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Wednesday, March 8, 2023

Life Lessons from Richard Cory & Miniver Cheevy

Avid readers of the Freedom Focused blog know how much I love poetry.

It is also no secret that my favorite poems were typically published one hundred (100) years or more in the past. One reason for this predilection for aged verse is that poems published over 100 years ago are usually in the public domain, allowing me to republish them in their entirety here on the Freedom Focused blog—something I could not legally do (without permission) with more modern works.

Another reason I love old fashioned poems is because they are often the best ones available when it comes to teaching Self-Action Leadership (SAL) principles and practices.

Plenty of poetry has been published in the past hundred years. This is especially true if you count musical lyrics from popular songs, raps, etc. This more modern verse, however, is less likely to address issues involving SAL, which is why we reflexively turn to the masters of yore when searching for SAL-based poetry. Perhaps our efforts will, in time, inspire a renaissance of original modern poetry focused on character and virtue that will yet be published in the twenty-first century—works like Dr. JJ's Psalms of Life: A Poetry Collection. In the meantime, we are thrilled to resurrect the masters of ages past whose wisdom continues to resonate down through the corridors of time to positively and productively inform our present day.

Edwin Arlington Robinson
British Poet
1869-1935

Two of the more poignant, piercing, and penetrating works of poetry from the early twentieth century were written by the American poet, Edwin Arlington Robinson (1869-1935), and are entitled: "Richard Cory" and "Miniver Cheevy."

The first poem (Richard Cory) tells the story of a rich, handsome, and much admired man who appears to have it all, only to inexplicably commit suicide during the seeming pinnacle of his own popularity, prestige, and prosperity.

The second poem (Miniver Cheevy) recounts the tale of a seemingly ambitious man who harbored big dreams for his future—but sadly, failed to ever take any committed or concrete action toward realizing his hopes and goals in the PRESENT.

The climaxing events in both poems are profoundly sad—even tragic. Indeed, readers of either or both poems cannot help but find themselves deeply drawn into the stories that unfold, only to end up shaking their heads in surprise, dismay, and disappointment at the choices made by the two poems' respective protagonists. Readers can thank Robinson's gifted pen for producing such vivid and chilling storytelling through verse.

The power in these two poems comes in the cautionary tales they provide to us as readers. If we are honest with ourselves, we can probably identify vestiges of both Richard and Miniver in our own life's attitudes and experiences. Wise self-action leaders will acknowledge this reality and proactively take whatever actions are needed to circumvent the awful fate that befell both Cory and Cheevy.

With that introduction, let's turn now to the POEMS themselves...

Richard Cory

Whenever Richard Cory went down town,
We people on the pavement looked at him:

He was a gentleman from sole to crown,

Clean favoured, and imperially slim.

And he was always quietly arrayed,

And he was always human when he talked;

But still he fluttered pulses when he said,

"Good morning," and he glittered when he walked.

And he was rich—yes, richer than a king—

And admirably schooled in every grace:

In fine, we thought that he was everything

To make us wish that we were in his place.

So on we worked, and waited for the light,

And went without meat, and cursed the bread;

And Richard Cory, one calm summer night,

Went home and put a bullet through his head.

...............

As I shake my own head in dismay at this extraordinarily jarring and sudden turn of events, which is such a dramatic 180 from the first 15 lines of a 16-line poem, I am reminded of the words of a famous hymn...

"Who am I to judge another
When I walk imperfectly?
In the quiet heart is hidden
Sorrow that the eye can’t see."

—From the HYMN: Lord I Would Follow Thee

Miniver Cheevy

Miniver Cheevy, child of scorn,
Grew lean while he assailed the seasons;

He wept that he was ever born,

And he had reasons.

Miniver loved the days of old

When swords were bright and steeds were prancing;

The vision of a warrior bold

Would set him dancing.

Miniver sighed for what was not,

And dreamed, and rested from his labors;

He dreamed of Thebes and Camelot,

And Priam's neighbors.

