Category: Light from Many Lamps

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Light of Many Lamps – Unit 10

Marcus Tullius Cicero reminds us that life is fleeting. It is a race that is fixed where nature always wins. Aging does not discriminate nor does it play favorites. Each and every soul will face old age and Cicero argues that one’s ability to embody happiness will predict whether he or she will embrace old age eloquently (Watson, 1951: p. 262). Every stage of life presents its own season filled with challenges, victories, struggles, and pleasures. Cicero says, “Each has its own abundant harvest to be garnered in season” (Watson, 1951: p 263). We must learn to reap the fruits and pleasures of each stage of life. Cicero wrote in his essay regarding old age:

“Life’s race-course is fixed; Nature has only a single path and that path is run but once, and to each stage of existence has been allotted its own appropriate quality; so that the weakness of childhood, the impetuosity of youth, the seriousness of middle life, the maturity of old age – each bears some of Nature’s fruit, which must be garnered in its own season” (Watson, 1951: p. 262).

Cicero wants to encourage us that we should not cling to youthfulness while approaching old age, as this will harbor resentment. Instead, he argues, embrace old age because it is the commemoration of life. It is the grand finale. Old age is rich with wisdom that can be passed on to youth, in exchange for their joy. We must look onward eagerly, putting in place not only money but also the hobbies and friends that will facilitate happiness in old age. Self-expression and exercising the mind will keep the mind and spirit young. In addition, Cicero argues that we must pursue health with the same vigor as if we were fighting a disease (Watson, 1951: p. 262).

In Western society, people are always in a rush. We overuse the word “busy” because our lives are filled with being “busy” but we find that we are never truly accomplishing. Or rather, the things that fill our “busy” schedule sometimes are not the things that we truly value. We prioritize social acceptable goals of grinding for the American dream over attending our child’s sports practice or pursuing a hobby that produces zero economic value. Evidently, busy has become a badge of honor that we wear proudly. When someone asks us how we have been, the generic response is “busy.” Sometimes we are so busy, that we truly forget to live and enjoy the fruits of the harvest of the particular season we find ourselves. With the increasingly amount of timesaving tools, it is ironic how we have become more and more busy as a society. Evidently, then, it must be due to a cultural perception. In our individualistic society, our sense of time inevitably must be skewed. We have more time than ever due to technological advances; however, a paradox emerges; we are busier than ever. Could it simply be attributed to the aggressive pursuit of the American Dream that we so earnestly cling to in our search for happiness? We are constantly fed the paradigm that it seeps into every aspect of our life. We begin to believe that time is money. We must be busy or we are not actively pursuing the American Dream. Therefore, we are not actively pursuing happiness.

For the greatest shame would be getting to the end of life and realizing that we never truly lived or reaped the fruits of our harvest because we were simply just too busy. Without putting in place the proper hobbies to occupy, it comes as no surprise that seniors have the highest suicide rates (Bennett, 2017). What does one do when their whole life was spent pursuing the American Dream and staying busy is no longer busy? Ironically, we have entered the age of time poverty. The problem is especially highlighted as experts are calling elderly suicide an epidemic. Canadians that are 65 years+ have the highest suicidal rate at for any group across the nation (Bennett, 2017).

We must take the time to put in place hobbies and nurture friendships that will facilitate some of the richest years of our life. Being busy should not be a badge of honor. Society’s paradigm is reinforcing this busy paradigm, forcing us to rush through the stages of our life without taking the time to truly appreciate them. I believe that it is time that we slow down and enjoy the simple pleasures of life, at whatever stage we may find ourselves in.

Christina

 

References

Bennett, R. (2017, September 6). How Do We Stop the Elderly Suicide Epidemic? Retrieved on November 30, 2018, from https://www.huffpost.com/entry/how-do-we-stop-the-elderly-suicide-epidemic_b_59b0439ce4b0c50640cd641f

Watson, L. E. (1951). Light from Many Lamps. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster.

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Unit 9 – Light of Many Lamps – Response to Monica Grace

Hi Monica,

I would definitely agree with you that “living in the moment” has some limits, especially for a leader who is expected to plan ahead for followers. Great leaders are frequently known for their presence and being in the moment. For this post, I will examine the CEO and Managing Directors of McKinsey & Company, Dominic Barton, and how he relies on the art of being present to effectively direct the company.

