Putting all your eggs in society’s baskets

February 14, 2015 2:05 PM

I was listening a fascinating interview with the best poker player in the world.

Phil admitted that the biggest mistakes he made in his career occurred in those moments when he didn’t keep his head down. When he carelessly took a look around and locked himself into the ego vortex of approval, criticism and public opinion. Those mistakes cost him millions upon millions of dollars. And he vowed never to pull his head up again. To always attain an inner posture of detachment, so he has a sense of self so complete that external influences have no authority within his consciousness.

It’s a cautionary tale for gamblers, but also a powerful reminder to anybody living the life of the mind. We simply can’t allow ourselves to become mired in other people’s reality map. We can’t depend on society’s evaluation of our sanity. And we can’t waste our time running down approval alley, outsourcing our conscience, awarding other people’s judgments with a disproportionate amount of mental estate.

Whatever art we create, our reality is an extension of the groundwork laid in the inner space of our mind. And the moment we start giving other people’s opinions more weight than they deserve, we’re dead in the water.

Phil was right. Keep your head down. Stick your fingers in your ears. And get to work expressing your talents in meaningful ways that serve others.

LET ME ASK YA THIS…

Are you arguing with the voice of dissent or training yourself not to hear it?

LET ME SUGGEST THIS…

For a copy of the list called, “14 Things You Don’t Have to Do Anymore,” send an email to me, and you win the list for free!

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Scott Ginsberg

That Guy with the Nametag

Author. Speaker. Strategist. Filmmaker. Publisher. Songwriter.

[email protected]

www.nametagscott.com