Dr. JJ's Rule #3: The Golden Mean

There is Beauty in Balance

In a previous article, JJ's 13 Rules for Living were shared. This week's blog post addresses Dr. JJ's RULE #3, which states:

Truth and virtue are rarely found in extremes, but in a balance between (or among) extremes—in the Golden Mean.

The great Greek philosopher, Aristotle, taught that virtue (or "THE GOOD") is not found in extremes, but in a balance between (or among) extremes. This Aristotelian principle of balance has since become known as the GOLDEN MEAN.

At Freedom Focused, our aim is to embrace Aristotle's Golden Mean in everything we say and do.   

The GOLDEN MEAN and POLITICS

In recent years and decades, the United States of America—and other countries around the globe—have seen a growing political and cultural polarization stymie its/their collective social health and systemic functionality. As hyper-partisan candidates and citizens pursue increasingly extreme positions on both (and all) sides, divisiveness has abounded, negatively impacting everyone in one way or another.

Suffice it to say, perhaps nowhere is the philosophy of the Golden Mean needed more than in the politics of the twenty-first century.  

Freedom Focused is a non-political organization and does not endorse political candidates. We do, however, encourage everyone to become involved in the political process—if only to cast a vote—according to your own understanding of the issues and the dictates of your own conscience. We further encourage all citizens to become better educated on present political issues and historical events and political precedents. Doing so will serve to inform your knowledge- and conscience-based participation in the political process.  

I personally am not a member of any political party. However, as a concerned citizen, voter, and patriot who loves my country and seeks to be a good and honorable citizen of my homeland (and world), I strive to follow our advice as stated above. I therefore choose whom I will vote for based on my research, observations, and analysis of current issues, my understanding of past events and political precedents, and my personal priorities and beliefs.

There are times in a two-person race when both candidates are unpalatable to me for various reasons. In such circumstances, I always cast my vote for the candidate whom I believe will—all things considered—do the most good and the least harm in office. 

This "utilitarian-minded" voting approach is rooted in my desire to exercise what little political influence I possess as practically and realistically as possible in the present. I then concurrently seek to exemplify and promote the kind of balanced approach to politics that this article champions—something that politicians increasingly refuse to do themselves. When it comes to "contested issues" I seek to follow the advice of one leader who encouraged citizens to "moderate and unify"* rather than embrace partisan extremities and other tribalistic ideologies and behaviors.    

The GOLDEN MEAN and Everything Else in Life

Everything goes better when the "gears" of your life and
career are properly aligned, balanced, and greased.

The golden mean relates to more than just politics; it is applicable to everything in life. Freedom Focused agrees with Aristotle that self-action leaders ought to avoid extremities of any kind. While there is usually an exception to every rule, the fundamental principal of the Golden Mean is that wisdom is almost never found in extremes; but in a balance between (or among) extremes.

In every life arena—be it spiritual, physical, mental, emotional, social, recreational, etc.—we should strive to live lives marked by balance, discretion, moderation, and wisdom. Even inherently good or healthy things, such as exercise, nutrition, study, work, and wholesome recreational activities can be taken to unhealthy extremes that hinder one's personal freedom and growth and harm interpersonal relationships.

In illustration of this point, I am reminded of one of my favorite songs sung by the contemporary pop star, Bruno Mars. In his famous tune, Just the Way You Are, Bruno croons: "Her lips, her lips, I could kiss them all day if she'd let me."

As is the case with many romantic lyrics in music, they tend to get out of balance in order to underscore a highlighted emotion.  

Don't get me wrong... I love to kiss my wife as much as the next husband (and perhaps even more so), but kissing Lina all day long would not be good for her, me, or our relationship. While I firmly believe kissing is an essential ingredient in a successful romantic relationship or marriage, balance remains a key component in keeping those kisses as meaningful and special as possible. Indeed, too many kisses could in fact be as damaging and dangerous as not enough kisses.     

Aristotle
384-322 B.C.

