What would you do if you weren't afraid?

OK...

So...uh...what exactly are you waiting for?

This isn't a dress rehearsal...

Wake up!

Here's the deal: What we can be, we MUST be.

Period.

There's no getting around that one.

So, turn off your TV. Put down your drink. Get off the medication.

Quit numbing yourself. The pain's not going away.

Not until you Think Areté.

Think Areté?

Yep.

Gandhi got it. Einstein got it. Mother Theresa got it.

Tiger gets it. Gates gets it. Oprah gets it.

The Greeks got it.

Get this: Guys like Socrates, Plato and Aristotle said that if you want happiness you better live with Areté--a word that literally means virtue or excellence but has a deeper meaning...something closer to “constantly striving to reach your highest potential.”

Areté.

How beautiful is that? It was one of the highest ideals of Greek culture.

It should be one of ours.

Tragically, it's not.

We seem to be more interested in resumes, accolades and 401k's.

Speaking of retirement...

Who came up with that? Work our asses off doing something we're not passionate about so we can accumulate enough money to pay the bills from our stress-caused illnesses while we bitch about what we should have done when we were still young.

Hmmm...can't quite figure that one out. Seems like it makes a bit more sense to go ahead and dare to live now...

Why not Think Areté?

Live to your highest potential--moment to moment to moment.

Not in the mood?

Fine. Then live with regret, anxiety, and disillusionment.

Your call.

Think about it. When do we feel most alive?

Exactly. When we're being ourselves--our highest selves.

You want happiness?

Think Areté.

Dream. Grow. Stretch yourself.

Rip off the tie. Jump out of the cubicle.

Dream. Think. Dare to be crazy.

What are you waiting for?

Think Areté.

Live. Love. Smile. Hug. Laugh. Dream. Do. Create.

Have fun. Be intense. Be audacious. Be unreasonable. Act impeccably. Breathe.

Be you. Be different. Get paid to do what you love. Dance in your underwear on your way to work...

Why not?

Ditch the tie. Escape the cube. Leave the 8-5. Trash the resume.

Ignore the critics. And the cynics. Burn the corporate ladders. Laugh at the ceilings.

Quit the bitching. Open your mind. End the laziness. Overcome the fear. Transcend the conditioning...

Why not?

Move the world.

Change the world.

Push the human race forward.

Whatever you call it, go out and do it.

When?

Now.

Not when you have enough money or once you do this or do that. That's nonsense.

It's not gonna be easy, but go out and live your dream. Now.

You deserve it.

And, if that doesn't move you: The world deserves it.

Think Areté.

Check out the video here.

Brian, this is the kind of stuff that our minds need to be filled with instead of the endless chatter of negativity, accompanied by the propensity to be accepted, the mindlessness of conformity, the fear of standing out in the crowd looking foolish, the fear of rejection.
Self-Reliance is frightening, whereas conformity is an illusion of comfort. The result of seeking solace in conformity is a loss of ‘Self’, this loss is like a vacuum, which must be filled with ersatz values, creating the greedy fervor of acquisitions, these acquisitions are in the form of, titles, prestige, money, standing in the community and just plain looking good in the new car or house on the hill. All this getting, possessing, and acquisition never produce any sense of self esteem or self worth, they remain bereft of experience, leaving us empty seeking more outside of ourselves with the illusion that more will fill the void created by conformity.
Will

Amen, Will!

I never seem to get tired of reading this. :)

Thanks, Ninj!! GREAT to see you here! :)

Oh…. the good ol’ days, eh?!!? :)

Yes!

Thanks!

“If you’re bent wi’ arthritis,
Your bowels have got Colitis,
You’ve gallopin’ bollockitis,
And you’re thinkin’ it’s time you died.
If you been a man ‘o action,
Though you’re lying there in traction,
You will get some satisfaction
Thinkin’, “Jesus, at least I tried.”

I’ve always been a person of action. What good does it to try to label this action?

“oh, that is Integral.” Who cares?

“oh, that is New Age.” Who cares?

“oh, that is Post Modern.” Who cares?

“oh, that takes care of the earth.” Who CARES?

“oh, that is soooo zen.” WHO CARES?

Don’t CALL it. Be it.

That is what the Arete Manifesto says to me.

I have always been action, will always BE action. Call it whatever you want.

Love it Jeepdog.

beats a sh*t sandwich, eh?!? :)

Haha thanks, Bri. Glad to be here- this is awesome. :) Good days indeed.

:)

Hey Brian…..I was referred to this site from a good friend from zaadz….great way to start my day…I read this piece this morning. I am actaully currently doing this exact thing “So, turn off your TV. Put down your drink. Get off the medication. Quit numbing yourself. The pain’s not going away. Not until you Think Areté. ”. I am a behavior therapist and have been for about 10 years now and I am completely stressed out….For the last 5 years I have been practicing Yoga and meditation as a form to relieve stress and it has become a huge part of my life….so huge that I am currently getting certified to teach Yoga and moving toward a more zen lifestyle…..I can not tell you how blissful it is to just follow your bliss. Thanks so much for this little encouragement :o) Namaste’

Wow man, what a beautiful thing you have created here!!! Thanks soo much!!
I have heard of this place talked about but never knew any details, until Jung Girl told me of it.
Thanks Jung One, You are Golden as always. Man.. this place is awesome, Brian! PraIses to you my friend, and to the rest of you.
Namaste’
Andy

p.s… GAIA/Zaadz is amazing as well! Thanks!! :D

thx, guys!!!

thrilled you’re diggin it and can feel your love from here! :)

-bri

Hello, everyone..
I guess I’m the newest in this forum.
Brian, such a cool quotes you have..great job!
Oh yeah..You too, jeepdog.
I think I need to take my time reading the quotes in this site. Coz there’s a lot!

And hmm..I hope I’m welcomed here.. xD

Cheers :)

welcome, apple!!! :)

Inner Purpose, Genius and Business

In Eckhart Tolle’s book A New Earth, he talks about the importance of reconciliation between your inner and outer purpose. He says, “If you look within rather than only without, however, you discover that you have an inner and an outer purpose, and since you are a microcosmic reflection of the macrocosm, it follows that the universe too has an inner and outer purpose inseparable from yours.”

I have found that teams of leaders are attracted to each other, professions, and to particular businesses. Sometimes, this common outer purpose is a reflection of a deeper inner purpose. But often that deeper inner purpose, which can supercharge the outer purpose, is not always clear to each individual or the team. Once each leader begins to discover their inner purpose or genius, the level of “acceptance, enjoyment and enthusiasm,” which Eckhart Tolle feels is an indicator of this alignment, goes up dramatically. Each leader then begins to see the synergy within the team and creativity expands. The organizational culture becomes vibrant, people want to be part of it, and the marketplace finds that being connected to the business and its people is irresistible, because on some level they recognize the expression of genius.

It takes courage to take the first step toward this state of being. It seems we fear transcendence more than “the darkness.” Our egos, fears and the world tell us it is a crazy and dangerous dream, but it is not crazy, it is our purpose to lead enterprises of this kind. Imagine what our world would be like if every corporation, country, and community was an outward expression of true inner purpose and genius.