Sometimes, I look back at what I have written and think it comes across as a lecture. Like I know something that I am trying to impart. Like there is a clear path, a clear set of steps, and a clear set of results that follows. Like if someone is not doing that, they must be wrong.
None of that is true. I don't know anything about you or about your experience.
I have said this before, and I will try to say it again from time to time. This blog is my thoughts, my stories about what is true or not true. You have your own.
Part of this process is discovering our own stories. What we believe to be true or not. And that is different for everyone. The important thing is to notice the cause and effect of different things in your life. When you are happy, and when you are not.
Just to do that is all that is required. The changes will take care of themselves.
Jeff
Friday, April 30, 2010
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Can Buddha Help Your Short Game?
This just in from The Wall Street Journal--golfers are converting to Buddhism to improve their games.
This is an amusing paradox, but it is typical of how we think. Buddhism is ultimately about giving up on the notion that anything outside us can bring us happiness. The happiness we seek is already in us, or as Jesus said, "the kingdom of God is within."
So golfers are hoping to give up to get. Just like many people ask "why meditate?" The act of meditation itself is not worthy on its own. The journey is not its own reward. Rather, we imagine that there is some destination where our suffering will be over. Where we will be permanently happy. And we are only willing to embark on the path if we think there is something waiting for us.
If you can imagine a path with steps, there seem to be at least three--
First, we might imagine that there is a place to go where we will be happy. It may involve achievements, or money, or status, or relationships, or some combination of all of those. If we get all the ingredients and prepare the recipe just right, then permanent happiness ensues. At this step, we spend a lot of time comparing recipes, feeling like we are getting closer because we taste little bits of happiness from time to time.
Second, we might see that none of these things has given us more than transitory satisfaction (because each of them is transitory). In other words, we give up on the more material kinds of recipes. Maybe we decide on a path to happiness through spirituality or religion. We decide that if we follow the steps of that path, we will be happy.
Finally, we might see there never were any steps to begin with. Happiness was always here, right now, waiting to be found in plain sight, even within sadness. (And yes, this is another paradox. Many people only discover that there aren't any steps because they were willing to follow the steps!)
It may be that Buddhism (or any other religion, frankly) helps people become better golfers. In the process, though, a few may find that they can be happy no matter how they golf.
Jeff
This is an amusing paradox, but it is typical of how we think. Buddhism is ultimately about giving up on the notion that anything outside us can bring us happiness. The happiness we seek is already in us, or as Jesus said, "the kingdom of God is within."
So golfers are hoping to give up to get. Just like many people ask "why meditate?" The act of meditation itself is not worthy on its own. The journey is not its own reward. Rather, we imagine that there is some destination where our suffering will be over. Where we will be permanently happy. And we are only willing to embark on the path if we think there is something waiting for us.
If you can imagine a path with steps, there seem to be at least three--
First, we might imagine that there is a place to go where we will be happy. It may involve achievements, or money, or status, or relationships, or some combination of all of those. If we get all the ingredients and prepare the recipe just right, then permanent happiness ensues. At this step, we spend a lot of time comparing recipes, feeling like we are getting closer because we taste little bits of happiness from time to time.
Second, we might see that none of these things has given us more than transitory satisfaction (because each of them is transitory). In other words, we give up on the more material kinds of recipes. Maybe we decide on a path to happiness through spirituality or religion. We decide that if we follow the steps of that path, we will be happy.
Finally, we might see there never were any steps to begin with. Happiness was always here, right now, waiting to be found in plain sight, even within sadness. (And yes, this is another paradox. Many people only discover that there aren't any steps because they were willing to follow the steps!)
It may be that Buddhism (or any other religion, frankly) helps people become better golfers. In the process, though, a few may find that they can be happy no matter how they golf.
Jeff
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Just Writing
Today, I thought I would try an experiement. Most of the time, when I start to write I have some idea of what I am going to write about. But today, I have no idea. The only thing that came to me was the words "just writing." And I started.
In a sense, this is like beginner's mind. We start with no idea of where we are going. I have done this with public speaking, too, though that is a bit more unnerving.
But soon, ideas come. Words appear on the page. A narrative forms. Where were these things when I started? I don't know. Where do the thoughts come from?
