What is the SAL Philosophy?

 

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Dr. JJ's Personal Library

Book the Third

The Self-Action Leadership Philosophy

Dedicated to...

Dr. Stephen R. Covey and M. Scott Peck, M.D.

M. Scott Peck, M.D. Collection
Dr. JJ's Personal Library

More than any other single authors, Doctors Covey and Peck taught and then reinforced for me the importance, value, and honor of taking complete personal responsibility for everything in my life that I can either control or influence. I will forever be grateful to them for The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and The Road Less Traveled and enthusiastically commend these classic works to YOU, the reader, as two of the most important and influential books in the history of the modern self-help movement and in the creation of this comprehensive Life Leadership textbook.     

"In the long run, we shape our lives, and we shape ourselves. The process never ends ... And the choices we make are ultimately our own responsibility."

—Eleonor Roosevelt

Chapter 1

What is the SAL Philosophy? 

The SAL philosophy can be summed up in two simple words:

Personal Responsibility

There is, of course, more to it that just that, but the philosophical essence of SAL really is that basic. It involves: principles, practices, and premises that promote taking complete personal responsibility for everything in your life that you can either control or influence.  

SELF-ACTION LEADERSHIP PHILOSOPHY

Principles, practices, and premises that promote taking complete personal responsibility for everything in your life that you can either control or influence.  

Postmodern Cultures of Complacency and Blame

Taking personal responsibility involves eschewing cultures of complacency and blame, which have grown rife amidst postmodern philosophies that promote hedonism, narcissism, and nihilism over self-restraint, service, and sacrifice. Indeed, we live in a world where far too many individuals blame other people and things for the results that they do, or do not, get in their lives. Instead of spending their time and energy searching after authentic solutions to their problems, the goal of these "blame-gamers" is to find a scapegoat for their failures and then throw a perpetual pity party for themselves—and whoever is willing to join them. 

Blame-gamers believe that their problems are everyone and everything else's fault, but never a result of their own bad decisions or irresponsible behavior. A blame-gamers troubles are never his or own fault; they are always the fault of one's ancestry, parents, siblings, extended family members, friends, coworkers, organization, boss, community, state, nation, world, government, history, God, DNA—or even one's "stars." 

As Henry David Thoreau—a pal of Emerson's—once remarked: As long as a man stands in his own way, everything seems to be in his way, governments, society, and even the sun and moon and stars, as astrology may testify." 

Henry David Thoreau
1817-1862

"Henry Thoreau made, last night, the fine remark that, as long as a [person] stands in his [or her] own way, everything seems to be in the way, governments, society, and even the sun and moon and stars,

as astrology may testify."

—Ralph Waldo Emerson

(Quoting Thoreau in his Journal)

Please do not misunderstand.

I am not saying that external forces and internal variables do not play a role, and sometimes a significant role, in the circumstances and events of our lives; of course they do! This point will be thoroughly detailed and otherwise explicated in Chapter 7 of BOOK the THIRD, where 17 specific Life Leadership variables are identified and addressed.

There is no question that bad things do happen to good people beyond their control. However, human beings always possess the liberty to choose what they are going to think about, say, and do NEXT. And since YOU and I are both human beings, I am talking about us.

Therein lies the essence and power of Self Action Leadership!

It has been said that you can't always control how you feel, but you can control what you think about, say, and do about how you feel; and therein lies the power to regulate and modulate your emotional state over time. 

Regardless how YOU or I may feel at any given moment in time, we are always free to respond to what happens to us.  This is just one of many things that existentially elevates us above the rest of the animal kingdom.

Herein lies the essence and power of Emotional Intelligence, which is a crucial element of SAL!  

SAL Mantra

You can't always control how you feel.

But you can control what you think about, say, and do about how you feel. 

As human beings, YOU and I possess the liberty and power to proactively choose how we will respond to people, things, circumstances, and events in our lives. Unlike animals, we are not destined to react in predetermined, Pavlovian, and mercurial fashion to the exigencies, crises, and trials of life. 

YOU and I are always at liberty to decide how we will respond to any and every situation and circumstance in our lives and careers. The more effectively we exercise that liberty, the more our external circumstances will improve over time.  

One of my favorite high-profile examples of personal responsibility in action over time is Oprah Winfrey, a mega-media mogul from the United States. Oprah is the first African American woman to become a billionaire. 

Yes, that's billionaire with a "B." 

Oprah has directly blessed and/or influenced hundreds of millions (if not billions) of people as an actress, talk show host, and philanthropist. Most, if not all, educated adults the world round know who Oprah Winfrey is and what she has accomplished. She is one of the most famous, powerful, and remarkable women who has ever graced planet Earth. 

What some do not know about Oprah is that she was born into poverty in one of the poorest states in America in the 1950s, when prejudice and segregation against Blacks was still institutionalized and deeply imbedded in American culture. And her troubles didn't end there. Oprah's childhood and adolescence was marked by a variety of crucibles, including sexual abuse. 

Oprah's thorny start in life did not portend the kind of beauty, grace, and greatness she would eventually achieve. Nevertheless, give a determined self action leader like Oprah a few decades of time and the liberty to direct her own thoughts, speech, and actions, and she'll rise up and change the world. Along the way, she found a way to transcend anything that life tried to throw at her. 

Instead of giving in to social pressures around her and becoming a victim of circumstance, Oprah chose to change, grow, and become increasingly free until she not only made her mark on the world, but has in fact helped to change the world in positive, meaningful, and lasting ways in the process.  

Oprah's inspiring story reminds me of the words of Napoleon Hill, the famous author of the best-selling book: Think and Grow Rich. Said Hill: Before success comes in any man's life, he is sure to meet with much temporary defeat, and perhaps some failure. ... Remember that all who succeed in life get off to a bad start, and pass through many heartbreaking struggles before they "arrive." (1)

"Before success comes in your life, you are sure to meet with much temporary defeat, and perhaps some failure. ... Remember that all who succeed in life get off to a bad start, and pass through many heartbreaking struggles before they 'arrive.'"

