“Unless you’re using speech as a practical asset like Mcgregor or Ali, don’t waste your breath spewing fiery words or empty platitudes.  Do the job and talk about it later.”  

—Paraphrased from people who get stuff done.

Every mechanism, every thought, every feeling…all of it can be used constructively, or it can be co-opted by the ego to justify self-destructive action.  Fear and love, for example, can serve to keep us safe and happy.  Conversely, both these things can weigh us down with ideas/patterns that should have been relinquished long ago.  Outward awareness of this dynamic allows one to formulate strategy, while positive aggression and disciplined application allows one to create and capitalize on opportunity, and ultimately EXECUTE said strategy.

“Learn to poke fun at things without being mean.  (Every once in a while—if it’s genuinely funny—it’s okay to be a little mean).”

—Paraphrased from every wise person worth their salt

From what I’ve seen, the quest to “feel good” will result in all sorts of opportunities for the ego to waylay progress and evolution, under the umbrella excuse of “it feels right,” and often seems to result in self-deception.  

In contrast, the quest to BE good—to become fulfilled and capable—will result in all sorts of hardships and trials, all sorts of transient regrets at being denied those fleeting pleasures we so desperately want to indulge…but each success will be sweeter, and each victory will be filled with meaning.  

And in my opinion, it will be worth it.

IMHO, the best belief systems should inspire one to grow and evolve, constantly reiterating the system’s core values in new and more effective ways.  If this isn’t the case, then there runs the danger of even the best operating system lapsing into an old, maggot-ridden religion, predictably red in tooth and claw.

The ironic thing is that most worthwhile journeys seem to point out that we never needed to look outside us; what we were looking for was within us, all around us, the whole time we were looking.

The doubly ironic thing is that most of the time, it seems we need to go on these “pointless” journeys in order to accept this.

When you leave someone alone and give them the luxury of time and resources, will they seek indulgence or fulfillment?  Enabling someone to choose “fulfillment” in that instance seems to be a principal goal of every philosophy I have thus far come across.  And yet ironically, most people I’ve met twist teachings/philosophies to go the other way—to seek indulgence.  Personally, I say forget the figureheads, forget the rules writ in stone, and use whatever mish-mash of knowledge you need to to live the most fulfilling life possible.  So that when you come to the end of your adventure (or even the end of your day), you’ll be able to look in the mirror…

And smile at what you see.

“At a certain point in one’s development, the dualistic concept of one teacher and one student must fade away.  In its stead will be the infinitely more organic idea of an autodidact:  one that absorbs knowledge from all angles, from all venues, regardless of how society judges these sources of wisdom.  Instead of one teacher, now there is an infinity of them.  And isn’t this what that first, singular teacher was pointing us towards anyways?”  

—Paraphrased from multiple wise people

Nature often follows the course of least resistance.  As humans, we can do that as well.  But as humans, we are offered an infinitely more tantalizing possibility:

To follow the path of most fulfillment.