We human beings seem to love little phrases that simplify life down to a philosophy based on five words or less. No pain, no gain. Go with the flow. Rise to the occasion.
Not bad ways to perk up a bad moment or two, but rather risky in the long run, because we also have a tendency to read more into these little bits of flotsam than is there.
Then things like no pain, no gain, become twisted into suffering is good for the soul, or what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, or follow the crowd, or living in the here and now precludes having to plan for anything. Like modern art these things may be intriguing, but I have to ask myself, “Am I really wanting to base a lifetime of living on such simplistic philosophies?”
The answer is pretty clear for me. I do not. It may be enough to just do it when I buy a pair of athletic shoes, but if I am perched on the edge of a precipice and considering making a leap of faith, do I really want to just do it?
Pain doesn’t guarantee gain, suffering sometimes produces twisted souls and following the crowd can be dangerous, boring and counter productive. Even blooming where you are planted is not always the best advice. There are times when you need to get out of Dodge!
If you need to narrow life down to a catchphrase I suppose I would pick, “Think!” But even using that as a springboard for everything is still pretty risky. The way is simply not that simple!
“A mind is a terrible thing to waste.”
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