Being in charge of a multi-million dollar company, Dominic Barton has a jam-packed schedule of meetings all day long. He understands that each meeting deals with complex information and has large ramifications for the far-reaching decisions that must be made (Hougaard & Carter, 2017). As Hougaard and Carter (2017) state, “Under these conditions, being present moment to moment, meeting after meeting, is a challenge.” Evidently, this is not an easy task but in Barton’s leadership position, presence is not a choice: It is a necessity (Hougaard & Carter, 2017). Barton emphasizes why it is absolutely crucial for leaders to be present because “if you’re not focused, if you’re not present, it’s discouraging to the other people. They lose motivation. If you’re not present, I think you may as well not have the meeting. It can sometimes be difficult to do, but it’s always important (Hougaard & Carter, 2017).”

It is the responsibility of the leader to look beyond fears and anxieties of the future and problems of the past because as Osler indicates, it is a “waste of energy” (Watson, 1951: p.216). Presence is important to leadership because it builds trust with followers, and trust is the foundation of leadership. Presence shows that the leader cares about the employee that he or she is willing to give them undivided attention to listen to their perspective (Schawbel, 2016). This is no easy task. It takes an incredible amount of discipline for a leader to ignore the nagging feeling of the mind that is fixated on other challenges and concerns. But it is crucial if we want to effectively build trust and lead others.

It was really interesting to read your take on this Osler’s perspective since I also responded to his story.

Christina

 

 

References

Hougaard, R. & Carter, J. (2017, Dec 13). If You Aspire to be a Great Leader, Be Present. Retrieved on November 22, 2018, from https://hbr.org/2017/12/if-you-aspire-to-be-a-great-leader-be-present

Schawbel, D. (2016, Feb 16). Amy Cuddy: How Leaders Can Be More Present In The Workplace. Retrieved on November 23, 2018, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/danschawbel/2016/02/16/amy-cuddy-how-leaders-can-be-more-present-in-the-workplace/#4f390295731c

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Unit 9 – Light of Many Lamps – Response to Principal Morrow

Principal Morrow asked the question, “How often or in what way do you take time to retreat?”

In response to his question, I admittedly do not take the time out of my busy schedule for a retreat to refresh my mind. The word “retreat” in Latin means, “to pull back” (LaMuse, n.d.). Retreating and gaining clarity is becoming increasingly important, especially in today’s day and age. Whether the marketing machine or social media mediums, these manmade creations are designed to be more addictive and more powerful than ever with the goal to impregnate our conscious as they fight for attention in the attention economy. In essence, marketing is designed to impact our thinking at a subliminal level, whereas social media and TV are done on our own accord. However, they all take away our ability to be present and focus on what truly matters in our lives.

Although I do think that Thoreau’s actions were slightly drastic, I believe that there is truth and lessons that can be learned from his experience. By pulling back, we learn to re-strategize and redirect our energy into the spheres and venues that matter to us (LaMuse, n.d.). When our schedules become busy, our energies become dispersed in multiple directions, which greatly impacts our productivity and overall impact. By retreating, an individual can become aligned to their goals and aspirations that are most meaningful and fulfilling. It gives us a different perspective and as Albert Camus states, “In order to understand the world, one has to turn away from it on occasion” (Goodreads, n.d.). Ultimately, they re-strategize on how to make their life more meaningful by becoming inspired. Inspiration is serendipitous moments that occur when we have a different outlook on life (LaMuse, n.d.). Therefore, retreats can spur up the creative juices and produce innovative ideas.

When I was taking my undergrad at the University of Ottawa, I would frequently go for walks around the Parliament buildings and up to Sir Samuel de Champlain point to clear my head and realign with what is important in my life. Since moving to BC, I try to take walks at Crescent Beach every now and then; however, this is a rare occurrence.

Thoreau’s lesson is a good reminder of the importance of retreating and realigning with the essence of our true character. When life gets busy, walks in nature are one of the first things that get cut. However, we take for granted its rejuvenating qualities that can help us to become more productive in our personal and professional spheres. Evidently, it can pay dividends to our productivity as well as our happiness and relationships.

Thank you for your post, Principal Morrow! I really enjoyed reading your valuable insights!

Christina

 

 

References

Goodreads. (n.d.). Retreat Quotes. Retrieved on November 23, 2018, from https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/retreat

LaMuse (n.d.) Why are Retreats Important? Retrieved on November 22, 2018, from https://lamuseretreat.com/retreats/why-are-retreats-important/

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Light of Many Lamps – Response to SJasmins

Sarah effectively articulated the Confucius’ principles related to his primary message “what you do not wish done to yourself, do not do to others” (Watson, 1951: p. 196). This is taken from the Golden Rule of Christianity: Do unto others as you would have others do unto you. I liked how Sarah related these simple principles to the importance of establishing trust with followers because trust is what allows a leader to have influence. Followers have to trust their leader’s character in order to have their thoughts, beliefs, and actions influenced by an individual. As Sarah pointed out, integrity makes a leader worthy of trust.

