In his six talks at Harvard entitled “The Unanswered Question,” Leonard Bernstein ended the final lecture (“The Poetry of the Earth”) by saying, “I’m no longer quite sure what the question is, but I do know that the answer is yes.”
On most days, our tendency is to scan our environment, react swiftly, and take immediate action based on our perceptions of what we believe we’ve witnessed and how we think we should manage it. These automatic responses often establish the repetitive patterns of our daily lives, resulting in a sense of restlessness, a craving for control, and a scarcity of peace and joy. We speed-read every moment, scanning for fouls, errors, differences of opinion, and anything that can help affirm our biases.
Individually and collectively, especially in our Western mindset, we believe our ‘no’ radar is flawless. Without practices that prompt us to step back and observe it objectively, this radar can take control of our minds and shape the narratives we tell ourselves.
What would it look like to cultivate a ‘yes’ radar? A radar that is catholic (universal) in its understanding that our neighbor is important, our Earth is important, and how we navigate and transform these connections is of utmost importance. What if we could learn to tap into the radar that always reports back with the memo: “Everything is happening for good”? How much beauty could blossom if our radars focused on the positive flow within and around our lives, rather than fixating on resistance that breeds unhelpful narratives?
When we allocate minimal or no time for genuine observation, moments of pause, and thoughtful reflection, we are signing up to eventually become a victim of our circumstances. Yet, we have a choice. When we choose to allow ourselves to fully taste the inexplicable nuances of the universe and explore the intricate spaces uniquely curated for us and our individual stories, we enhance our ability to discover the subtle clues guiding our divine and profound journeys.
Indeed, ‘yes’ becomes our reflex to all of the unanswered questions along our paths when we make the habits of tasting and seeing a part of our daily lives.
No one has ever planted a seed and held on.
You have to let it go.
Plant.
Let go.
Plant.
Let go.
This is the pattern that accelerates the serendipity of our lives.
As this serendipity accelerates, you then begin to swap your close-fisted expectations for open-handed anticipation of what just may start to flow your way.
#TonyHsieh
Here’s a quick glance at some interesting things that came my way this week.
Ryan Holiday’s 50 (short) rules for a better life. This is gold and worth a daily glance.
Jim Collins interview @ The Tim Ferris Show. It’s long, but I’ve gone back multiple times this week to write down some notes. Grade your days and go back to look at the trends over time and you’ll find yourself experiencing better days.
I interviewed Dr. Leidy Klotz on his book Subtract: The Untapped Science of Less at Good / True / & Beautiful Podcast. Click here for the interview. Takeaway practice, consider – before +.
Lastly, I’m halfway through Will Guidara’s book, Unreasonable Hospitality. I plan to take the wisdom gained and cultivated at Eleven Madison Park and weave it into my life, relationships, and businesses.
In an effort to better reflect, absorb, and collect the weekly wisdom I find, I’d like to attempt to start sharing a weekly glimpse into the interesting and insightful things I’ve discovered on a weekly basis…
Here we go…
Envy, the Happiness Killer by Arthur Brooks from The Atlantic. Once again, it’s clear that gratitude is the great doorway out of much of our personally inflicted suffering. Arthur is a voice I’ve recently discovered and is showing me a version of someone I’d like to be like when I grow up.
The Awakened Brain with Dr. Lisa Miller. Here is a link to the interview we released @ Good / True / & Beautiful Podcast this week. In short, the science behind the development of one’s spiritual life is stunning. Our lives, physically and emotionally, change for the better as we awaken to the dialogue that life and love is wanting to have with us. Lisa was so kind and generous to share with me her wisdom and an hour of her time.
Peter Mallouk’s image via Twitter appropriately sizes our reality and our problems.
The Poet and the World from Wisława Szymborska, poet and recipient of the 1996 Nobel Prize in Literature. James Clear shared a quote from this speech in his weekly newsletter. I read it all, and it’s easily the best meal of words I read this week. It’s comforting to find someone that loves ‘I don’t know’ as much as I do. And, of course, they’re a poet!
Ashton.Gustafson 