How many friendships and marriages have been ruined by imbalance!

In a nation and world where legions of citizens are embracing extremes in fashion, style, culture, ideology, politics, fitness, nutrition, and virtually everything else, Freedom Focused champions a different approach that we—like Aristotle—believe is better and wiser in the long-run. This approach is spelled "B-A-L-A-N-C-E" and is illuminated by a philosophy and principle championed over two millennia ago by the great Greek philosopher Aristotle. 

Here's to living a golden life of happiness, prosperity, and inner peace through the philosophy of the Golden Mean.

Huzzah!  

NOTE: This article is the 5th 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

September 29, 2021

Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, USA

Author's Note: This is the 232nd Blog Post Published by Freedom Focused LLC since November 2013. 

Click HERE for a compete listing of the other 231 FF Blog Articles.  

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

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Notes:

* Oaks, D.H. (2021) Defending our Divinely Inspired Constitution (speech). 

A Class in Life

Imagine for a second that it is the year 2030.

One of your children (or grandchildren) is about to begin middle or high school.  After she has completed registering for her classes, you survey your daughter's (or son's) academic course load for the upcoming school year, and it looks something like this...

1st Period:  Algebra
2nd Period: English
3rd period:  Biology
4th period:  Technology & computing
5th period:  Art
6th Period:  Physical education
7th Period:  Life LCLS 101

As you review the schedule, you notice that the first six classes resemble your own prep school schedule back in the 80s, 90s, or early 2000s.  But then you get to seventh period and are a little confused.  So you ask your child, "What the heck is Life LCLS 101?"

Without thinking, your child blurts out, "Oh, that's just life class; it's where we study leadership, character, and life-skills; you know, the stuff we need to know to be successful in REAL life. Everyone is required to take at least one life course every semester; it's required for graduation. Our principal and teachers are always telling us it's the most important class we attend each day."

"Oh," you reply.  "Cool."  Pause...

"I wish they had had that when I was a student."

Purveyors of Education in
Leadership, Character, & Life Skills

If Freedom Focused has anything to say about it, this mostly theoretical scenario in today's educational world will be standard operating procedure for an increasing number of elementary, middle, and high schools—as well as colleges and universities—by the 2030s.  

How will it happen?  Slowly.  Gradually.  Incrementally, but surely.  Freedom Focused exists for the express purpose to ensure that it does.  

As the Founder and CEO of Freedom Focused, I have always envisioned our organization as being something akin to a 21st century version of FranklinCovey.  But what exactly would a contemporary version of that famous turn-of-the-century day planner company look like?

In some regards, Freedom Focused will look a lot like FranklinCovey.  For example, we will initially build our business on book sales, seminar receipts, and consultation fees.  Later, as we grow and earn greater leverage, we will add additional products and services aimed at promoting personal, professional, and global freedom through Self-Action Leadership—our trademark training philosophy, theory, and model

Like FranklinCovey, we may someday have retail stores that sell books, training materials, and other related products.  Moreover, professional training and consulting services will always form part of the core bedrock of our business model.  This, however, is where the convergence ends and the divergence begins.

How then, will Freedom Focused be different?  How will we distinguish ourselves from FranklinCovey and other professional training companies like it?

At Freedom Focused, our primary concern is
transforming what happens in classrooms across America

The answer to this question lies in our focus.

Instead of aiming primarily at corporate audiences, our fundamental focus will involve the Educational World of communities, schools, homes, and individual lives.  This means that if we had our choice between securing business with every Fortune 1000 Company in the nation, or signing educational contracts with every public school district in the U.S., we would choose the educational contracts over the corporate deals.  This is not to say that we will neglect corporate interests; far from it; nevertheless our primary, long-term objective is to make inroads into traditional classrooms and other educational-based venues.  

Why would we do this when there is far more money to be made in Corporate America?  The answer is simple: our vision at Freedom Focused transcends making money.  It is also larger than merely helping individuals and organizations to be more effective.  Our vision is to influence a widespread shift in the culture itself, bringing about an end to philosophical postmodernism (moral relativism) and leading the onset of philosophical authenticism (moral absolutism).

