affect the soul." Composer, Claudio Monteverdi (1567-1643)
Music blows past our mental gatekeepers and lodges deep in our soul. I have declared a new release as my new favorite song, sung along, bought the record and only then, realized the lyrics were terrible. The power of the music or the beat was enough to hook me and motivate me to exchange my cash.
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Is music the only thing keeping your heart beating, or do you only tolerate the diversion in the elevator, to relieve you of the responsibility to talk to the person next to you?
Mix a little sound with the right rhythm, melody, harmony, and timbre, and the ladies swoon. Change some variables and the incessant product jingle penetrates the noggin, and stays lodged in your head for the rest of the day. Give another twist and memories of the army occupation flood the mind.
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The paper mache pinata in the third grade doesn't count. I agree, let's add some constraints to the inquiry. You got it; a non-work related significant action you wanted to complete in the last 12 months.
So, what was it?
This posting is initially published before the halfway point in December. Now is a time we start to consider the actions of the past year and look to the next. But there is still time for the current year.
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You do not see the world correctly. The good news is neither does anyone else.
A standard camera lens is built-in to your smartphone. Accessory lenses are now available to zoom or magnify your subject. The software provides a myriad of filters to adjust the final picture, of your breakfast, for distribution to the global media outlets.
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Joseph Glidden tinkered with his wife's hairpin's to produce a barbed wire prototype. The production of barbed wire, after his 1873 patent, had a remarkable influence on the American expansion westward. Control of livestock was accomplished with strands of the inexpensive fencing. Agriculture flourished due to solid boundary lines enforced by this prickly sentry.
The simple strand changed the grazing patterns of wild herds that hand always moved freely. Additionally, the wire marked who owned what, and who could go where.
You and I live within boundary lines that may feel just as thorny.
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The last straw has been getting a bad rap for millennia. If the second-to-last straw had stayed on his diet, then the last straw would not have broken the camels back! But no, that jerk had to have just one more donut, and we remember the last straw as the culprit. Poor camel.
What is your last straw? What tips the scales and pushes you into action?
We group actions into known and unknown causes. We know the perennial action list; household chores, the laborious monthly report, finally starting the side hustle or continuing the fight for the next step of social justice.
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It's the feeling in your gut, the moment to move has arrived, and you can't not take action.
My hands were sweaty and the 60-second video required a few attempts to get it right. The video concept hit me during lunch and the impulse to get it done and posted was manic. There was an extreme sense of urgency. I will forever remember the bench I was sitting on when I uploaded the recording. My hands were literally shaking, and my heart was racing. I sensed this particular video was getting me closer to discovering my "writing" voice.
The action was thrilling!
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I hate to write this inquiry and is why it must be asked.
A bit of backstory. In the mid-80's I started consuming personal development books and tapes when I signed up as an Amway distributor, and I never looked back. I appreciate the optimism and call to action that is a mainstay of the personal development genre.
I have an encouraging response from Og Mandino, author of The Greatest Salesman in the World, in my records. Today, my library overflows with annotated and underlined works from the best of the best. Podcasts and audio books have maintained my sanity (self-assessment and no scientific data to back up this claim) during my commute.
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Break is an action verb. A decision was made to embrace a commitment and the same decision to end the commitment.
This inquiry arose out of a discussion with a family member a year ago. She had been leading a nonprofit for several years and grown the influence over her tenure. The Board of Directors brought in a new Director that wanted to go in a new direction, and she was fired.
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What do you get out of the deal? Money, love, tax break, security, muscle, fame, positive vibe, power, believe you are making a positive difference, sex, legacy, fulfilling a promise or responsibility? We have a motivation for everything we do and clarity of expectation is helpful.
Being published on the cover of Time magazine is not the intent. It's just you and me over a cup of coffee in a judgment-free zone. So, why do you commit your resources to the people and causes you have chosen?
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"Because I said I would" is a powerful statement. These few words validate our integrity.
As a youth, I ran in a 300-mile charitable relay from Prescott, Arizona to Palm Spring, California. The plan was to have 30 guys each run 10-miles over the three day period. Only a dozen runners with minimal training showed up. We began running in one-mile increments, dwindling to quarter-mile increments by the time we arrived at Palm Springs City Hall. IcyHot was our friend.
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"The difference between involvement and commitment is like ham and eggs. The chicken is involved; the pig is committed." ~ Martina Navratilova
Starting is exciting. In the beginning, the mission is possible, the schedule is achievable, the team is excited to find customers, and budgets are sufficient; the possibilities are endless.
Yeah, it does not always stay like this.
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Well, can you name them?
Where do you choose to invest your time, money, and influence? Quick, let's look at your schedule and financial records. This is an easy litmus test to discern where your commitments reside.
Position bestows commitment. The elected official pledges to care for constituents. The Air Force General dedicates herself to the mission, and safety of personnel and equipment.
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Are you kidding me?
Of course, the schedule is crammed with sports and music lessons for my kids. Any reasonable parent would; scholarships are waiting. We sign up for all the book clubs or meet-ups we can coordinate. Weddings of college friends, birthday parties for the kindergarten, and household maintenance monopolize weekends. If in doubt, the binge watch list is awaiting our attention.
The tyranny of technology is brutal on our ability to think and recharge. The introverts solitude and the extroverts social engagements give time to tap into what we need to regain our true selves. The work, commutes, responsibilities of both kids and aging parents, and the siren call of social media tug at our attention until we are spent.
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Commitment is a word that has many running for the hills. In the age of hookups and the gig economy, the practical definition has taken on a new meaning.
The celebration of a 50th wedding anniversary is a party for two reasons; honoring the longevity of the commitment and celebrating the pending extinction of the graying unicorn. Party stores will only stock the 1, 5, and 10-year anniversary glitter. They will regulate the rest to the discount bin.
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