Friday Reflections

To Fly

POINT TO PONDER

Follow your bliss.

                 - Joseph Campbell

 

STORY LINE by Rajiv Shah

To mark the anniversary of Friday Reflections we want to revisit one of our favorite stories, Jonathan Livingston Seagull. On first glance, Jonathan Livingston Seagull is a story about marching to the beat of your own drum, following dreams, pursuing your passion in the face of adversity and forgiving others when they condemn you for doing so. It incorporates all these elements, but I realized upon my viewing of the entire film (which can be viewed on youtube here: http://youtu.be/I6aBl7tAJCo) that JLS follows the classic Hero's Journey myth structure. 

    The Hero's Journey was popularized by Joseph Cambell who was a writer and mythologist. Campbell found that many classic stories follow a pattern (including Jonathan Livingston Seagull) and an extremely abridged explanation is outlined here that we can apply to our own lives:

1. The Call to Adventure - This is where the main character is at a point in their life where they are at the brink of change. Either the character can be seeking the change or the call to adventure comes from an unexpected source (death of a loved one, fired from a job, life is in danger, etc). In JLS this step is represented in Jonathan's need to fly faster and higher than any seagull before. In your own life is there something that you seek? A higher sense of fulfillment whether personal or professional, a yearning to explore, or a need to challenge? Whatever that thing is, that is your calling. 
2. Refusal of the Call - The main character avoids the call due to doubt, familial obligations, expectations (societal, personal, or familial), or fear of the unknown. In JLS (around the 20 minute mark) Jonathan has flown higher than he ever has before but crash lands into the ocean. Injured and alone he floats on a wooden crate - for the first time doubting his calling, his belief in himself. He thinks, "I've got to live with what I am. I promise this day that I will be a seagull like every other seagull." Sound familiar? I don't think I need to illustrate how this applies to our own lives as many of us get stuck in this phase of the hero's journey, doubting our passion and ability. 
3. Crossing of the Threshold/Road of Trials - The point where the main character reenters their journey is sometimes with encouragement from another and sometimes from an internal calling growing stronger within them. At this point there is no turning back, the main character ventures further into the unknown, past fear and doubt. The character will undergo a transformation from the experience (usually tough) and emerge with a new understanding and/or a new self. In JLS as is true in other works, this is can be the point of death though it is not always the case. In our own lives, and since you are reading this - you are not dead yet (at least I hope not...) - it can be a metamorphosis from your old way of thinking/self usually into a new one. 
4. Apotheosis/The Ultimate Boon - The achievement of the goal. Moving to divine knowledge, transendence and attainment of the calling. In JLS this is the point when Jonathan has learned to fly highest, fastest, and is even able to transend his physical body. For us, well... I wouldn't know what this looks like and it would be foolish for me to try to teach anyone this as I'm searching myself. But I think it's in the search for this that we find peace and bliss, however brief or lasting. Some may find this in family, some in career achievements, and some might find it in jumping from one thing/place to the next. But when we find it I hope we take the next step:
5. Master of Two Worlds/Freedom to Live - With this new knowledge, bliss, and transendance the main character returns to his place of origin in order to share those experiences with others and the world at large. This is so that others might find their own path and their own peace. In JLS this is done when Jonathan returns to the flock seeking to teach them that they can fly as high and fast as they dream. For us, it is the need to teach, to pass on what we've experienced in order to help another on their path. Paying it forward. 

 

REFLECTION

The Hero's Journey is one that all of us have within us. It reflects the nature of our search for meaning. We all find it in different places but the calling is always there. Sometimes the fears and doubts get so loud that we don't take the journey and find what we are truly capable of. It's easy to given in and stop searching, deciding that what we seek can't exist.  

    This need, the quest for meaning, is not only reflected in stories like Jonathan Livingston Seagull, but is ingrained in spiritual texts such as the Bible and the story of the Buddha. It permeates most TV shows and movies, from Lost to Batman. It can even be found in the cycle of birth. It is a mythology that is interwoven into the very fabric of our existence - in the little place inside of each and everyone of us that dares to answer the call and seek our greatest potential. 

 

Come to the edge, he said.

They said: We are afraid.

Come to the edge, he said.

They came.

He pushed them and they flew.

