“Abnormal results” (in the positive sense) require a greater amount of output and more effective strategy than what is considered “normal.” In any pursuit that boasts a high failure rate, discipline and strategy become essential. Talent can ease the need for those two practices, but in order to endure, in order to sustain, one must be willing to set aside immediate comforts–including any ideology that becomes a hindrance–and possibly even the idea of an individual identity (unless this violates a personal code of ethics) in order to become whatever is necessary to propagate success.
I believe this is one of the starkest, purest tributes you could ever pay to the powers that determine our success or failure, and I believe that’s why the idea of personal sublimation–of piercing clarity and immense sacrifice–appears again and again in the hero’s journey.
Musings, Volume 1, available on Amazon Kindle: Musings, Volume 1
Dirty Sci-Fi Buddha 
Are you real? I like what you say.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I am in fact real. And thanks! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
You must also be a mind-reader, since I was just thinking of you at the moment you sent this reply. Sorry for that strange comment. I’d had a glass of wine (unlike now), published that crazy book review post, and am always grateful when you “like” my posts. But I’d also read a post by another blogger which said that he systematically “likes” all the posts for a particular tag without reading them, as a strategy, so at the time I was wondering if you were simply acting along those lines. Thus “Are you real” as shorthand for “Are you reading or just liking.” It’s really none of my business about the likes, and I’m grateful either way, that you are real. 🙂 Apologies, Mr. Buddha.
I did and do like what you say here. I need to work on my discipline and strategy (strategy? what’s that?), maybe tone down my setting-aside of ideologies.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I do both. I always like to dedicate a little time every day to ensuring that I like other bloggers (especially new ones) and ensure that I’ve reciprocated likes for people who’ve liked my stuff. I feel like it’s a way of giving back, since a lot of folks like my mind-drivel.😅
LikeLike
Oh, well, you are wonderful! 😊And it sounds like our “like” process is much the same.
LikeLiked by 1 person