—Napoleon Hill

My own journey to success was very different from Oprah's, but one component of our respective journeys was very similar: we both met with much temporary defeat, failure, and passed through many heartbreaking struggles before we arrived—just as Napoleon Hill said we would. And, so it will be with YOU or anyone else who succeeds in any significant way. 

There simply are no shortcuts to authentic change, growth, happiness, success, fulfilment, or inner peace. 

        Everyone must pay the price these desirable states demand!

Oprah's life is a remarkable demonstration of the power of consistently exercising personal responsibility over long periods of time. If YOU are willing to make the same kind of commitment to your own growth and freedom, it doesn't matter who you are, you will eventually earn the same kind of growth as Oprah. This fact does not mean, of course, that everyone who makes such an effort is guaranteed to become a billionaire talk show host.

But that's okay!

        Why is it okay?

Because the focus of Self-Action Leadership is not aimed at inter-personal competition against rivals; the focus of SAL is on intra-personal growth, freedom, achievement, fulfillment, and inner peace. We are all different beings with a unique toolbox of gifts, talents, abilities, and desires. As such, the very best SAL efforts of one person may result in a very different life picture than the very best SAL efforts of another person. In the end, however, both pictures have the potential of being equally and exquisitely—albeit ultimately incomparably—beautiful. 

Theodore Roosevelt
1858-1919

Self action leaders understand the long-term futility in comparing themselves with others. They recognize the wisdom of Theodore Roosevelt, who once quipped that: Comparison is the thief of joy.

"Comparison is the thief of joy."

—Theodore Roosevelt

Avoid stealing your own happiness, peace, and contentment by continually conditioning such priceless states on comparisons with others. Instead, invite these wonderful things into your life in increasing measures by simply being the best YOU that you are capable of—and conditioning your joy on that and that alone.

It won't always be easy to accomplish this skill; after all, it is human nature to compare ourselves with others. But if you are serious about SAL, it is a skill you will keep practicing until you have mastered it.

 

Along the often arduous, circuitous, lengthy, and steep pathways of your own existential journey towards growth and freedom, YOU—like Oprah—must remain determined, consistent, persistent, and patient. In the words of Napoleon Hill, "when defeat overtakes a [person], the easiest and most logical thing to do is to quit, [and] that is exactly what the majority of [people] do." (2)

Some (and perhaps many) people will try to convince you that Oprah Winfrey (and others like her) is an outlier and that "cherry-picking" her as an example of success to hold up to inspire others is unfair and unrealistic. And you know what? If you believe this is true, it will be true for you and you will never rise to the full stature of your potential. 

But if you believe that you can succeed in significant ways in life—like Oprah—and are willing to pay the price that significant success demands, then the sky really is the limit. In the end, the greatest constraints and limitations you will face in life are the ones you choose to place upon YOURSELF in conjunction with the restrictions you allow others to place upon you. 

Don't allow yourself to be so limited and constrained! 

        Declare your INDEPENDENCE from mediocre minds and related voices in your own head.  

If you are blessed with the opportunity to learn about Self-Action Leadership and possess the ability and health to implement its practices, yet still find yourself mired in the same—or worse—circumstances at the end of your life as you were at the beginning of your life, you really have no one to blame but yourself. In the words of Dr. Stephen R. Covey: We are responsible for our own effectiveness, our own happiness, and ultimately, I would say, for most of our circumstances. (3) 

"We are responsible for our own effectiveness, our own happiness,

and ultimately, I would say, for most of our circumstances."

—Stephen R. Covey

You will notice in the above quote that Covey says "most" of our circumstances. Not all; but most. It is quite true that you can't change where you started out in life. You also cannot prevent all bad things from happening to you against your desires and will. Life often isn't fair—especially in the short run; that's just the way things are! 

There is nothing you can do to change your ancestry, birth, early years, or other past experiences and choices. But there is much you can do to shape your present and future decisions and thereby dramatically influence a more positive and productive long-term trajectory for your life and career.  

Generally speaking, you have TWO (2) primary choices after YOU are born into this world. The FIRST option is to complain about your lot in life and blame others for your misfortunes. The SECOND option is to take advantage of every opportunity and resource you have access to in an effort to learn and grow as much as you can with what you have. 

You can either view your life and career as fixed and unalterable realities, or you can do the best you can with what you have and watch it gradually evolve into a brighter future. 

The choice really is YOURS!

I eagerly encourage you to take the latter route, even—and especially—if you have been unjustly treated by individuals, groups, or culture and society-at-large in the past. While some people (or peoples) legitimately have had, do have, and will yet have a harder "row to hoe" than others, all of us have received the proverbial "short end of the stick" in one way or another. 

Constantly comparing ourselves with others is counterproductive to realizing your full potential; and as Theodore Roosevelt so incisively reminds us, it robs you of joy as well!

"REPUBLIC DAY," which Gandhi
helped make possible, is celebrated
by Indians on January 26th.

No matter where you came from or what you did (or didn't) have when you started off in life, we ALL have opportunities to exercise proactive Self-Action Leadership in the face of difficulties, injustice, and unfairness. Oprah didn't transcend poverty and abuse by merely cursing her abusers and condemning injustices in American society. 

Similarly, Gandhi did not secure freedom for the Indian people by condemning the English Royal Court, the British Raj, or the British Empire-at-large. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his colleagues didn't succeed in garnering civil rights for African Americans by simply trumpeting the grievances of racism, discrimination, disenfranchisement, and slavery. 