Miniver mourned the ripe renown

That made so many a name so fragrant;

He mourned Romance now on the town,

And Art, a vagrant.

Miniver loved the Medici,

Albeit he had never seen one;

He would have sinned incessantly

Could he have been one.

Miniver cursed the commonplace

And eyed a khaki suit with loathing;

He missed the mediæval grace

Of iron clothing.

Miniver scorned the gold he sought

But sore annoyed was he without it;

Miniver thought, and thought, and thought,

And thought about it.

Miniver Cheevy, born too late,

Scratched his head and kept on thinking;

Miniver coughed, and called it fate,

And kept on drinking.

...............

In what ways might you presently—no matter how minimally—be falling prey to those thoughts, speech, and actions that led to the doom of Richard Cory and/or the underachievement of Miniver Cheevy?

For example, are you, like Richard, struggling with depression or other mental, emotional, or social malaise that could, if left unaddressed, lead you down a dark pathway you would rather avoid? If so, what are you doing to help yourself and, if necessary, seek out the assistance of others to aid in your plight?

In the end, there is very little use in blaming anyone else for how your life turns out. Excuses are like armpits; everyone has them and they all tend to stink! Self-action leaders are big believers in regularly applying liberal quantities of existential deodorant in the form of personal responsibility for their lives and careers—even, and perhaps especially, in the face of difficulties and unfairness. Even if a given misfortune truly is somebody else's fault, blaming your problems on other people or circumstances rarely helps lift you out of those circumstances; it takes creativity and proactivity to accomplish that.

On the other hand, do you, like Miniver Cheevy, ever over-romanticize the past, harbour grandiose dreams that are unrealistic, or get your hopes up for things you are unwilling to tangibly work towards? If so, how might you begin to alter your thoughts, speech, and actions TODAY in ways that will bring you down from the clouds of dreamland and set you on the pathway toward real achievements within your present reach?

I firmly believe that no one who has ever lived set out to purposely fail in their lives, careers, or relationships. But let's face it: LIFE is HARD. And it doesn't really matter who you are or where you were born; everyone faces their own, unique demons and difficulties in their lives. Such challenges have ultimately overtaken and consumed countless individuals throughout the ages—and every lost soul is a tragedy.

That is the bad news.

Be the Captain of Your own Ship
Take Responsibility for your Life

The GOOD NEWS is that YOU and I do not have to end up like Richard Cory or Miniver Cheevy. We have the ability and power to chart a different course—no matter what trials we may have faced, currently face, or will yet face in the future. If we are willing to look at ourselves in the mirror and honestly assess our own present reality, we can begin the process of effectively confronting whatever adversity we may face so that we might ultimately turn things around to live a meaningful and satisfying life—however challenge-laden or imperfect it may be along the way.

What are you choosing to do with your life?

Are you headed down a dangerous road like Richard Cory or Miniver Cheevy? Or are you claiming the Captaincy of your own ship and taking charge of your future?

In the end, the CHOICE is YOURS.

What will you choose?

—Dr. JJ

March 8, 2023

Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, USA

Author's Note: This is the 311th Blog Post Published by Freedom Focused LLC since November 2013 and the 137th consecutive weekly blog published since August 31, 2020.

Click HERE for a compete listing of the other 310 FF Blog Articles.

Click HERE for a complete listing of Freedom Focused SAL QUOTES.

Click HERE for a complete listing of Freedom Focused SAL POEMS.

Click HERE for a complete listing of Self-Action Leadership Articles

Click HERE for a complete listing of Fitness, Heath, & Wellness Articles

Click HERE for a complete listing of Biographical & Historical Articles

Click HERE for a complete listing of Current Events, Cultural, Philosophical, & Miscellaneous Articles

Click HERE for a complete listing of Dr. JJ's Autobiographical Articles

.........................

Tune in NEXT Wednesday for another article on a Self-Action Leadership related topic.

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Wednesday, November 17, 2021

Dr. JJ's Rule #7: Accentuate the Positive & Eliminate the Negative*

In a previous article, Dr. JJ's 13 Rules for Living were shared.

