Day 3 of Be Extraordinary talked about transformation. When learning transcends to transformation. And when it happens, the transformation is irreversible. I think I've been experiencing that this last year or so. He talked about the ROSE. Rate of Self Evolution. I feel like this rate is getting faster and faster for me. And it's all about intentional transformation, not passive change. How can I be put in more positions of a 'disorienting dilemma' or be more exposed to 'evolved meaning schemas over time'? This concept of pain or knowledge both being equal tracks to wisdom. The prompts were: what was a time where pain led to growth? What was a book or mentor that changed the way I think?
One example of pain was a couple years ago when I was taking for granted Dak and his parents and staying at their place. I'd hang out with other ATL YAs late and come home at 12:30 - 1 am+, while the parents were asleep. He called me out on it and especially cuz I didn't initially apologize. And he was right. After taking time to reflect on it then, it caused me great pain to think about that because I had a strong emotional attachment to it. But I tried to harness that reaction in a way to not make that same mistake ever again. To be respectful of house rules, parents, common courtesies, bringing gifts to show at least some gratitude. In the moment, I made the wrong choices and I was course corrected. The real mistake would be not learning from this though. Of course I'm not perfect but it's definitely more at the front of my awareness after going through that experience.
I think every book I've read in the past 2 years has added or reinforced a dimension, aspect, or value to my beliefs and identity. The book that's affected my thinking the most is The Diamond Cutter. Every day the concepts of imprints are on my mind naturally and explicitly by way of my list journal. I wish everyone could understand the concept and recognize its ubiquity in life. I'm even trying to bring it to the workplace as something we analyze on a weekly / monthly / quarterly basis. We think life is a series of unconnected events but it's really a web of interconnected intentions.
At Tai Chi class on Saturday, Sifu was referencing a 1991 movie called City Slickers. I watched the scene last night. There's a line in there that has the veteran cowboy talking to a middle aged man who's come out to the west to experience that lifestyle for a couple weeks. The older guy says "You know the secret of life? It's just one thing. You stick to that and everything else don't mean shit." The other guy asks, "That's great, but what's the one thing?" Cowboy goes, "That's what you gotta figure out." *Spoiler* I haven't seen the movie but Sifu explains that what he means by 'one thing' is really just focus. If you direct your attention towards just one thought or activity, without any distractions, then that's the secret. I feel I'm slowly but surely making progress towards that highest self of peak optimization, focus, alignment, and traction. Nice dialogue in the movie.
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