While all three of these great leaders could have easily felt justified in complaining about how hard they and their people had it, they were honest and humble enough to accept, and smart enough to realize, that just complaining would not lead to a better life for them or their people. These inspiring leaders understood that the pathway to a better life always lies in education, personal growth and development, and the cultivation of valuable skills and talents—in other words, in Self-Action Leadership—especially in the face of indignity, injustice, unfairness, and slander. 

They understood that freedom is not found in criticizing, condemning, and complaining; it comes from doing, creating, and contributing. In the words of Vince Lombardi—that famous Green Bay Packers championship football coach: The measure of who we are is what we do with what we have.

"The measure of who we are is what we do with what we have."

—Vince Lombardi

Oprah, Gandhi, and MLK all chose a higher path—The Road Less Traveled—whereby they opted to "never breathe a word about their loss[es]," (4) while concurrently working extremely hard, avoiding excuse-making, and determining to never, ever, ever give up. The result was that these three individuals—and others like them—changed the world in positive ways that left indelible impacts on society that our generation, and generations yet to come, will forever admire and learn from.

"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—

I took the road less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference." (5)

—Robert Frost

I have tremendous admiration and respect for the exemplary courage, remarkable leadership, and considerable achievements of these extraordinary individuals and all those who have trodden a similar pathway through life. I encourage you to study their lives in order to learn from and be inspired by their incredible examples.  

Sadly, in today's postmodern world, many so-called leaders of various causes disregard the examples of Gandhi, MLK, and Oprah. These so-called leaders have proliferated a cultural vat of victimization to the point of establishing entirely new academic fields and industries whose life-blood feeds on the recycled rhetoric of past grievances, the unjust exaggeration, manipulation, and exploitation of outlying incidents in the present, and fatuously frenetic fearmongering for the future. 

The Greatest Opportunity in the World

A great religious leader once taught that next to life itself, the greatest blessing and opportunity that each of us possesses is the freedom to direct that life. (6) There is no more important information than the knowledge that empowers you to effectively lead your own life and then positively influence others to effectively lead theirs. It is wonderful beyond measure to possess such liberty and potential. 

But, as is always the case, preserving communal liberty and earning individual freedom always comes with a price that must be paid for in time, effort, and sacrifice. Whether you know it or not and whether you like it or not, natural consequences always flow from every thought, word, and deed you ever think about, say, and do. 

Regardless where or how you start out in life, or what happens to you along the way beyond your immediate control, you remain sovereign over your individual choices (responses).

This means that...

        Nothing goes until YOU go;

                Nothing works until YOU work;

                        Nothing happens until YOU start happening!

I invite you to go to work TODAY by standing firm in your commitment to read and carefully study the rest of this Life Leadership textbook, complete the SAL Master Challenge, and then continue to personify its principles by animating its practices for the rest of your life. 

If you will do these things, your life will start to happen in ways you had never before believed, or had only dreamed of in the past.

SAL Mantra

Nothing goes until YOU go.

Nothing works until YOU work;

Nothing happens until YOU happen!   

In Your Journal

• What can you do beginning TODAY to more fully take personal responsibility for the direction of:

• Your life?

• Your career?

• Your relationships?

• Your long-term legacy as a human being?

—Dr. JJ

Wednesday, April 3, 2024

Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, USA

Author's Note: This is the 382nd Blog Post Published by Freedom Focused LLC since November 2013 and the 193rd consecutive weekly blog published since August 31, 2020.   

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Chapter 1 Notes:

1.  Hill, N. (1960). Think & Grow Rich. New York, NY: Fawcett Crest. Pages 23 and 39.

2.  Hill, N. (1960). Think & Grow Rich. New York, NY: Fawcett Crest. Page 23.

3.  Covey, S. R. (1989). The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change. New York, NY: Fireside. Page 93.

4.  Paraphrased line from Rudyard Kipling’s poem, If (stanza 3, line 4). 

5.  Concluding lines from Frost's famous poem, The Road Not Taken.

6.  McKay, D.O. (1950). Free Agency... A Divine Gift. — “Next to the bestowal of life itself, the right to direct that life is God’s greatest gift to man.”

Theosophical Odes

Chapter 6

Theosophical Odes

I have always been interested in and passionate about theology and philosophy. Theosophy is the place where these two fields converge. The poems in this chapter reflect my many musings on this hybrid subject.

Time

Minutes passing on like hours,
Hours moving past like days,
Days go slow as growing flowers,
Planted in an obscure maze.

Each day is like a lifetime,
Seeming to last just as long.
Each fresh 24's a new climb,
Scaling life's repeating song.

Then with seven lifetimes past,
I reflect back to the start,
Of my week that passed by so fast,
Streamlined as a cosmic dart.

Yet somehow a month goes faster,
And a year? Much quicker still.
Till a decade soon is past yon
Father Time's unyielding will.

Does a second hold a lifetime?
Or is a lifetime just a second?
And what of the in between?
It's all so paradoxic!

To Shady Groves I Wander

To shady groves I wander,
That I might sit and ponder
'Pon glorious thoughts and things,
And listen as the robin sings,
And other gifts God lushly brings
To me there as I sit.
So peaceful—
I just bask in it
While listening to the sound
Of the tumbling, churning, rushing,
Lively river on the ground,
Where I suppose I might just go

Alexandria Park
Bila Tserkva, Ukraine

To watch the glistening H20,
Church, turn, fission, fall, and flow,
And then stoop down to take a drink
To quaff my thirst,
Just then I think,
'Tis such a shame
I have to blink,
And miss for e'en a split-haired wink
The beauty
And the glory
Of
   It
      All!

I Went to the Woods to Ponder

When oft my mind grows worried,
Then I yearn for wooded groves,
How oft alone I've scurried,
To solitude in coves.

To country lanes I've hastened,
To lands whose heart I know,
My cares away are chastened,
And my troubles cease to grow.

I think I'll fly to that spot,
Where peace restores my soul,
Against sore troubles I'll plot,
And heart's resolve cajole.