I believe this dovetails into authentic leadership. In a society where authenticity is rare, it has become more valuable than ever. People are starving to follow authentic influencers that take off the masks of social norms and share their true struggles and hardships. Social media has made authenticity especially valuable. We live in a world where everyone showcases the highlight reel of their lives, creating a cycle of envy and inadequacy. Authentic leadership is a philosophy that advocates for genuine and “real” leadership especially with the public’s increasing demand for trustworthy leaders in the wake of corporate scandals and “fake news” (Northouse, 2017: p. 197).

Authentic leadership requires an intrapersonal perspective that consists of true “self-knowledge, self –regulation, and self-concept” as to not unknowingly or mistakenly treat others poorly (Northouse, 2017: p. 198). Authentic leaders have strong codes of ethics by understanding their own values, where they behave in ways that are congruent to their own personal constitution (Northouse, 2017: p. 200). When they experience hardships or tough decisions, they do not compromise their ethics because the values have been predetermined before for high-stake situations arise. Ultimately, this instils trust amongst followers as they see their leader acting ethically in difficult situations. Evidently, leaders set the moral tone for the organization because both ethical and non-ethical behaviour trickles down through the organization (BuildingCapacity, 2013). Confucius’ principles relates not only to an individual’s personal life but also to the ethical corporate sphere.

Thank you Sarah for your thought-provoking post! I really liked how it fit in nicely with this week’s topic. Looking forward to reading more!

Christina

 

References

BuildingCapacity [Poster]. (2013, March 29). What is ethical leadership? Retrieved November 2018, from You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ks2QGoIq5nA

Northouse, P. G. (2018). Leadership: theory and practice (Eighth ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

Watson, L. E. (1951). Light from Many Lamps. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster.

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Light of Many Lamps – Response to Georgeena

After Georgeena read the short story by Thomas Carlyle, she discusses the importance of finding truly fulfilling work that electrifies the soul. Unfortunately, this is not the case with many people as they simply work to pay the bills with little left over. She uses the analogy that unfulfilling work is similar to a machine that has been left on, arguing that people are becoming increasingly depressed due to lack of purpose. Often times, when people are unsatisfied with their work situation, they will bring that stress back home, poisoning their home atmosphere as well. Carlyle argues that individuals need work to give their lives purpose and meaning.

I personally believe that passion is found in the dance between our greatest fear and our deepest desire. This follows the old saying, “Do what you love and you’ll never have to work a day in your life.” The world needs more people to follow what lights their hearts on fire; this is where the cherished and prized creations are born. This is where the rest of world gets to experience and enjoy the fruits of an individual’s talent. Without people brave enough to follow their passions, the world would be robbed of creations such as The Mona Lisa, the IPhone, Michelangelo’s David, and many more masterpieces and technologies that supplement our lives.

Passion allows us to enter a “flow” state in which we are truly present and at ease with our true sense of self. It is a peak performance state where all sense of time is lost and we are completely engrossed in the task at hand. These are the moments that we seek to find in our work, but they can only be found when we are following our passion. Often times, people choose a career simply because they think it will have a decent salary or they have a slight interest in the topic. However, many people fail to consider all the aspects that come with achieving that specific career goal. François de La Rochefoucauld warns, “Before we set our hearts too much upon anything, let us examine how happy they are who already possess it” (Watson, 1951: p.10). People do not take into consideration the sacrifices that the career may require such as the enormous time and energy commitment. For example, many doctors did not fully grasp the time commitment that the career would demand, resulting in missed family BBQs and children’s soccer practices. It is crucial to ensure that it is your passion, or else you may miss out on life’s most cherished moments. Work takes up at least one third of our time in life, so we had better make sure that it brings us joy, happiness, and fulfillment.

Thank you Georgeena for your thoughtful reflections. Looking forward to reading more blog posts!

Christina

 

Reference

Watson, L. E. (1951). Light from Many Lamps. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster.

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Light of Many Lamps – Response to Monica Grace

Monica reviewed the same short story by Arnold Bennett as I did but took a substantially different approach. This provided a different insight that I had not thought of while reading the story, likely due to different life experiences. It was interesting to see that we both touched on the western perception in which North Americans live as if they are immortal whereby time is worthless. However, she discussed the concept of time within the context of losing a loved-one. I found this to be an incredibly powerful example as I have never been through this and have not experienced this heartache. As a result, I likely live as if I am immortal and also treat my loved ones as if they are going to live forever. Her honesty inspired me to reflect on how I treat my loved ones and if I am appreciating them for the precious days that we have to spend together.

