The great things of earth are things of tension

Naiveté can absolutely be a loving companion. 

But there’s a fine line between trusting the universe and blindly believing that everything will work out just fine. 

The former creates hope, but the latter can enable acquiescence. And if we allow ourselves to slip into that state, we won’t generate the necessary motivation to apply ourselves toward making things better. 

We won’t move the way things are any closer to the way things could be. 

Personally, I look forward to those moments when I can literally feel the tension invading my body. Because it signals to my brain that I’m taking action, adding energy to the system and moving the story forward. 

It reminds me that the great things of earth are things of tension. 

Carolla’s theory about gravity comes to mind:

Humans need challenges to overcome, he writes, just like muscles need resistance to grow. In a zero gravity environment, an astronaut’s muscles atrophy because there is no resistance. The void of space is massive and constantly expanding, and if we immerse ourselves in it, we’ll simply wither away. 

That’s our challenge. To feel the tension invading our bodies. To have gratitude that the pressure is there. To structure our days where we run into resistance more frequently. And to paint ourselves into responsible corners where gravity is constantly plucking at us like a small, insistent hand. 

Because that’s the only way to surge ourselves forward into a new way of being. 

Graves said it best in his famous essay about spiral dynamics. 

The general condition necessary for movement to a new and different steady state of being is to produce excess energy in the system that puts you in a state of readiness for change. 

Remember, there’s a very real difference between having compassion for yourself and being irresponsible to your future. At some point, comfort can turn into a drug. An dangerous opiate of inaction. 

LET ME ASK YA THIS…   

How are you creating positive tension for yourself?

* * * *

Scott Ginsberg

That Guy with the Nametag

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

[email protected]

www.nametagscott.com

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Namaste.