Click HERE to access JJ's 13 Rules.

This week's blog post addresses Dr. JJ's RULE #7, which states:

A Freedom Focused Knight imbued by SAL.
Be wise as a scholar, but avoid sophistry and selfishness. Be strong and brave as an elite warrior, but do not profane or be vicious. Be clever as a fox and shrewd as a Hollywood actor or corporate lawyer, but never engage in deceit or manipulation. Be as skilled and precise as a world-class surgeon, but eschew ego. Be eloquent as a polished politician, but let my words ever speak the Truth in the sincere service of all human beings. Be ambitious and successful like the famous, but flee hedonism, concupiscence, and substance abuse. Fight, endure, and win like a world-champion athlete, but never mistakenly view myself a demigod. Use my God-given talents like a proactive and productive genius, but never dismiss, nor forget, the Source from whence they sprang.

Abraham Lincoln
(1809-1865)
One of many HEROES I have striven
to pattern my life after.

Throughout my life, I have spent a great deal of time carefully observing other people. Such observations are rarely random or arbitrary. Rather, I specifically and intentionally observe the kinds of people I respect, admire, and want to be like. Doing so is one of the best ways to become all you are capable of becoming.

Sometimes I observe and study living leaders and others I have the opportunity to see in action in real time. And sometimes I observe and study the lives and legacies of deceased persons I have learned about in history books, biopics, and documentaries.

This is one of the most important and beneficial SAL exercises in which I have consciously engaged myself over the years. Inestimable value exists in the high-quality activity of conscious emulation. After all, do not all of us "tend to turn into the thing [we] are pretending to be"?**

An important part of Self-Action Leadership is discovering your TRUE VOICE. As such, a self-action leader's ultimate goal is not merely to imitate someone else. The main objective is to become your own, unique, best self. However, the process of observing and learning from others is an integral part of figuring out who you really are, and otherwise becoming your own best self over time.

Along the circuitous pathways of my own difficult SAL journey, I have taken especial interest in those who are the very best in their fields. From Socrates and Aristotle in philosophical antiquity to George Washington and Abraham Lincoln in American history; From Winston Churchill and Martin Luther King Jr. in oratory to Michael Jordan and Roger Federer in professional athletics and Tom Cruise and Daniel Day-Lewis in the cinema (and countless others), I always make an effort to learn from the very best through observation, study, and emulation.

And...

So...

Should...

YOU!

There is perhaps no better educational tool than closely and diligently observing other people. And the best part about it is that the tuition for such education is FREE!

Wise self-action leaders figure out who they are and what they want to become in part by watching others in action. Once they find someone they respect and admire, they begin to observe more carefully and study more closely as a preface to emulation. They then keep at it until they themselves become what they most want to be.

This is precisely what I have done in my life and career, and in conjunction with a LOT of reading, study, and practice, it has worked wonders!

Hyrum W. Smith
1943-2019
Co-Founder of FranklinCovey Company

To illustrate specifically how this has worked in my life and career, consider the following example...

I attended my first professional seminar—a FranklinCovey Company time management seminar—in 1987 or '88 when I was only seven or eight years old.

Watching my Uncle, Hyrum W. Smith—a gifted presenter—ply his trade fascinated me and planted an important seed in my young mind and heart. Since that time, I have watched countless presenters speak and teach. Moreover, I have also spent over 4,000 hours presenting professionally myself. The results of that kind of diligence, passion, time commitment, and focused emulation have been GOLDEN and turned me into the polished, professional presenter I am today. And you can bet that I'll be even better 5, 10, 15, 20, or 30 years from now than I am today.

Thus, the journey of education, observance, and emulation continues... and will do so forever into my future.

Along the way, it is vital to not only notice and focus on the positive aspects of a person's character, career, and life, but to carefully observe a person's errors, follies, and sins as well.

