Quote of the Week...from Soren Kirkegaard

Anxiety is the dizziness of freedom.                               Soren Kirkegaard.

Soren Kirkegaard was a 19th century theologian and philosopher from Denmark.  Rob Dial, a personal development coach, used his above quote on a recent podcast while discussing the roles, both helpful and harmful, that anxiety plays in people's lives. According to Dial, it is our response to anxiety and the degree to which we make our own life choices, taking responsibility for them, that will eventually quiet our anxiety.  But I also just read the book Essentialism by Greg McKeown, which included being responsible for one's choices as a necessity for reducing our lives to the highest standards.  Both viewpoints involve stepping up to the plate and embracing choice and freedom instead of letting others choose for us and consequently run our lives instead of ourselves.  So while anxiety doesn't necessarily feel good, it also can be symptomatic of an effective and courageous life...just as long as it doesn't get out of control...  

Quote of the Week...from Steve Jobs

Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice.            ---Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs (1955-2011) co-founded Apple and led the company as a pioneer in the new digital information age.  I never did go for the Apple line of products...probably my loss. Since today is Jobs' birthday, I decided to check out some of his quotes...he's got a lot of good ones, but I settled on the one above.  Whether you're a leader or just some ordinary "Bill" like me getting through life, each day carries with it a multitude of choices, decisions that sometimes have a trivial nature, but often can change the direction of your life in a profound way.  I have to be centered on my own thinking process and have enough confidence to make those decisions, at times acknowledging that I might be in error but never going against my strongest convictions just to fit in with others who convey a more aggressive manner to express their opinions.  I'm a big fan of the Desiderata line "Avoid loud and aggressive people, they are vexatious to the spirit".   That doesn't mean I feel the need to pick an argument with those I disagree with, but I've long grown past the time when I gave a hoot about what the background of other people thought of me...at least beyond a certain point.  Each of us has to chart our own course according to the values we individually hold dear.  But that doesn't not mean forsaking community and close relationships: it does mean establishing in an honest way who we really are to those we care for and love the most...which is actually a way to demonstrate deep respect for them.  Of course, if you're a complete lowlife jerk, it might behoove you to forget what Jobs said and listen for a change to those other opinions...