~ Guillaume Apollinaire

Training Maybe Mandatory but Learning is Optional

 

POINT TO PONDER 

 For those who want to learn or do something, no training or mandates are necessary. For those who do not, no classes or conferences will suffice.

STORY LINE: Three short stories about Real Learners and Doers

1.   Two new female and junior employees seem excited about their jobs, showed tremendous passion for learning and doing something constructive. Sensing their high energy and enthusiasm, their Group Manager agreed (took risk?) to allow them to participate in two important cross-functional projects, both of high importance in the yearly plan. But these two girls were not there just to learn. They contributed exceedingly well and took on a leadership role in their respective teams. They were not there just to participate but to learn on the job and contribute. They made significant contributions without having formal training classes or conferences.

 

2.   Once Upon a time: He (a zealot) was not invited to the seminar for “XYZ” that only an exclusive/elite group of people were fortunate enough to attend. But a year before that seminar, recognizing the need for that kind of subject, he had developed a class on “XYZ” that was being piloted across different groups. A few of those “fortunate” ones from an ancillary group who attended “XYZ” seminar - by that well known speaker and feeling enlightened (temporary dose?) and powered - felt that it was their given right to own such training across the company. When they found out that an “unauthorized” zealot from another group - not officially certified as elite trainer - had already developed a class and was teaching it, they contacted him, his supervisor and even higher channels to stop that zealot from doing any further training. One of the elite members met with the zealot’s supervisor to inform him that the class work by Mr. Zealot was of inferior quality and did not meet instructional design guidelines per the experts. The Zealot’s supervisor made a truce with the "elite” that as soon as his group was ready with their high-end, elite training, he would tell zealot to stop his class.

A few years later, over 1000 people had benefited from the Zealot’s training with great reviews while the rest are still awaiting an “elite” class based on proper instructional design.

3.   Many years ago, while looking for a person to manage our business systems, we interviewed a young man who had just graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in business. Knowing full well that he did not have a degree in Computer Science, as was normally required, we took into account the fact that he was a computer fanatic from the age of eight and displayed tremendous enthusiasm to tackle new challenges. It was a risk, but the interview team felt that it was worth it.

During the first month, he noticed that our small group needed some key applications, but was told that it was impossible to get on the corporate group’s roadmap. So he decided to learn programming himself. Instead of going to a full semester course with a fee of $3,600 that others had done, he bought a book for $32 and got started on the basics. Not only did he learn quickly but within a year he created an entire management system with 45 working applications, a figure that the larger more central group could not even commit to in a three year roadmap. That young man has had his own thriving company for last several years. For more curious, entire story is in the following link.

http://fridayreflections.typepad.com/weblog/2007/07/last-i-heard-we.html

 

REFLECTION 

My memory bank is full of such people who do not wait for training mandates, classes, permission, or performance review guidelines to contribute. They don't just show up to get a mark for "participation." They are the people who are committed to their self development and contribution to their stakeholders. (Making a choice for thriving vs Compliance to check list of survival)

 

Between Rage and Serenity

POINT TO PONDER

Anger is a killing thing: it kills the man who angers, for each rage leaves him less than he had been before - it takes something from him.

                                        - Louis L'Amour

 

STORY LINE by Rajiv Shah

I want to talk about a scene from X-Men First Class that I feel has a profound message. Yes, it is a comic book superhero movie and I recognize that, but try to keep an open mind.

The scene is between a young doctor Xavier and a young Magneto as they stand on a veranda in front of an open field and a satellite dish in the distance. Xavier is dealing with Magneto's painful past - his mother was killed by Nazi's when he was a boy and was forced to watch her murder. This traumatic event fuels him, often consuming him with anger, guilt, and regret. Xavier cautions Magneto that rage alone will consume him but through serenity and peace he will find true power. 

To demonstrate, Xavier asks Magneto to focus on a satellite dish in the distance. He asks Magneto to focus his energy on it, to move it with his mind, his emotions. Magneto tenses, rage gripping him, but he cannot force the satellite to move. 

Next, Xavier tells him to try moving it again. This time recalling a loving memory of Magneto's mother and with him when he was a boy. It is a memory of happiness. love, and it overwhelms the rage and pain that he feels. In the distance, the satellite moves dramatically. 

Xavier looks at Magneto and says, "that is the point between rage and serenity." 

