There’s Too Much Misguided Persistence

“If discomfort is medicated, there’s no movement.” Love this insight from comedian Doug Benson. Reminds men that I’m eternally grateful for all of life’s low points. If we’re never sad, we’re never aware what happiness feels like. If we’re never kicked in the crotch by the golf shoe of reality, we’re never angry enough to make the necessary changes. The answer to discomfort isn’t popping pills, it’s giving thanks. 

“There’s too much misguided persistence.” There’s a fine line between following up and being a stalker. Whether it’s looking for a job, closing a sale or getting a date, if we don’t demonstrate a valid reason for our persistence, we’re just annoying. Irritating our way into people’s inboxes isn’t a wise approach for getting attention, earning permission or solidifying trust. Persistence is like tofu, in that it takes on the flavor of whatever sauce it’s immersed in. If we fail to pair persistence with value, the flavor ain’t right. Inspired a stack of dusty resumes.

“Your
lack of privacy is someone else’s wealth.” Jaron Lanier argues that our personal information is form of currency traded among the very rich. Interesting point. My thought is, maybe a little less privacy would go a long way. One of the reasons I want everybody to wear nametags all the time everywhere forever, is because nametags eliminate anonymity. They create a social contract that you resign every day. And when you wear a nametag on your chest for all to see, publicly, you’re more apt to consider the repercussions of your actions. Yes, there’d be a little less privacy, but there’d also be a lot more civility. I don’t think privacy should be eliminated completely, but if we’re already living honest lives with little to hide, do we really care if the president of some tech company knows which ex-girlfriends we stalk on Facebook? Instead of burning calories bemoaning a battle that we can’t win, maybe we should focus on living lives we’re not ashamed to share.

“Please don’t think I care.” Sara Silverman’s TED talk got me thinking about how people love to go out of their way to remind the world how much they don’t like, aren’t interested or couldn’t care less about certain things. My thought is, if you care so little about it, why did you spend fifteen minutes telling me about it? If you’re going to not care, at least learn to do it right. Selective indifference is a fine art. Point being, if you’re ever unsure why people act the way they do, when in doubt, blame it on overcompensation. That explains everything.

“I finally feel like a whole person.” It’s been exactly one year since I retired as an entrepreneur. And as I reflect on how different life is now, the word wholeness comes to mind. It’s a combination of many things: Being engaged to the right person. Being employed by the right company. Being motivated by the right reasons. Being connected with the right community. And being focused on the right meaning. Doesn’t mean I’m happy every moment of the day, but there’s something infinitely satisfying about feeling like a whole person. Jesus Christ. Finally.