There is no other respite,
That heals so soothingly,
My soul at times, when desperate—
Retreats alone with me.

Sonnet   By: William Wordsworth

The World is too much with us; late and soon,
Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers;
Little we see in Nature that is ours;
We have given our heart away, a sordid boon!
This sea that bares her bosom to the moon;
The wind that will be howling at all hours,
Are are up-gathered now like sleeping flowers;
For this, for everything, we are out of tune;
It moves us not. Great God! I'd rather be
A Pagan suckled in a creed outworn,
So might I, standing on this pleasant lea,
Have glimpses that would make me less forlorn;
Have sight of Proteus rising from the sea,
Or hear old Triton blow his wreathed horn.

Sonnet 17 

The world is not enough with me, NOW,
Too much time spent thinking and forecasting,
Trying too hard to see it all—blasting
The feelings and peace—I fail to allow
Real emotions, the wonder, the WOW,
The satisfied sense of sweat on my brow,
And pure joy—so spontaneous in my youth—
The unsullied acquisition of truth:
It moves me not! Great God, I'd rather be
A zealot, willing to fight and to die
For any just cause that might make me free,
Possessing the will to work and to try,
What e'er it may take through eternity
To gain the God granted privilege to fly.

A Newborn Seed of Hope

Alas! Amidst the toil and grind,
A precious thought lights up my mind,
A newborn seed of hope refined,
Sprouts up within my soul defined.

Whence sprang such light that shone so bright?
That sent me soaring into flight,
And changed to day what had been night,
After all those years of fright!

It shines from Him, and within me,
Yes together we will scale the sea,
The depths of life's adversity,
To win an epic victory!

The battle will rage hard and long,
And I'll cry tears between each song,
But now I know the right from wrong
And saved because Hope came along.

'Twas Many a Year Ago

'Twas many and many a year ago,
   As my mind doth recall,
That a young lad strove to show
   And rightly prove to all,
That faith, when rightly exercised,
   Could uncloak success disguised
As a fool's path withal.

Though haughty scoffs from friend and foe,
   Sought to mire the way I'd go,
Within burned bright the heavenly light,
   And helped my soul to know,
That pure integrity of mind,
   Was the virtue that defined
The obscure path: my show.

Who knew, but I, and God above
   What service I would render?
Or how despised would be the love
   That I would try to send her?
Yet now I feel to praise the Name
   Of He who shouldered so much blame,
Yet ever has been tender.

Now riches of the earth are mine
   In extravagant abundance,
And for naught at all my soul doth pine,
   But basketh in elegance.
And finds a mind and memory
   Enriched beyond prosperity,
Yet nothing came by chance.

By living as the universe
   Decrees, I found that I could please,
And help to lift aloft the curse,
   By bowing down upon my knees,
Wherein I asked God's greatest gift,
And then implored that He might lift
   Me up beyond this mortal tease.

Then shouldering myself the lot
   The Almighty assigned,
I went to work, and daily sought
   For God's own strength and mind.
Wherein, in time, I found that I
   Could likewise breach the starry sky,
And henceforth join all souls divine.

My journey's close will be to see,
   That all things are in front of me,
And the ending of my line
   Of mortal life, and strifes, a sign:
Of the beginning with the Lamb
   Where I'll see who I really am.

Amidst My High-Strung Furious Rush

Amidst my high-strung furious rush,

And constant angst I feel,

My body, mind, and spirit flush,

Beholding all that's real.

And though I often have my doubts,

And wonder if I'm headed right,

An inward spirit softly shouts:

That somehow I will win the fight.

And here and there and now and then,

I catch a blessed vision,

That makes me silently aware

Of God's Handwork and precision.
 

And how He orchestrates 'round me,

Each single last detail,

Such knowledge firmly sets me free,

I know I cannot fail.

As long as I maintain my will,

To follow him wherever

He prompts me forward fast until

I'll with Him in forever.  

Hurled Perils

When as a lad I did prepare

To set out in the world,

I did not know, was unaware,

The perils that would be hurled

Right straight toward me

As if they were

Ordained by God to beat

The ever living hell and pride

Right plumb straight out of me.

I've heard of gold and silver true,

Of pearls and diamonds few,

And learned how pure steel swords are made

By ham'ring them black and blue.

To make such gorgeous, precious things,

It takes such pressure as God brings,

To cremate and to crush,

All the flaky human fluff,

So that a goodly God,

Could one day say: "'tis enough!"

And when that sweet day arrives,

My finished soul will rise to thank

My Heavenly Refiner,

For crushing dross well night to death,

Till I attract a miner.  

How Paltry and How Petty

How paltry and how petty—

When compared unto the steady

And the perfect equilibrium

Of He who rules the Kingdom—

Are the boys and girls of Father,

Oh my! Why does He bother?

And give me such rapt attention,

And his focused condescension,

All the day through my contention,

As I piecemeal learn the order,

And the perfect pure perfection,

I am more apt to disorder,

And perhaps change the selection

Of my heart's truest desire,

So enraptured in the fire

Of a momentary passion,

That so soon doth lose its fashion,

Yet through all my mixed emotions,

With patience deeper than the oceans,

And His soft firm hand a-guiding,

All the while I am a-riding

Through the perils of this life,

Through the thick-and-thin of strife,

With a thousand things awry,

And life's chances passing by,

I gaze upward toward the sky,

Which suggests not low, but high,

Somehow sensing that it's worth it,

Let the sculptor sculpt this misfit

Child for whom He sees a stronger

Fate that surely will last longer,

And transcend by far the glory

Of my mortal, earthly story,

Upon which I will look back

Once I've finally got the knack 

Of living life as full as He,

Throughout all eternity,

I will see

Just how paltry

And how petty,

Just like meaningless confetti

Falling down for just a minute,

On a post-race M. Andretti,

Yet my whole life's caught up in it,

But to see it

Is to be it,

And the first real step 

To fre it:

My soul, that is

I'll see it

Sheltered surely from the storm,

Where He'll kindly keep me warm,

And send legions nigh to swarm

My dastard enemy within,

So that 'ere the night is through,

As I strive e'er to be true,

He'll redeem my soul anew,

Grant my eyes a clearer view

Of the things that I must do,

And my mind will He review,

And my willing soul imbue

With the courage

That's essential,

To transcend the existential,

Moving on towards my potential,

To rise

   Above

      It

         All.  