In addition, I also found her realizations to be quite moving. The one that really struck home for me was the one about “Relationships over Ambition” because I have been in Bennett’s place where I budgeted and accounted for every minute. Last year, I became slightly obsessive with efficiency and making sure I was operating my life at maximum productivity. This led to biohacking my body and other methods to ensure that absolutely no time was wasted. However, this resulted in avoiding friends or family as I figured it was “dead time” that was not helping me to accomplish my goals. I became so incredibly goal-oriented that I was sacrificing my closest relationships all in the name of ambition.

I also really appreciated the question that Monica Grace asked at the end, which challenged readers to ask themselves, “Is the sole purpose of advancing and improving ourselves in life a good reason for why we should not waste our time? Or is there a greater purpose in this life to live for?”

Based on my experience that I discussed, I would disagree with the first question because it can lead to burnout, and turn into an unfulfilling vacuum of the rise and grind lifestyle. André Maurois eloquently stated, “The greedy search for money or success will almost always lead men into unhappiness. Why? Because that kind of life makes them depend on things outside of themselves” (Watson, 1951: p. 18).

Although we may feel that we are accomplishing our goals, it is important to ask ourselves are these efforts for a greater purpose such as serving others? Or is it to simply to serve self-interests? In addition, I also agree with Monica that without God at the helm, our lives become directionless, meaningless, and without purpose. Without Him, we look for meaning in things such as accomplishments and goals to give us self-worth. Unfortunately, these efforts may be in vain as they lack the key ingredient to a life of purpose.

Thank you Monica for your transparency and vulnerability so that I could have these deep reflections about my own life! Looking forward to reading more of your posts!

Christina

 

 

Reference

Watson, L. E. (1951). Light from Many Lamps. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster.

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Light of Many Lamps – Part 2

Light from Many Lamps

Arnold Bennett

Arnold Bennett brilliantly encapsulates the value of each and every 24-hour gift that we receive daily, and how it is up to us to determine what we spend our time on. Bennett beautifully reminds us that, “You wake up in the morning, and lo! Your purse is magically filled with twenty-four hours of unmanufactured tissue of the universe of your life! It is yours” (Watson, 1951: p.143). Bennett discovered that time is the most precious commodity on the planet, yet people spend it so cheaply as if they are immortal (Watson, 1951: p. 24). Upon his epiphany, he devoted himself to a rigid schedule of self-discipline to make every hour count; leaving no time to frivolous time-wasting activities that would interfere with his progress towards his goals (Watson, 1951: p.142).

I found this story to be particularly powerful because I fall into the category of people that complain that they “just can’t find the time” (Watson, 1951: p.145). Unfortunately, I tend to fritter away time without giving it much thought. This is especially true with the rise of social media and how these platforms have been designed to have a highly addictive component whereby it is difficult to tear our eyes from the screen. Admittedly, I fall victim to the never-ending scroll, the high interest/ low time commitment videos, and the massive amounts of shared pictures, statuses, and articles.

Social media is so addictive because it plays on our natural human instinct to seek social validation, affirming our existence (Lowery, 2013). It expands our possibilities of connecting, sharing our lives and self-distinctiveness within a social context. According to Lowery (2013), the reason that we use social media has more to do with the psychology than the platform itself. Social media feeds on our fear of missing out, stokes our ego, and our desire for social comparison (Lowery, 2013). Furthermore, a study from Harvard University discovered that self-disclosing information on social media activates the part of the brain that also lights up when individuals experience heightened pleasure such as engaging in sexual intercourse or taking a highly addictive substance such as cocaine (Brown, 2012).

Undoubtedly, we are facing the battle for our future and time is our weapon. We must fight against human nature and our intrinsic instinct to seek social validation. Wasting a day here, an hour there, does not initially feel as though it will cost us much. However, this unproductive habit will have an exponential effect over time, and ultimately we will not achieve the vision for our life. As stated by Aristotle, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act, but a habit” (Seale, n.d.). Ultimately, our success is the product of our habits. We become what we continuously do each day. Bennett reminds us that all we ever have is the present. I have been deeply inspired by this passage and have decided that I am going to challenge myself to take a social media cleanse for the next month to balance my time budget. I want to learn to spend my precious minutes wisely. The time we are given is truly a miracle that should be valued and cherished. As Kay Lyons said, “Yesterday is a cancelled check; tomorrow is promissory note; today is the only case you have – so spend it wisely” (Goodreads, n.d.). Our time is never early, never late, but always right on time.

