In his book, The Monk and the Riddle, Randy Komisar writes (pp155-156):
"Considering personal risk forces us to define personal success. We may well discover that the business failure we avoid and the business success we strive for do not lead us to personal success at all. Most of us have inherited notions of "success" from someone else who arrived at these notions by facing a seemingly endless line of hurdles extending from grade school through college and into our careers. personal goals, on the other hand, leave us to our own, without this habit of useless measurement and comparison. [...]
"Work hard, work passionately, but apply your most precious asset - time - to what is most meaningful to you. What are you willing to do for the rest of your life? Does not mean literally, what will you do for the rest of your life? That question would be absurd, given the inevitability of change. No, what the question really asks is, if your life were to end suddenly and unexpectedly tomorrow, would you be able to say you've been doing what you truly care about today? What would you be willing to do for the rest of your life? What would it take to do it right now?"
How does one find or redefine path and mission using Randy's advice in difficult economic times? Does it make it harder or easier? Is this a philosophy with a practical as well as a poetic side? I think so, although sometimes it's not easy at all.
And is his advice transferable beyond the individual to groups and organizations, be they social, political or business?
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