Sonnet 18  (The Nobler Virtues)

Courtesy, kindness, compassion, and love,

Courage and fortitude and chivalry:

Attributes emanating from above,

From Godly parents who love you and me.

Forthright forgiveness, repentance, and virtue,

Flawless integrity, a soul so pure,

A mind and heart as strong as they're true,

A faith and a confidence. I am sure

Of the outcome as I stay on this path,

Pressing forward without deviation,

Living my life as it really is: math,

Constantly seeking for revelation.

   Carving an integrated existence,

   From the marble block of life's consistence.  

Sonnet 19  (A King Once Asked)

A king once asked himself: wherein lies my strength?

In gold, in lands, in military might?

Perhaps dominion, or in my life's length?

Or skill and wit and brains and brawn and height?

But then I queried: what if all were lost,

When adverse fates blew briskly through the land?

Would I withstand the blow and pay the cost?

Would I still mark greatness upon the sand?

'Tis fickle the worth of palpable signs

Of greatness and glory and might's array,

At daylight's conclusion there's still the fines,

The piper of natural law we must pay.

   At last I see, the only real thing,

   Is when to the altar our will we bring (1). 

Sonnet 20  (Passage of Time)

Thanks be to God for the passage of time,

That life marches on to a welcomed grave,

Where at last we may hasten the sublime

Status of being in a new enclave

Outside of time—that fleeting enemy—

Which serveth death to each blessed moment

We would fain prolong through eternity.

When after every precious second sent

Away, lost, returns with divine interest

Into the holy coffers of the soul,

Wherein we may perpetually invest

In glory that ne'er dies, which doth cajole

   A sharpened focus of my use of time;

   That I, by spades, might yet summit the climb.

Cast Upon the Waves of Fate

Cast upon the waves of fate,

Cursing in my soul,

Pining for a rendezvous

With death's diverting toll.

Fearing full the earthen price,

Cowardly ashamed,

Shrinking 'neath the clamping vice,

Refusing to be blamed.

Pondering if leaving life,

Might calm the tempest's roar,

Would it bring an end to strife?

Or multiply it more?

'Tis a philosophic bramble

Fraught a'plenty with sharp thorns.

Wisdom begs I oughtn't gamble;

Just be glad that I was born.

Then search a way to wend my journey,

Through the perilous wastelands,

Avoiding transport on a gurney,

Or slipping fast in life's quicksands.  

Sir Galahad

Wherein Lies My Strength?

My strength is as the strength of ten

Because my heart is pure. (2)

My strength is as the strength of a hundred

Because my mind is focused and my body is bridled.

My strength is as the strength of a thousand

Because I am consistent and never quit.

My strength is as the strength of legions

Because I am God's child and

His eye, hand, heart, and power ever rest upon me.  

A Self-Despising Fate

I will never live to be the kind of man I want to be,
Until I turn my life to God and make my 'me' a 'We.'
Peace is what I'm missing from my poor pathetic life,
As I press on without Him, my soul's leprosy grows rife.

Click HERE to buy this BOOK

I am a stupid human, I know not where to go,
I fail to be an arrow in God's quiver or on His bow.
What keeps me down and lost beneath these dark and dreary skies?
It all amounts to this: my fellow men I do despise.

I scorn them cuz I pridefully cannot uphold their way,
Disdaining so much of what they do and what they say,
But then an extra painful smart as I begin to see
And face up to the cold, dark truth: they are no worse than me!

And thus the lucid truth unveils, it's not just them I hate,
But also me, and I must face a self-despising fate!
My only hope's to make a change wherein new love I'll greet
Myself and others as I bow down humbly at His feet.

—Dr. JJ

June 21, 2023

Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, USA

Author's Note: This is the 328th Blog Post Published by Freedom Focused LLC since November 2013 and the 152nd consecutive weekly blog published since August 31, 2020.   

Click HERE for a compete listing of the other 327 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.  

And if you liked this blog post, please share it with your family, friends, colleagues, and students—and encourage them to sign up to receive future articles for FREE every Wednesday.

To sign up, please email freedomfocused@gmail.com and say SUBSCRIBE, or just YES, and we will ensure you receive a link to each new blog article every Wednesday.  

Click HERE to learn more about Freedom Focused

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Click HERE to buy the SAL Textbooks

Notes:

1). Maxwell, N.A. (1995). Swallowed Up in the Will of the Father. LDS General Conference talk.  

"The submission of one's will is really the only uniquely personal thing we have to place on God's altar. The many other things we 'give,' brothers and sisters, are actually the things He has already given or loaned to us. However, when you and I finally submit ourselves, by letting our individual wills be swallowed up in God's will, then we are really giving something to Him! It is the only possession which is truly ours to give!"  

2. See lines 3-4 of Tennyson's poem, Sir Galahad.

Current Events, Cultural, Philosophical, & Miscellaneous Articles' INDEX

Below you will find links to every article that Freedom Focused has ever published on topics related to CURRENT EVENTS, CULTURE, PHILOSOPHY, or MISCELLANEOUS subjects. 

