by Ray Potes
Feeling a time crunch these days but in a new way. Like time to be productive not for the fear of death, but for the honor of duty. I am feeling dutiful. It is our duty to share our gifts and talents if even to only seed a tiny spark within another to possibly do the same.
This is our purpose, to raise frequency, to raise paradise.
“It’s a great opportunity to be in this position,” said every NBA player in every interview. The playoffs are happening right now, so there is lots of bball action on the TV at my place. Of course, they probably each go through some sort of media training, they all have similar answers and similar tone of voice.
I have been thinking about focus and how scarce it is in these distracted times. Could “focus” simply be the expression of appreciation for an opportunity? Is “focus” the attempt? The attempt to make something from, in, and of an opportunity?
Sure, focus is needed to get stuff done but you know what I am saying. Focus is more than checking off random tasks. I am talking about the focus that leads to flow. In flow, you are not “doing”. You are “being”, always have been, and will continue to be the maestro.
Could “lack of focus” simply be the lack of appreciation for opportunity? (Life itself?) Could “lack of focus” simply be an unawareness of given attempts? (Is “attemption” a word?)
Should these attempts be more precious? Should we honor each and every attempt?
Here is me attempting to get more words on this blog, regardless if these words are winners or losers. Getting the attempt off is the actual win (talking to myself out loud.) Getting the ball in the air counts for something (potentiality), regardless if it is wet or not (goes in the basket.). (How do I do the periods when using parenthesis?)
“If you’re not back and you’re not on the boards, where are you?” – Hubie Brown
As you may have noticed and gotten sick of by now, I learn a lot from the NBA. Get the rebound (the board) or get back on defense, otherwise what are you really doing.
“Boardman gets paid.” – Kawhi Leonard talking to himself while grabbing rebounds in college (SDSU).
“The only way to deal with an unfree world is to become so absolutely free that your very existence is an act of rebellion.” – Albert Camus
The momentum is the magnetism.
The magnetism is the magic, the mystery, the miracle.
Let’s roll.
“Talking nonsense is the sole privilege mankind possesses over the other organisms. It’s by talking nonsense that one gets to the truth! I talk nonsense, therefore I’m human.” – Fyodor Dostoevsky
Is happiness related to meeting expectations? Is unhappiness related to not meeting expectations? Are expectations related to standards? Are standards related to perceptions and beliefs? Are perceptions and beliefs truthful? Is what is truthful real? Is reality true?
Can reality be questioned? Can beliefs be challenged? Can standards be evaluated? Is expectation related to judgment?
Is appreciation the opposite of expectation? Can appreciation exist regardless of outcome? Is appreciation related to the spectrum of choice? Is choice related to power? Is power related to freedom? Is appreciation free-ing and/or powerful?
“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” – Victor Frankl
“We do not “come into” this world; we come out of it, as leaves from a tree. As the ocean “waves,” the universe “peoples.””- Alan Watts
Time and energy are the obvious important resources, yet “focus” may be the most crucial. If they (would-be corruptors) can get to your focus first, then your time energy space spice money and mind are up for grabs next. Cracking your focus is cracking the egg shell of your egg mind.
Can it really be this sinister? Yes. If you are not working on your dream, then you are working on someone else’s.
Fortify your eggs, deepen your focus.
“The pendulum of the mind oscillates between sense and nonsense, not between right and wrong.” – Carl Jung
A nice one illustrating how our own entire life is simply an argument for our own unique perspective, bound by our oscillations, and regardless of morals. Thus the importance of gaining perspective(s) and expanding awareness(es), that is to navigate the cosmos.
“Be melting snow. Wash yourself of yourself.” – Rumi
This one suggests that the oscillations that form the boundaries of our perspective are ego based, that we can reset these boundaries by melting them. That is if you care for expansion, or more importantly that it makes sense to you.
There is a mindset paradox where on one hand you are full and on the other hand you are still hungry. Ambition is not synonymous with contentment, in fact they are on different teams, are we supposed to choose a team?
Thinking about it in this one or the other way, you can see the shadow sides of both. Ambition can be corrupted by greed envy etc, while contentment can lead to laziness detachment etc. There is a balance.
On our boat of purpose, we will need both eagerness and gratitude (among other things like focus, bravery, intestinal fortitude, etc) to navigate the murky waters and find the most flowingest of flows.