EQ

In his 2014 Ted Talk, Simon Sinek sheds light on the concept of knowing a company’s “Why.” He examines “Why they do what they do” over simply “What they do” or “How they do it”. With over 66 million views, it is among one of the top Ted Talks.

And, you can’t unring a bell. Okay, so you’ve said the “thing” to a friend, family member, or co-worker that you wish you hadn’t said. Maybe you were well-intentioned, and perhaps there was even truth in what you said, but your tone and choice of words were not ready for prime time and definitely won’t appear on your highlight reel at the pearly gates of heaven.

At the Ryoanji Temple in Kyoto, Japan, an inscription appears on a 17th-century stone basin that is the title of today’s blog post.

Post-pandemic it’s never been more clear that we are a culture disconnected from our rebel souls. What exactly do I mean by that? Consider this disheartening evidence:

A big thank you to MEA beta alum Liz Gebhardt who turned us onto cyberlibertarian John Perry Barlow’s principles for being the adult in the room.

What if you were to imagine your life as a Hero’s Journey? This could be due to a change of career or where you live, a divorce and starting to date for the first time in 30 years, going back to get a masters in midlife, or exploring a new spiritual path.

In the buzzy world of social media, reputation matters. A lot! Your personal or company reputation shows up before you do, as the cosmic bellhop delivers it to others by way of Facebook, Instagram, or Linkedin (Twitter is still up in the air).

As we age, many of us become more discerning. We believe our metabolized experience has built an unfailing intuition that serves as a wise editor.

Before passing, David Bowie suggested, “Aging is an extraordinary process whereby you become the person you always should have been.” I would offer a corollary to that. Aging invites you into an intimate relationship with yourself such that you know who you are and what you want.

Midlife is when time becomes more scarce than money. Money can return. Time can’t.