BOOK REVIEW: The Fourth Turning is Here...................................BLOG #348—September 22, 2023

Far and Away to FREEDOM................................................................BLOG #347—September 21, 2023

Soft Serve McDrama........................................................................................BLOG #332—July 10, 2023

Theosophical Odes...........................................................................................BLOG #328—June 21, 2023

Novak Djokovic: The GOAT of Men's Tennis...............................................BLOG #327—June 17, 2023

Life Lessons from Richard Cory & Miniver Cheevy...................................BLOG #311—March 8, 2023

Can You Carry a Message to Garcia?.....................................................BLOG #308—February 15, 2023

Freedom Focused INDEX of POEMS.......................................................BLOG #307—February 8, 2023

Freedom Focused INDEX of QUOTES....................................................BLOG #306—February 1, 2023

A Beautiful Idea from a Wonderful Person..............................................BLOG #305—January 25, 2023

Current Events, Cultural, Philosophical, & Miscellaneous Articles' INDEX..........................................................................................................BLOG #302—January 11, 2023

Happy New Year from Freedom Focused... and Our 2023 Goals.............BLOG #301—January 4, 2023

Closing in on 300.....................................................................................BLOG #297—December 14, 2022

Remember to Give..................................................................................BLOG #296—December 12, 2022

You Tell on Yourself................................................................................BLOG #294—November 30, 2022

"Hell's Itch": A Life Lesson Learned.....................................................BLOG #291—November 9, 2022

Freedom Focused Corporate Constitution.............................................BLOG #290—November 2, 2022

CONSTITUTION Article XII: Projected Growth Trajectories

and Intended Revenue Streams.................................................................BLOG #289—October 26, 2022

CONSTITUTION Article XI: Long-Term Goals....................................BLOG #288—October 19, 2022

CONSTITUTION Article X: Corporate By-Laws and Operating Procedures...................................................................................................BLOG #287—October 12, 2022

God Save the Queen, Part 2...................................................................BLOG #283—September 14, 2022

CONSTITUTION Article IX: Statues of Authority,

Chains-of-Command, and Organizational Structures..........................BLOG #282—September 7, 2022

CONSTITUTION Article VIII: Agent Code of Conduct.........................BLOG #281—August 31, 2022

CONSTITUTION Article VII: Core Paradigms.......................................BLOG #278—August 10, 2022

CONSTITUTION Article VI: Corporate Values & Standards.................BLOG #277—August 3, 2022

Team USA Shines at Track World Championships.......................................BLOG #276—July 27, 2022

Beautiful Art from a Box Office Bomb...........................................................BLOG #247—July 13, 2022

CONSTITUTION Article V: Corporate Pillars...............................................BLOG #273—July 6, 2022

CONSTITUTION Article IV Continued: Corporate ANTHEM.................BLOG #272—June 29, 2022

CONSTITUTION Article IV: Corporate Colors, Flag, Salute,

Oath of Office and Pledge of Allegiance.........................................................BLOG #270—June 15, 2022

The Undisputed GOAT in Men's Tennis..........................................................BLOG #269—June 8, 2022

TOP Flight Entertainment & Inspiration........................................................BLOG #268—June 1, 2022

CONSTITUTION Article III and Preamble.................................................BLOG #267—May 25, 2022

CONSTITUTION Article I: Corporate Vision & Mission...........................BLOG #266—May 18, 2022

Freedom Focused Corporate Declaration of Independence.........................BLOG #265—May 11, 2022

INDEX of Life Rules..........................................................................................BLOG #264—May 6, 2022

CONSTITUTION Article II: Corporate RULES........................................BLOG #262—April 27, 2022

RULES for LIFE by America's Founding Fathers and Mothers...............BLOG #261—April 20, 2022

Parenting Teenagers: A Lesson in Leadership

(Dr. Christopher P. Neck Guest Column)........................................................BLOG #260—April 13, 2022

A 21st Century Winston Churchill..............................................................BLOG #257—March 23, 2022

Statement on the Russian Invasion of Ukraine............................................BLOG #255—March 9, 2022

Rules for Life: Other Examples.....................................................................BLOG #254—March 2, 2022

Arizona State's W.P. Carey Business School Interviews Dr. Chris Neck about Self-Action Leadership.................................................................................................BLOG #252—February 16, 2022

Historical Events and the Growing Threat of Global Conflict...............BLOG #251—February 9, 2022

Celebrating Blog Post #250.......................................................................BLOG #250 —February 2, 2022

Dr. JJ's Rule #13: I Can't Do it Alone...........................................................Blog #249—January 26, 2022

Who is Rich?...................................................................................................Blog #248—January 19, 2022

The Beauty of Excellence...............................................................................Blog #247—January 12, 2022

A Pre-Thanksgiving Reminder to GIVE.................................................Blog #240 —November 19, 2021

An Educational Message Everyone Can Embrace..................................Blog #238—November 10, 2021

An Era of Unprecedented Athletic Greatness.........................................Blog #229—September 13, 2021

Thomas Jefferson's 10 Rules...................................................................BLOG #227—September 1, 2021

Broken Icee Machines and Other Preventable Grievances.....................BLOG #226—August 25, 2021

Fighting and Surrendering vs. YIELDING...............................................BLOG #224—August 11, 2021

Ideas for Practicing Patience........................................................................BLOG #223—August 4, 2021

Balancing Proactivity and Patience................................................................BLOG #222—July 28, 2021

Living in the Present.........................................................................................BLOG #221—July 21, 2021

The Role of Failure in Success.........................................................................BLOG #220—July 14, 2021

The Magic Space Between Stimulus and Response.........................................BLOG #219—July 7, 2021

The Power of a Sincere Apology.....................................................................BLOG #218—June 30, 2021

The Future of Character Education in America..........................................BLOG #217 —June 22, 2021

A Little Sunshine Goes a Long Ways.............................................................BLOG #216—June 16, 2021

Freedom Focused Index of Blog Articles.........................................................BLOG #215—June 9, 2021

A Proposed Antidote to Current Cultural and Educational Quagmires in the U.S.—and Beyond.................................................................................................................BLOG #214—June 2, 2021

