I was listening to Joe Rogan comment yesterday on how he did not really follow sports other than martial arts. To my surprise, in spite of his celebrity experience, he said he had never been to a live football game. He said his friends are often amazed that he has only watched two Super Bowls on Tv in his life. When asked why? He said … because I have “stuff” to do.
It hit me that we all have “stuff” to do but what are we choosing to invest time and energy into?
I know from listening to Joe in the past he has spent thousands of hours watching, attending and participating in martial arts so he can obviously make time for what he enjoys and even become a master at it. This was the thought that stood out for me… “become a master” what does that take?
A master podcaster? A master comedian? A master television actor? A master sports commentator? A master Tv series host? A master Hunter?
That’s a lot of multiple directions to excel so I wonder why some people seem to get higher level of drives than others?
As children do you think that some say to themselves when I grow up…. I want to just settle for a solid average job with an average house in a stable neighborhood to raise my family and find myself?
What supports the potential of a child’s mind to be filled with dreams, without limitations, to have less fear of “messing up” and maintain an overall sense of wonder at the world? What allows some people to remain so curious at the world that is unfolding around them?
As every child comes face to face with the reality of expectations of our adult world they have to make choices.
It is obvious that some children are born into more difficult situations or challenging home settings which force them to recognize limitations in life way earlier than they should have to. Regardless of birth settings all children are eventually faced with a demand of letting go of life’s mysteries and told to accept responsibility. Responsibility as defined by the perception of those around them.
Each culture tends to see these obligations very differently which makes me question how true they really are? Are our choices and beliefs to become productive beings really negotiable? The contrast between western culture values when compared with eastern cultures is often so stark it causes me to question what would my life’s beliefs be if I would have been born a Buddhist in India? A Muslim in the middle east? Our approach to life is based on what perspective we adopt as we grow up in our surroundings. Is it really that subjective and if so maybe I should look deeper at what I believe.
What choices we each make is a direct result of the expectations we place on ourselves and often the expectations others have for us that often pave the way to our actions and the eventual course of life those actions lead us towards.
In situations of extreme poverty society often expects less “good” to happen due to many children’s limitations for education and experiences that can help develop them into productive members of society. Is mastery limited by socioeconomics?
When we see children who come from abusive homes we fear for the patterns that could set in which can create their self doubt, low self esteem or repeat patterns. Do the failings of the parents alone create a lack of mastery?
We often watch parents burdened by life’s obligations begin to accept their normal routine as they try to maneuver the weight of their lives and responsibilities. Do those parents begin to just not think anymore about dreams? About search? About mysteries? About mastery?
Are children beginning to question if this is what life must be? Is this the indicator of children not searching for mastery as they simply conform to expectation?
How do we not just settle into the expectations of what everyone else does and how everyone else lives? How do we remain wondrous enough to keep chasing dreams?
The excitement and amazement of what is around the next corner is the basis of our drive to learn and search for more, for bigger, for better, for mastery. When you remove these thoughts you relinquish the energy needed to continue that search.
As we watch so much of societies interactions turn to social media as a way of searching for life we start to see the syndrome of FOMO (fear of missing out) and I think you have to separate this concept from what I am discussing or what I am calling life’s search.
FOMO is an adverse effect of ego/image and our desire to be seen. Not wanting to miss out so that my life seems to me, and often others, to be fulfilled. “Look at me here I am” “ look at all the great photos I am sharing with you on how awesome my life is”
The stark comparison of FOMO to what I am discussing would be our search for wonderment which goes way deeper than the surface level of our images. Wonderment is based in our desire to know more about the world, our ability to stay committed to just finding self and not lose the excitement of learning new things regardless of life’s responsibilities.
Can we remain that excited throughout life?
I recently got a new puppy and her name is Charlie. The most interesting thing to me while walking Charlie each day is watching her be amazed at the wind blowing through the trees or stopping and staring for long periods of time trying to understand things. You can see the wheels turning in her mind as she tries to compartmentalize all of the new things around her. I have noticed that many of the things that used to stop us in our tracks we no longer pause for at all. She is getting used to the world and less amazed by occurrences that just a few short months ago were so curious. It is my job to pause when she pauses so that she can keep taking it in instead of staying on track to just get the dog walked. This pause is needed for me as well but do I still have the time or am I too busy meeting expectation?
Can you think of any young being and imagine what I am talking about? A young child before they know all the rules?
A high school student, not expressing self, and trying to fit in?
A young adult processing the rules to see if they can be independent of them or just give in to the obvious job?
When adulthood demands attention to responsibility is our spirit still excited? Can we still be filled with search for mystery while meeting our current obligations?
I think there are a lot of things that go into creating a mundane life that lacks mastery but I think the number one thing is when we stop creating the wonderment of a child, when we quit maintaining a list of things I wish to do and things I want to learn simply because I love growing.
Society and traditional education do not lead us to wonderment but rather they lead us to conformity. We are naturally being taught not to question authority and to all respond the same way to questions and problems. The only issue is that it does not work that well to dampen human spirit and as youthful rebellion sets in we start to separate and have free thought, big audacious dreams, excitement for exploration and willingness to think out of the box.
As we grow into adulthood conformity is pushed harder and harder and the ability to stay in tune with our desire to be a free spirit and open to life’s mysteries often starts to fade away and with it’s fading go our opportunities at mastery.
I appreciate Joe Rogan’s search because I identify with his curiosity of life and his relentless pursuit of whatever crazy idea he came up with last week. I often agree with and disagree with his opinions, I often see him as intelligent and at the same time willing to disregard facts at times. My agreement or disagreement with Joe, doesn't really matter as much as my respect for his ability to not let aging kill his wonderment.
Mastery exists within your commitment to keep searching and to be amazed for your entire life. Either keep that energy turned on or turn that energy back on and you do not know what mastery may be around your next corner.
We don’t need to settle for less, we don’t need to be ignorant of life’s mysteries but in order to remain free we do have to be seriously committed to taking actions which support our search. An exploration to study the mysteries or we will certainly leave a lot on the table in this life. I have never been more excited about a coming chapter in my life but I am seeing so many ways to open up my search and try new things and meet new people through the coming months, years and experiences. I am excited to travel more, build more, learn more, share more and explore more!
I hope that you can find that same excitement for yourself and be surrounded by people who see life the same because your mindset and those who support it is the key to mastery.
Choose Well,
Brian
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