No swim again yesterday. Duty called. And I, always, heed my duty. I think I’d have made a pretty good soldier, as I respond to duty with discipline more than thought. I jump to attention at once upon receiving orders; and I’m over the top and charging towards whatever needs to be done without a moment of hesitation or second-thought. So, when faced yesterday with my unfinished to-do list and a warm and sparkling 2:00 PM opportunity to go for swim at the beach, I selected the list and gave up the swim. Sure, I missed the sand—third day in a row, in fact, that I missed the beach because of duty. But I did my duty! I fulfilled my role! I completed everything on my checklist but one item after I simply ran out of time.
Jobs, spouses, kids, mortgage payments, utility bills, old parents to care for, charities to consider, and the necessity to be a good citizen are all the drivers that force us through our disinterest and fatigue to a better side of life—the place of fulfilled duty. These things motivate and propel us past what is merely fun and interesting to what is necessary and good. I’m glad I had my list of necessary tasks yesterday to lead me to do well. And I’m glad for the fortitude and resolve to say no to the warm and sparking 2:00 PM sand and waters at the beach in favor of checking off one more better thing from my list—the chance to fulfill one more decided and accepted duty to something greater than myself: namely, my family, my community and the improved ends of virtue.
The Good Life Meditation is my daily recitation and reminder of personal objectives and principles used in pursuit of a purposeful life in spite of a universe of seeming indifference. Learn more about The Good Life at my website GoingAlone.org or by reading my book Going Alone. And visit our Discord at: https://lnkd.in/gFgfGmY6
OBJECTIVES: 1. Be Always Ready to Die 2. Make Good Use of Time and Resources 3. Develop Good and Sound Life Principles 4. Cultivate Good Emotional Reactions 5. Perform Good Actions 6. Recognize True Limits and Opportunity 7. One Thing Slowly
PRINCIPLES: 1. Principle of War 2. Principle of Reason 3. Homunculus 4. Anchorhold 5. Home of Good and Evil 6. Principle of Purpose 7. Atomic Principle 8. Principle of Nature 9. The Pirate Ride 10. Principle of Maturity 11. Social Principle 12. Public Speaking 13. Temperance 14. Life Will Not Go Well 15. The Horror Show 16. That Which Must Be Borne 17. The Feast of Offal 18. Distraction 19. Agency and The Great Indifference 20. The Best Seat in the House 21. The Restless Man 22. The Path of Wildness 23. The Great Life Adventure 24. The Risk of Avoiding Risk 25. Sin and Damnation 26. Complete Oblivion 27. The Season of Philosophy 28. Bullseye Aim 29. The Uphill Climb 30. Arena and Utility 31. Nothing IS enough 32. The Principle of Fun
My name is Kurt Bell.
You can learn more about The Good Life in my book Going Alone.
Be safe... But not too safe.