Finding Unity through Common Sense and True Principles.........................BLOG #210—May 5, 2021

Breaking Personal Records............................................................................BLOG #209—April 28, 2021

Disciplining Your Disappointment................................................................BLOG #208—April 21, 2021

Taking Pride in Doing the Right Thing.........................................................BLOG #207—April 14, 2021

The Magic and Power of Synergy....................................................................BLOG #206—April 7, 2021

The Wonderful World of Books...................................................................BLOG #205—March 31, 2021

The Elusive yet Euphoric Rewards of Endurance.....................................BLOG #204—March 24, 2021

The Law of the Harvest................................................................................BLOG #203—March 17, 2021

Education, not Politics, will Save America....................................................BLOG #201—March 3 2021

Celebrating Blog Post #200......................................................................BLOG #200—February 24, 2021

Are You Worthy of Your Sufferings?..........................................................Blog #199—February 17, 2021

The Role of Faith in Self-Action Leadership................................................Blog #196—January 27, 2021

A NextGen 7 Habits & Road Less Traveled.................................................Blog #195—January 20, 2021

Sweet Southern Hospitality............................................................................Blog #194—January 13, 2021

Not in Vain.........................................................................................................Blog #193—January 6, 2021

The Benefits and Bliss of Simplicity..........................................................Blog #192—December 30, 2020

God Save the Queen....................................................................................Blog #191—December 23, 2020

SAL vs. Politics: The Case for Optimism Beyond the 2020 Election...........Blog #182—October 28, 2020

Exciting Announcement!..................................................................................Blog #178—October 3, 2020

Life Lessons Learned from Dr. Seuss.......................................................Blog #176—September 24, 2020

Power Tales for a New Generation...........................................................Blog #175—September 21, 2020

Miss America Endorses Self-Action Leadership.....................................Blog #174—September 14, 2020

Paying the Price to Become a Champion....................................................Blog #173—September 7 2020

The Making of a Champion.................................................................................Blog #170—June 9, 2020

Humility in Leadership.........................................................................................Blog #169—June 5, 2020

Cultivating the Spirit of Exploration.................................................................Blog #167—May 31, 2020

Why I Founded Freedom Focused.....................................................................Blog #166—May 20, 2020

The Power of Picking up Trash..........................................................................Blog #165—May 14, 2020

A Self-Action Leadership Revolution............................................................Blog #164—August 14, 2019

The Only Authentic Solution to the #METOO Malaise...................................Blog #163—May 28, 2018

The Great Kindness Challenge....................................................................Blog #162—February 24, 2017

How I Became a Metaphysicist......................................................................Blog #161—January 10, 2017

Restoring American Greatness Through Education...............................Blog #160—December 16, 2016

A Textbook to Turn the Tide...............................................................................Blog #159—May 12, 2016

A Metaphysical Theory of Everything.......................................................Blog #158—November 3, 2016

SAVE the DATE: Freedom Focused Corporate Ribbon Cutting............Blog #157—November 2, 2016

A Class in Life...................................................................................................Blog #155—October 6, 2016

Truth with a Capital "T"..........................................................................Blog #153—September 23, 2016

Life Leadership: The Textbook.................................................................Blog #152—September 12, 2016

A Portrait of a Fully Flourished Age of Authenticism.................................Blog #151—August 18, 2016

The Only Real Solution to the Dallas ... and Minnesota Shootings.................Blog #149—July 13, 2016

The Age of Authenticism: A Vision of the Future.............................................Blog #148—May 26, 2016

What Does an Authenticist Look Like?.............................................................Blog #147—May 18, 2016

Pre-Structuralism: The Equally Dangerous Far Side of Postmodernism........Blog #146—May 9, 2016

An American Bible and the Dangers of Presentism...........................................Blog #145—May 2, 2016

Truth, Facts, and Predictions: A Freedom Focused Vision of the Future.....Blog #144—April 30, 2016

Postmodernists vs. Authenticists: An Existential Comparison......................Blog #143—April 19, 2016

Existential Decathletes: The Professionals of the Future..............................Blog #136—March 15, 2016

The Practical Function of SAL Training....................................................Blog #133—February 22, 2016

Our Vision & Mission at Freedom Focused...............................................Blog #132—February 15, 2016

The Paradox of War and How to Prepare for Coming Conflicts...............Blog #131—February 8, 2016

Preserving English Text while Texting...........................................................Blog #130—January 27 2016

A New Year's Resolution that Pays ... and Strengthens America.................Blog #129—January 5, 2016

Grammar & Writing Seminar Coming December 16...............................Blog #128—December 8, 2015

A Personal Leadership Handbook for Millennials..................................Blog #127—November 30, 2015

What are We Going to Do with the Troubled Millennial Generation? Blog #126—November 23, 2015

E-Communication Webinar Coming December 15.................................Blog #125—November 19, 2015

A Sacred Day of Remembrance................................................................Blog #124—November 10, 2015

I'd Rather See a Sermon..............................................................................Blog #123—November 6, 2015

A 21st Century 7 Habits of Highly Effective People...................................Blog #122—October 29, 2015

The REAL Problem Facing America............................................................Blog #121—October 28, 2015

Timely Advice about Social Media Use ... Father of Time Management  Blog #120—October 22, 2015

30 Days of Real Life Campaign #30DRL.................................................Blog #119—September 30, 2015

Structural Change vs. Individual Change.....................................................Blog #117—August 25, 2015

Freedom Focused GRAND Opening...................................................................Blog #112—July 10, 2015

Liberty vs. Freedom................................................................................................Blog #111—July 7, 2015

Addressing Problems of Our Age with Education in True Principles...............Blog #110—July 2, 2015

Drafting Your Own Declaration of Independence & Constitution.................Blog #109—June 24, 2015

The Land of the Free & the Home of the Brave................................................Blog #108—June 19 2015

