As discussed previously, we all affect each other. We are all part of the others’ stimuli. Although we are all interconnected, the individual person still strives to separate from the rest.
Genetically speaking (aka according to Dawkins) it is to obtain the best partner in order to have the best chance at passing your genes on in perpetuity. With recent innovations in medicine and technology, very little must happen for this passing of genes to occur. Life expectancy has increased, sicknesses are being cured, and fertility issues are being overcome.
But still, each human seeks to rise above the rest. Many argue that this is the role of the ego, to isolate the individual identity from the collective notion of humanity. But, a life set with intention allows us to rise above the ego’s distraction, the superficial perception of success, and enables us to focus on what matters.
Even if we seek to live a selfless life, we often get distracted, stressed and retreat to our self-interested ways until we are presented with moments in life where a shock to the system illuminates to our conscious this deviation from our intention allowing us to put things back into perspective.
Yet we all perish whether or not we have passed on our genes, and from birth until death we are all constantly pulled in many different directions at once.
The way you spend your time, the way you focus on what you are doing, determines the major events in your life. The combination of our individual major events are what creates the major advances of humanity.
So pause, and think for a moment: What do you prioritize? What do you focus on?
It is important to define and focus on getting your tennis balls right, for no matter how busy you are, you can always stop to appreciate life with a friend:
For while our time may be short, we have the opportunity to leave our mark on society and our family.
But the question is does your mark on the world have a unified message? Does your legacy have a concise meaning?
Some of the most impactful people have found their sentence.
What is yours?
Does that legacy sacrifice the ego for an idea greater than your ego? Does that legacy include love? Or is it strictly selfish?
Society, even in its darkest days has brought together people to sacrifice for one another.
While differences exist in the way we all look, act, and think, we should focus not on our differences, but rather on our similarities.
For ultimately if each individual sacrifices a little for the greater benefit of mankind, all of mankind will be better and thereby will be bettering the individual man. Better yet, if we build our lives, our companies, from the ground up with intention to help mankind, that is the ultimate form of living–the ultimate form of business.
And that’s where society is headed. That is where technology is able to bring us.
If one takes the approach of We Over Me, we not only benefit mankind greatly but also increase our pocket books.
So we have a choice: We can capitalize on this trend that is moving us towards collaboration–towards sacrifice of the ego–in one of two ways.
We can take advantage by being part of the collaborative solution and sharing in the extra profits that benefit mankind, or we can blatantly leverage the well-intention of others for our own selfish actions.
When you pull back the layers of life (something these series of posts aim to do),
you begin to realize you are honing your higher state of being
to identify your purpose (the house you are creating),
through your constantly improving craft (the passion behind the hammer and nails you wield),
in your own unique environment (the location, experiences, people and information with which you build the house with).
The choice is ultimately your own with what you do with your house: you can lock the doors or open them and invite others to join you.
May you choose wisely…
I hear the neighbors make an amazing family-recipe corn bread, and I for one looooove corn bread and can never make it right.