One of the saddest yet surprisingly common things I have observed about those I have admired most is that said persons sometimes have a dark side that contrasts with their brilliance and/or virtue. In other words, their closets are sometimes filled with skeletons which invariably get discovered over time.

The truth is that no one is perfect. I'm certainly not. All of us have things in our past that we'd prefer not to have broadcast on a BIG SCREEN for everyone to see. Sadly, and sometimes necessarily, a persons sins end up being televised for everyone to view. For better or for worse, such occurrences provide self-action leaders with a variety of CAUTIONARY TALES that, if they are wise, they will learn from in order to avoid making similar errors in their own lives and careers.

Sadly, some of my biggest heroes have fallen from grace after rising to great heights. And while I personally believe that grace is always available to all of us—no matter what we may have said or done—the reality is that consequences for bad behavior always materialize eventually. Moreover, this world can be very unforgiving—and it never seems to forget. Said consequences may not always come right away, but it has been my observation that they do always come, eventually.

This fact scares the hello-dolly out of me as a self-action leader. It also humbles me to the dust because I realize that I am just human like all of my heroes. As such, I am privy to temptation and vulnerable to fall from grace as they too-often have. Nevertheless, I believe I can increase my potential to imitate their virtues while avoiding their foolish missteps through continual observation, study, focus, discipline, determination, and selective emulation.

Avoiding such missteps is one of the Primary quests of my life and career.

Rule #7 is designed to keep me continually watchful in an effort to reproduce the positive and eliminate the negative in my own life and career. It is a constant reminder to remain laser focused and duly determined to do whatever it takes to reach my potential and avoid preventable follies along the way.

In an effort to maximize successes and minimize preventable failures, Freedom Focused has developed the concept of a "SAL Advisory Board," or a SALAB for short.

Several of my SALAB members were influential leaders from the past.

A SALAB is a group (list) of individuals (living or deceased) that you respect, admire, and wish to emulate in your own life and career. It is not a literal board that you meet up with in person; after all, it would be tough to get Abraham Lincoln to attend my meetings. Rather, it is a group of individuals you meet with in your imagination to derive strength, courage, insight, guidance, and inspiration. It is a collection of people with whom you would IDEALLY like to associate with on a personal and/or professional basis were it possible to consult with whomever you chose whenever you liked.

Your imagination is, of course, a source of endless creativity, inspiration, and power if you are willing to more fully tap into it. By creating a SALAB of different people you would like to learn from and emulate in your own life and career, you can put to use the enormous power inherent in positive mental imagery. This exercise has been very powerful in my life. I encourage YOU to begin putting it to use in yours as well.

As you compile your SALAB, include each person's name in conjunction with WHY you included him or her on your list. Then, rank your list in priority to further clarify who you admire most and why. To illustrate how this works, I list Abraham Lincoln as #13 on my SALAB. Next to his name, I note that I include him for his "leadership, resoluteness, patience, and compassion."

My SALAB currently has thirty-three (33) members. Yours does not need to have that many—unless you want it to. I would suggest starting off with five (5) or ten (10) members and then growing from there as you desire and see fit.

My SALAB is personal, so I usually do not publish it openly for others to see. However, for the sake of ideation in your own efforts, some other members of my SALAB include deceased ancestors, additional historical figures (like Lincoln), and living persons from a variety of different fields whom I greatly respect, admire, and seek to become more like. Such persons do not need to be personal associates of yours. You can select individuals you do not personally know, but that you have come to admire from a distance for the goodness, achievements, and contributions of their lives.

For more information on creating your own, personal SALAB, see the Self-Action Leadership textbook, Volume II, pages 84-86.

Click HERE to buy the SAL Textbook, Volume II.

NOTE: This article is the 9th in a series of 22 articles on the subject of LIFE RULES.

Click HERE to access quick links to the other 21 articles.

-Dr. JJ

November 17, 2021

Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, USA

Author's Note: This is the 239th Blog Post Published by Freedom Focused LLC since November 2013.

Click HERE for a compete listing of the other 238 FF Blog Articles.