I am a big fan of TED, which sponsors and posts wonderful, thought-provoking 18-minute talks. Some are by famous people and some are not, but most are well worth seeing. Elizabeth Gilbert, who wrote "Eat, Pray, Love," gives a a great talk on the creative process. She talks about the pressure to repeat the success of her book (which was wildly beyond what she had done before). At one time, she says, the term "genius" referred to something that everyone had, but that was considered separate from the person. Everyone had a genius that visited from time to time. And if genius failed, it really wasn't the fault of the person.
That may be a story, but it is a helpful one. Because I don't think anyone understands where the words come from. And, whether they come or not, most of the time we feel they are coming from somewhere other than our brains.
Just like all our other thoughts, the words seem to appear from nowhere. And we are left simply to appreciate the mystery.
Jeff
In a sense, this is like beginner's mind. We start with no idea of where we are going. I have done this with public speaking, too, though that is a bit more unnerving.
But soon, ideas come. Words appear on the page. A narrative forms. Where were these things when I started? I don't know. Where do the thoughts come from?
I am a big fan of TED, which sponsors and posts wonderful, thought-provoking 18-minute talks. Some are by famous people and some are not, but most are well worth seeing. Elizabeth Gilbert, who wrote "Eat, Pray, Love," gives a a great talk on the creative process. She talks about the pressure to repeat the success of her book (which was wildly beyond what she had done before). At one time, she says, the term "genius" referred to something that everyone had, but that was considered separate from the person. Everyone had a genius that visited from time to time. And if genius failed, it really wasn't the fault of the person.
That may be a story, but it is a helpful one. Because I don't think anyone understands where the words come from. And, whether they come or not, most of the time we feel they are coming from somewhere other than our brains.
Just like all our other thoughts, the words seem to appear from nowhere. And we are left simply to appreciate the mystery.
Jeff
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Maybe
Much of this path is about giving up.
Giving up the idea that we can control things. Giving up the idea that we can plan for what is coming our way. Giving up even the very idea that we can know who we are.
This happens a little bit at a time. Maybe one day, instead of having the same kind of cereal for breakfast, we have a piece of fruit, or some eggs.
Maybe another day, instead of rushing out the door, we take an extra minute to give the kids a hug.
Maybe we open to the possibility that our coworker, the one who drives us crazy, is just doing the best he can.
When we say "maybe," we are really saying it may be. We are giving permission to the world to be as it is.
Just allow, as little or as much as you can right now. Maybe I can do the same.
Jeff
Giving up the idea that we can control things. Giving up the idea that we can plan for what is coming our way. Giving up even the very idea that we can know who we are.
This happens a little bit at a time. Maybe one day, instead of having the same kind of cereal for breakfast, we have a piece of fruit, or some eggs.
Maybe another day, instead of rushing out the door, we take an extra minute to give the kids a hug.
Maybe we open to the possibility that our coworker, the one who drives us crazy, is just doing the best he can.
When we say "maybe," we are really saying it may be. We are giving permission to the world to be as it is.
Just allow, as little or as much as you can right now. Maybe I can do the same.
Jeff
Monday, April 26, 2010
What's In Your Backpack?
I saw "Up in the Air" recently. If you haven't seen it, George Clooney plays Ryan Bingham, who flies around the country firing people who have been downsized. He also has a side business as a motivational speaker.
His standard motivational speech asks people to imagine taking all the things in their lives and stuffing them into a backpack, from knicknacks, to their house and car, to even their relationships. When you think about things that way, it can seem like we are carrying a lot on our shoulders. And there are many who would say that simplifying is the way to go.
Certainly, wanting and needing can lead to suffering. There is simply no way that we can ever have or do everything we want. It's a dead end path--though most of us take a long time to learn that (if we really ever do).
But there is a part of you that does not need a backpack, because it is not carrying anything. The concept of carrying things does not even apply to it. It is that which is before thoughts of carrying or not carrying. It is unconditioned awareness, true nature, just this, suchness, the witness, that which cannot be cut or burned or broken. It goes by many names, but it is always here. We only have to recognize it.
To rest in awareness, even for a few moments, is to realize that there are no burdens other than those created by our own thoughts. So yes, we can take things out of our backpack. But we can also simply discard the notion that we ever had any baggage.
Jeff
His standard motivational speech asks people to imagine taking all the things in their lives and stuffing them into a backpack, from knicknacks, to their house and car, to even their relationships. When you think about things that way, it can seem like we are carrying a lot on our shoulders. And there are many who would say that simplifying is the way to go.