The Power in a Seed............................................................................................Blog #107—June 18, 2015

The Patriotism Principle.....................................................................................Blog #106—June 11, 2015

The Role of Literature in Changing the World...................................................Blog #104—June 2, 2015

Why I Believe.......................................................................................................Blog #101—May 14, 2015

SAL Seminar: The AGE of AUTHENTICISM..................................................Blog #98—April 30, 2015

The Perils of Postmodernism...............................................................................Blog #97—April 22, 2015

The Most Important Educational Message of the 21st Century........................Blog #93—April 2, 2015

A Princess is Born: Kara Marie Jensen............................................................Blog #89—March 24, 2015

Cleaning Up America ... Example from Costco.................................................Blog #85—March 8, 2015

Existential Gravity................................................................................................Blog #83—March 3, 2015

SAL Lessons from a Half Marathon...................................................................Blog #82—March 1, 2015

An Era-Shifting Speech on Education (VI)..................................................Blog #77—February 25, 2015

An Era-Shifting Speech on Education (V)...................................................Blog #76—February 24, 2015

An Era-Shifting Speech on Education (IV)..................................................Blog #75—February 24, 2015

An Era-Shifting Speech on Education (III)..................................................Blog #74—February 23, 2015

An Era-Shifting Speech on Education (II)...................................................Blog #73—February 23, 2015

An Era-Shifting Speech on Education (I).....................................................Blog #72—February 19, 2015

Creating Your World from the Inside-Out...................................................Blog #69—February 12, 2015

Universal Laws..................................................................................................Blog #66—February 2, 2015

My Career Crucibles........................................................................................Blog #64—January 29, 2015

Choices & Consequences..................................................................................Blog #63—January 22, 2015

Your World........................................................................................................Blog #62—January 19, 2015

The Power of Real-Life Stories........................................................................Blog #60—January 14, 2015

The Final Frontier of Your Own Potential.....................................................Blog #59—January 13, 2015

The Power of Personal Experience...................................................................Blog #57—January 9, 2015

Ushering in the Age of Authenticism................................................................Blog #55—January 4, 2015

Merry Christmas!.........................................................................................Blog #54—December 22, 2014

The ONLY REAL Solution to America's Current Race Problems..........Blog #53—December 21, 2014

A Moral Imperative......................................................................................Blog #52—December 18, 2014

The Challenge and Quest to Become..........................................................Blog #51—December 16, 2014

Things that Enslave, Part 4..........................................................................Blog #49—December 11, 2014

Things that Enslave, Part 3..........................................................................Blog #48—December 10, 2014

Things that Enslave, Part 2............................................................................Blog #47—December 9, 2014

Things that Enslave, Part 1............................................................................Blog #46—December 7, 2014

The Last Best Hope of Earth.........................................................................Blog #45—December 4, 2014

The Essential Role of Education....................................................................Blog #44—December 2, 2014

Ask Not..........................................................................................................Blog #43—November 30, 2014

Freedom Focused..........................................................................................Blog #42—November 27, 2014

The Cause of Freedom, Part 2.....................................................................Blog #41—November 25, 2014

The Cause of Freedom................................................................................Blog #40—November 23, 2014

The Age of Authenticism..............................................................................Blog #39—November 21, 2014

It's Not Only About You..............................................................................Blog #38—November 18, 2014

Silver Linings to My Marathon Woes........................................................Blog #37—November 17, 2014

The Price of Change.....................................................................................Blog #36—November 16, 2014

Right and Wrong Really do Exist...............................................................Blog #35—November 13, 2014

A Formula for Authentic Change...............................................................Blog #34—November 11, 2014

Self-Action Leadership..................................................................................Blog #33—November 9, 2014

Existential Growth.........................................................................................Blog #32—November 4, 2014

Don't Forget to Vote!......................................................................................Blog #31—November 2, 2014

The Power to Change.......................................................................................Blog #30—October 30, 2014

The Importance and Power of Language.......................................................Blog #29—October 28, 2014

What's Different from Other Self-Help Reads?............................................Blog #28—October 26, 2014

Something Worth Doing Before December 31st..............................................Blog #21—October 8, 2014

The Blog Post I Hoped I Wouldn't Have to Write...........................................Blog #20—October 7, 2014

If at First You Don't Succeed......................................................................Blog #19—September 25, 2014

What Happens When I Fail?.............................................................................Blog #18—March 17, 2014

Who is the Most Important Person in an Organization?..............................Blog #17—February 4, 2014

Finding Freedom in INTRApersonal Competition.......................................Blog #16—January 20, 2014

The Satisfaction of Goal Achievement............................................................Blog #15—January 14, 2014

Combatting "Insanity": My 2014 New Year's Resolution..............................Blog #14—January 6, 2014

Resolutions that Stick: The SMARTIES Principle..........................................Blog #13—January 2, 2014

Getting "Lucky": Auburn and Ohio State...................................................Blog #11—December 2, 2013

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Speakers & Presenters.............................Blog #7—November 1, 2013

Self-Action Research and Existential Growth.................................................Blog #5—October 21, 2013

Welcome to Freedom Focused.............................................................................Blog #1—October 8, 2013

—Dr. JJ

January 11, 2023
Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, USA

Author's Note: This is the 302nd Blog Post Published by Freedom Focused LLC since November 2013 and the 129th consecutive weekly blog published since August 31, 2020.   

Click HERE for a compete listing of the other 301 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.  

And if you liked this blog post, please share it with your family, friends, colleagues, and students—and encourage them to sign up to receive future articles for FREE every Wednesday.

To sign up, please email freedomfocused@gmail.com and say SUBSCRIBE, or just YES, and we will ensure you receive a link to each new blog article every Wednesday.  

Click HERE to learn more about Freedom Focused

Click HERE to learn more about Dr. Jordan Jensen

Click HERE to buy the SAL Textbooks