Christina

 

References

Brown, L. (2012, May 11). New Harvard Study Shows Why Social Media Is So Addictive for Many. Retrieved on October 16, 2018, from https://marketing.wtwhmedia.com/new-harvard-study-shows-why-social-media-is-so-addictive-for-many/

Goodreads. (n.d.). Kay Lyons Quotes. Retrieved on October 16, 2018, from https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/197755-yesterday-is-a-cancelled-check-tomorrow-is-a-promissory-note

Lowery, T. (2013). Why Social Media is so Addictive (And Why Marketers should care). Retrieved from https://www.cmswire.com/cms/customer-experience/why-social-media-is-so-addictive-and-why-marketers-should-care-022276.php

Seale, Q. (n.d.). 113 Aristotle Quotes That Changed Western History Forever. Retrieved on October 16, 2018, on https://www.keepinspiring.me/aristotle-quotes/

Watson, L. E. (1951). Light from Many Lamps. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster.

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Light from Many Lamps – Response to Matt Squirell

Matt eloquently articulated Wolfe’s conclusion on happiness whereby true happiness is found through serving something greater than oneself. The premise is that people should shift to an outward focus rather than an inward focus. Wolfe argues that this is how one discovers true peace and happiness.

I like how Matt drew the connection between self-awareness and how it dovetails with humility. One must be aware of one’s own beliefs, character, and interests, before understanding humility. Self-awareness demands an individual to understand that the ego is attempting to protect the personal identity and does not serve as a function to bring happiness. The ego fights for the need to be right. Humility and the ego cannot live in harmony, as humility requires selflessness. “When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom” (Proverbs 11:2). As this verse states, humility brings wisdom, and with wisdom a deep understanding that happiness is only found in service and looking outward. Humility does not mean that one has low self-confidence or self worth, but rather it allows others to be the centre of attention. Humility allows an individual to be grateful towards the work, accomplishments, and characteristics of another human being. In the process, true happiness is found because “Happiness is a perfume you cannot pour on others without getting a few drops on yourself” (Watson, 1951: p.15).

Humility is the paradox of leadership as it was not a trait that was traditionally associated with leadership. Humility and confidence can exist together because they communicate both vulnerability and strength to followers. I found this blog post to be very enlightening and enjoyed Matt’s insights. Looking forward to reading more posts Matt!

Christina

 

Watson, L.E. (1951). Light from Many Lamps. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster.

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Light of Many Lamps – Part 1

I chose to read the short story about the philosopher Seneca called “True happiness is to rest satisfied with what we have” (Watson, 1951: p.8). This story has a simple message that we all need to be reminded of: being grateful leads to true happiness. Considering it is thanksgiving weekend, this story was very timely as I am reflecting on all the blessings and people in my life that I am grateful for. It is easy to get caught up in the rat race or the “keeping up with the Jones’” mentality; always trying to find the next thing that will hopefully bring happiness. However, Seneca argues that people look for happiness as if it is a destination; searching and searching without prevail. He articulates this by stating, “ True happiness… to enjoy the present, without anxious dependence upon the future…” (Watson, 1951: p.8). The timeless message that is still relevant centuries later reminds us that happiness is a state of mind. Happiness is an outlook on life; it is the destination. We have no time but the present, and nothing added in the future will unlock the key to happiness.

As a leader, sometimes it is easy to have my heart set on the next goal, objective, or quarter. I fall into the pattern where I think, “if only I could make x amount of dollars or get my organization to x position…” Evidently, it becomes never-ending as I keep reaching and striving. Leaders are obsessed with growth and helping others reach their full potential; however, this can have its drawbacks. Sometimes, it never truly leaves leaders satisfied because before they have even accomplished one particular goal, they are looking for the next target. Leaders must learn to appreciate and be thankful for every moment but also look to the future for improvement. A balance must be sought between the two spheres of a growth mentality and a thankful mentality.

This is relevant in my life because growth and never-ending self-improvement give me value. Stagnation or accepting the happy status quo is not an option for me. As a result, being grateful for the present, without continuously looking for a new goal to tackle, is a challenge for me. In the professional realm, I must appreciate the talent my organization has and not simply look for new talent that could have better skills. But, instead, I need to celebrate and be grateful for those that have transformed the business. As I seek to carry out the vision for my life (to mentor and empower women), I may become frustrated and unsatisfied by the results or lack there of. It will be my goal to be both grateful for how far I have come with my service as well as thankful that I get to continue to grow and inspire other women. Seneca encapsulates eloquently that happiness begins with being grateful for everything that we have in our life. I am very thankful that I got the opportunity to read this message this thanksgiving.

Christina

 

Watson, L.E. (1951). Light from Many Lamps. New York, NY: Simon and Schuster.