Strike the Match

Love...

"Love is the extremely difficult realization that something other than oneself is real."  -Iris Murdoch

I came across this quote today and it absolutely captivated me.  Wow...

Strike the Match.  Take Action, Be Extraordinary.

A Talent

The most valuable of all talents is that of never using two words when one will do. - Thomas Jefferson

Strike the Match.  Take Action, Be Extraordinary.

Expecting the World

You can't expect the world to accept you.  You can only be you. Be happy with you.

Strike the Match.  Take Action, Be Extraordinory

Softness

The following is titled Softness and is from Everyday Osho: 365 Daily Meditations for the Here and Now .

The soft always overcomes the hard.  The soft is alive, the hard is dead.  The soft is flowerlike, the hard is rocklike.  The hard looks powerful but is impotent.  The soft looks fragile but is alive.

Whatever is alive is always fragile, and the higher the quality of life, the more fragile it is.  So the deeper you go, the softer you become, or the softer you become, the deeper you go.  The inner-most core is absolutely soft.

That is the whole teaching of the Tao:  Be soft, like water; don't be like a rock.  The water falls on the rock.  Nobody can imagine that finally the water is going to win.  It is impossible to believe that the water is going to win.  The rock seems to be so strong, so aggressive, and the water seems to be so passive.  How is the water going to win over the rock?  But in due course the rock simply disappears.  By and by the soft goes on penetrating the hard.

So let this be a continuous remembrance.  Whenever you start feeling that you are becoming hard, immediately relax and become soft, whatever the consequence.  Even if you are defeated and momentarily you see that there will be a loss, let it be a loss, but become soft- because in the long run, softness always wins.

Strike the Match.  Take Action, Be Extraordinary.

Perfect Risk

Willing to risk
it all, go for broke.

A loss will be
Painful.

But...

There's just that chance
that it just may be.

Perfect.

Strike the Match.  Take Action, Be Extraordinary.

A Fighter Knows

A true fighter knows
the only opponent.

A true fighter knows
the only judge.

A true fighter knows
to risk it all

because

A true fighter knows
to enter the ring.

Strike the Match.  Take Action, Be Extraordinary.

The Ultimate Sophistication

Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.  - Leonardo Da Vinci

Strike the Match.  Take Action, Be Extraordinary.

Somewhere Within

"When making a decision of minor importance, I have always found it advantageous to consider all the pros and cons.  In vital matters, however, such as the choice of a mate or a profession, the decision should come from the unconscious, from somewhere within ourselves."  - Sigmund Freud

Strike the Match.  Take Action, Be Extraordinary.

Fly or Die?

We often assume that greatness should be unscripted.  That an opportunity will present itself and we should spontaneously rise to the task and succeed.  But is that realistic?

Think of a great comedy show.  How did the comedian succeed?  Sure, he may naturally be funny but nobody thinks he just walked into the club, made his way up on stage, and came up with that routine on the spot.  

We know it takes months, if not years, to hone a great routine.  It takes practice at home in the mirror, practice on family, practice in front of small shows of close friends, and practice opening up larger shows for more established comedians.   Then finally after all the hard work, another comedian cancels at the last second and there's an opportunity to perform on the big stage.  Success.

He was successful because all that practice showed him what worked and what didn't.  Told him what jokes he needed to place and which he could keep.  It allowed him to develop a rhythm and timing that would captivate the audience.  The opportunity came and he was prepared.

Instead of fly or die approach many of us take, we should practice just like the comedian.  If we want to be better in social situations, we should brainstorm some questions and topics at home and practice them in the mirror.  We should use them with our family.   We should try them on our friends and co-workers.  Then when our opportunity presents itself at our next major work or social gathering, we too will be prepared to shine. 

Whether we want to enter a new social ring, or a Muay Thai ring, we should take the time to put together a plan of attack.  We should have a few go-to combinations up our sleeve, a three punch combo or question to break the ice.  We need to cast out any thoughts preparing is cheesy and instead realize it's smart.  If we're not prepared, there's little chance we'll succeed.

Strike the Match.  Take Action, Be Extraordinary.

Don't Be Compulsive

Don't be compulsive about continual improvement.  It's ok to take a break.

Strike the Match.  Take Action, Be Extraordinary.