 

REFLECTION

I have been a fan for a long time of a kinesioly book by Dr. David Hawkins titled, Power vs. Force. Dr. Hawkins is responsible for the study of human consciousness and how it affects the spirit and body. Specifically, how what we experience emotionally in the body affects the mind and our physical being.

The scene outlined from X-Men mirrors Dr' Hawkins revolutionary work - a simple test to demonstrate the power of kinesiology and human consciousness. This test was done under strict conditions by Mr. Hawkins but can be done with anyone. It's a simple test. You turn off any surrounding distrations - cell phones, radios, etc. - and you have the subject stand with their feet shoulder width apart, their arms straight out to the sides, in line with the shoulder and palms down. 

Next, you explain to the subject that you will push their arms down (while facing the subject, not behind them) with your hands and they should resist your force. Ask them to close their eyes and think of a memory that was the saddest point in their life, something that caused them pain. You then push down on their arms while they are thinking of this memory and while the subject resists. Notice the results. 

Then you take a moment, have the subject clear that memory from their mind and to resume the starting position. You ask them to now think of the most loving memory they have, something that caused them great joy and happiness. Again, while they are in this state, you push down on their arms and again, they resist. What did you discover in the same person under the different conditions?

What was found by Dr. Hawkins in an overwhelming number of subjects is that people are strongest when they are thinking of the loving memories. The body responds more powerfully and energetically to the force applied on them. The study suggests that our power comes from the specific emotions permeating our body at that time. Dr. Hawkins uses a scale to give a numerical value to each emotion from 20 to 600 (a score of 0-20 represents death), shame and fear on the lower end (20-30) with peace and enlightenment ranking on the highest end (600-1000). 

How can this knowledge be used? We can use it to assess the feelings we are having and where on the scale those emotions reside. Just that simple awareness often allows one to change the things in their life that are causing a negative emotion and allow us to seek higher states of joy, happiness and fulfillement. 

Spain (Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence wins championships.*)

POINT TO PONDER

“Individual commitment to a group effort – that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work, a civilization work.”

                                                        - Vince Lombardi 

STORY LINE by Dave Hightower 

As I watched the finals of the European Championship this past Sunday, it became extremely evident that the world was witnessing history in the making. The juggernaut that is Spain was en route to becoming the first national team to win three consecutive major tournaments: Euro Cup 2008 & 2012, and World Cup 2010.

Furthermore, Spain’s performance throughout the entire 2012 European Championship, which culminated in a 4-0 thrashing of Italy in the final, confirmed that the Spanish are, without a doubt, the best national team ever to grace the pitch.

In addition to winning yet another championship, Spain set several extraordinary records during the course of this tournament. La Roja held opponents goalless for over 500 minutes and only allowed one goal during the entire tournament (6 games). 

What makes these achievements all the more remarkable is that Spain has traditionally been considered one of the greatest underachieving teams in history. Fractious divisions and internal conflicts between players from the leagues top two contenders, Barcelona and Real Madrid, have continuously stifled any sort of cohesive play or team spirit over the years.

Then something amazing happened. As the new guard progressed through Spain’s youth program, friendships and alliances were formed before loyalties and hatreds were sworn in blood. Moreover, the up-and-comers understood that success at the national level would require a healthy combination of teamwork and loyalty… even if it involved their sworn enemy.

What followed is one of the most impressive displays of dominance by any sports team in history, both in performance and results. Their tika-taka style is not only the most attractive brand of football in the world, but also the most effective. It combines elegance, grace, and finesse to cleverly hypnotize and ruthlessly dismantle opponents. But it cannot succeed without the highest level of trust and understanding amongst teammates. With, it is impossibly effective. And as the results show, Spain has performed this technique to perfection over the past 4+ years.

 

REFLECTION 

Recently the Spanish national soccer team has provided the perfect example of what can be accomplished when people put their petty grievances aside and focus on something larger than themselves. Although half of La Roja (and 9 of 11 starters) currently plays for Barca or Madrid, hostilities from domestic clubs have been set aside for the greater good of the national team. Consequently the Spanish have experienced the exhilaration of winning a major international tournament on three separate (consecutive) occasions. What’s more, they are widely regarded as being the greatest team ever. It’s amazing that it only took a little teamwork and loyalty to take Spain from perpetual underachievers to the greatest team ever to play the game.

 

*Quote from Michael Jordan