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A man of his time, Theodore Roosevelt did engage with and push the limits in all areas of his life. Yes, he was a supreme egotist, but he is correct in that success often comes from focusing on the elements of total engagement and commitment. It also applies to the idea of the spiritual warrior in our time. In my humble opinion, the alchemy of possibility might not develop otherwise. I cannot predict where fate and fortune will will rise up to meet me. I try to never underestimate the value of hard facts and realistic evaluations, but unforeseen helpful elements, and what feel sometimes like outright miracles, cannot occur unless you are there, totally engaged in the process. Hopefully, the process contains more than one person. Multiple people allows multiple talents for perspective, and more windows for solutions to enter, as long as they don't fight. For me, compassion is the element that holds people together and soothes the pain of the inevitable disappointments and bumps in the process. It also fosters space for things to shift and perspectives to grow, sometimes producing the very thing that emerges and determines the success of the final outcome. As for claiming credit, it is not a worthy goal. Celebrate, but then be free of it. One of my favorite guiding quotes is "You can accomplish anything if you don't care who gets credit for it. " I hope I quoted that correctly. I have some experience with the "great devotions and enthusiasms " part. As a maker, craftsman, artist, and doer, enthusiasm has led me into a lot of personal creative projects I wanted to do. But it is fleeting. It is that delicious, egotistic, illusory rush that gets you started. We need it, or a lot of us might not do or learn anything. But then it deserts you when limits of reality time, energy, and obstacles assert themselves. Then it is about follow through. Then it is a battle with the demons of self-doubt, maybe desperation, and the struggle to be in the moment an... [View Full Comment] A man of his time, Theodore Roosevelt did engage with and push the limits in all areas of his life. Yes, he was a supreme egotist, but he is correct in that success often comes from focusing on the elements of total engagement and commitment. It also applies to the idea of the spiritual warrior in our time. In my humble opinion, the alchemy of possibility might not develop otherwise. I cannot predict where fate and fortune will will rise up to meet me. I try to never underestimate the value of hard facts and realistic evaluations, but unforeseen helpful elements, and what feel sometimes like outright miracles, cannot occur unless you are there, totally engaged in the process. Hopefully, the process contains more than one person. Multiple people allows multiple talents for perspective, and more windows for solutions to enter, as long as they don't fight. For me, compassion is the element that holds people together and soothes the pain of the inevitable disappointments and bumps in the process. It also fosters space for things to shift and perspectives to grow, sometimes producing the very thing that emerges and determines the success of the final outcome. As for claiming credit, it is not a worthy goal. Celebrate, but then be free of it. One of my favorite guiding quotes is "You can accomplish anything if you don't care who gets credit for it. " I hope I quoted that correctly. I have some experience with the "great devotions and enthusiasms " part. As a maker, craftsman, artist, and doer, enthusiasm has led me into a lot of personal creative projects I wanted to do. But it is fleeting. It is that delicious, egotistic, illusory rush that gets you started. We need it, or a lot of us might not do or learn anything. But then it deserts you when limits of reality time, energy, and obstacles assert themselves. Then it is about follow through. Then it is a battle with the demons of self-doubt, maybe desperation, and the struggle to be in the moment and keep meeting whatever unexpected reality presents itself, and asking myself the question about what needs to come next. Asking questions is critical. Often, what calls and needs to be done is not what I "want" to do, but for the greater good it may need to be done. Then "Great enthusiasm" has nothing to do with it. Devotion to constancy is what carries me. Sometimes a good night's sleep brings the shift in seeing that is needed. Knowing that ventures have succeed in the past reinforces the determination to keep moving forward. And sometimes you have no choice. There is an end, and you must meet it. Like the fighter in the ring, sometimes I feel beat up and I am totally spent and exhausted at the end. [Hide Full Comment]

The question I end up having to ask myself is if any good will result from what I want or don't want to say or do. There is often not a wise, loving external voice in the moment to convince me that my discomfort is necessary or transformative, and that I am on the right path. Spiritual teachings contain wisdom and educate and soothe one side of the brain, and help us through hard times where there can be no knowing of how things will turn out, by softening the hard facts that the other side of the brain sees and must acknowledge to survive. I try to follow the Dalai Lama and be kind, especially when I don't feel like it. A lot of what people do in the world makes absolutely no logical sense. Fate will deliver its blows or heat, or learning to all of us regardless. Our nation is at an apex of that kind of experience right now. It is often the kindness or caring of others that makes life bearable, and keeps from aggravating the wounds in unnecessary ways that will be remembered, and make things worse. Often it takes years to realize and be grateful for what I remember as painful episodes in my life and the learning or benefits I got from it. For which I am at this point grateful, but it does not make them feel glorious. It also takes a lifetime to remember all the kindnesses from extended family and friends that buffered existence from the worst of what could have happened. For me those memories of generosity and kindness are the gold of old age. There is so much I cannot know. Sometimes joy or satisfaction follows persevering. Sometimes I just have to cry from exhaustion and know I did the best I could do. And wait.