Certainly, wanting and needing can lead to suffering. There is simply no way that we can ever have or do everything we want. It's a dead end path--though most of us take a long time to learn that (if we really ever do).
But there is a part of you that does not need a backpack, because it is not carrying anything. The concept of carrying things does not even apply to it. It is that which is before thoughts of carrying or not carrying. It is unconditioned awareness, true nature, just this, suchness, the witness, that which cannot be cut or burned or broken. It goes by many names, but it is always here. We only have to recognize it.
To rest in awareness, even for a few moments, is to realize that there are no burdens other than those created by our own thoughts. So yes, we can take things out of our backpack. But we can also simply discard the notion that we ever had any baggage.
Jeff
Friday, April 23, 2010
Love and Leadership
I get notes from Amazon all the time about books that I might be interested in. Yesterday's email was about recent books on leadership.
One called "Love Leadership" caught my eye.
I haven't read the book. I don't know the author. But the fact that someone can write and publish a book with this title is very inspiring to me. And from the reviews, it looks like it is inspiring to other people, too.
Do we have enough courage to bring love into the workplace? Can we focus on giving, more than getting?
I think we can. No doubt, it is hard, but I think in the long run, love is the way to go.
Jeff
One called "Love Leadership" caught my eye.
I haven't read the book. I don't know the author. But the fact that someone can write and publish a book with this title is very inspiring to me. And from the reviews, it looks like it is inspiring to other people, too.
Do we have enough courage to bring love into the workplace? Can we focus on giving, more than getting?
I think we can. No doubt, it is hard, but I think in the long run, love is the way to go.
Jeff
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Kaizen
"Kaizen" is a Japanese word that has come to mean "continuous improvement." Many Japanese companies have this spirit of kaizen, in which they are constantly assessing where they are and where there are opportunities to do better. Done well, kaizen is about transparency all the way from line workers to the CEO.
Unfortunately, one of the foremost practitioners of kaizen, Toyota, has taken a bid of a bad rap lately, and some have been quick to say "so much for kaizen." But Toyota is a good example of the importance of staying true to kaizen, and not hiding things when they are different than what you want.
I mentioned a big presentation that I had in this blog two days ago. I was teaming with a more experienced person, my boss, and it was a great opportunity to assess where I was, and to learn how to be better.
He was very complimentary, and at one time, that might have been enough. But I tried to make enough notes about things that he added that I did not know, so that next time, I can go a bit deeper into the material, and do a better job than I did.
We can be hard on ourselves without feeling bad about it. At one time, I would have thought that I should do it just like him, and that if I could not it meant that something was wrong with me. But over time, I have come to realize that in each moment, we are where we are. I did what was possible that day. I did what was possible given my seven weeks on the job, and from that perspective I did pretty well. But I have a long way to go.
Next time, I will do better. And the time after that, better still. That is part of the process. That is how we learn. And when we don't do that, when we aren't ruthlessly honest with ourselves and those around us, we end up hiding things. Then we make the kind of headlines we don't want, much like Toyota has done in the past few months.
Jeff
Unfortunately, one of the foremost practitioners of kaizen, Toyota, has taken a bid of a bad rap lately, and some have been quick to say "so much for kaizen." But Toyota is a good example of the importance of staying true to kaizen, and not hiding things when they are different than what you want.
I mentioned a big presentation that I had in this blog two days ago. I was teaming with a more experienced person, my boss, and it was a great opportunity to assess where I was, and to learn how to be better.
He was very complimentary, and at one time, that might have been enough. But I tried to make enough notes about things that he added that I did not know, so that next time, I can go a bit deeper into the material, and do a better job than I did.
We can be hard on ourselves without feeling bad about it. At one time, I would have thought that I should do it just like him, and that if I could not it meant that something was wrong with me. But over time, I have come to realize that in each moment, we are where we are. I did what was possible that day. I did what was possible given my seven weeks on the job, and from that perspective I did pretty well. But I have a long way to go.
Next time, I will do better. And the time after that, better still. That is part of the process. That is how we learn. And when we don't do that, when we aren't ruthlessly honest with ourselves and those around us, we end up hiding things. Then we make the kind of headlines we don't want, much like Toyota has done in the past few months.
Jeff
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