Changing a culture is not an easy endeavor; it does not happen quickly.  The only way to generate authentic cultural shifts that last is to infiltrate educational systems beginning at the lowest levels (pre-k and elementary), then on to the middle levels (secondary and collegiate), and finally up to the highest levels (graduate and professional).

Our preeminent vision at Freedom Focused is to change Western society and culture by successfully entering educational systems everywhere as advocates, purveyors, and providers of physical (scientific) and metaphysical (moral) Truths.  To get the ball rolling in this direction, we have developed the world's first ever comprehensive, secular, textbook for life that introduces students to philosophical fundamentals that, if learned and consistently applied, will lead any student-practitioner to long-term growth, success, and happiness.

This TEXTBOOK is called, Self-Action Leadership, Volumes I & II.

Far from being a typical self-help book, Self-Action Leadership is a philosophically-oriented academic text rooted in careful and conscientious doctoral research.  It is specifically designed to serve as a seminal, secular text on self-leadership and character education that can be used in classroom settings and beyond.

As the author of this text, I spent 13 years of my life carefully researching, observing, and revising to ensure this text delivers on its promise to influence quantum cultural changes that will signal a new era of peace and hope marked by a resurgence of collective character through personal integrity in the United States and beyond.

The best way to begin accomplishing this mammoth undertaking is to first popularize a message—and text—that can serve as an example and model of what leadership and character education in our schools should look like. And what should it look like?  It should be secular, non-partisan, non-ideological, and rooted in academic research and experiential common sense.

This text has now been written.

We invite you to buy a copy today and read it—with your eye single to the LOVE you have for your children, grandchildren, and someday, your great-grandchildren, as well as the HOPE you hold for their future.

Click HERE to buy a copy of Self-Action Leadership.

Down the road a ways, Freedom Focused will continue to diverge from FranklinCovey's original business model by offering full-service, holistic health gyms, comprehensive mental health centers, a leadership, character, and life-skill focused accredited university—Freedom Focused University—outreaches to the homeless, poverty-stricken, and mentally ill, and an artistic, theatrical and motion picture company that produces art, music, stage, and cinematic productions in harmony with our vision of proliferating personal, professional, and global freedom by developing integrity in pursuit of authentic, holistic, personal growth.

Such marvelous dreams can yet become reality; but they must follow on the heels of other, more fundamental developments.  For now, our task is to put first things first, and our FIRST task is to proliferate and popularize the philosophy and message of Self-Action Leadership.  For that to happen, the message has to be read and then shared.  We invite you to help us get the ball rolling in the direction of Freedom by buying our book, signing up to receive our blog articles, and visiting our website at www.freedomfocused.com

SELF-ACTION LEADERSHIP is the key catalyst for initiating transformational leadership that lasts in any organization. The truth of the matter really is that simple; and the transformation of organizations through the holistic development of individuals really is that difficult—yet altogether possible for anyone willing to invest the time, effort, and sacrifice required to achieve authentic, transformational results.

Unlike any training program that has ever preceded it, Self-Action Leadership provides a single vehicle wherewith individual self-leaders can discover—and then act—upon the great truth that HOLISTIC personal development and growth spanning the mental, moral, spiritual, physical, emotional, social, and financial elements of our individual natures is within the grasp of each one of us.

Note: Freedom Focused is a non-partisan, for-profit, educational corporation. As such, we do not endorse or embrace political figures. We do, however, comment from time-to-time on historical or political events that provide pedagogical backdrops to illuminating principles contained in the SAL Theory & Model.

Click HERE to learn more about the SAL Theory & Model.


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Click HERE to read more about Dr. Jensen's book, Self-Action Leadership, and to review what experts in the leadership field are saying about this groundbreaking new personal development handbook.


Click HERE to learn more about Dr. Jordan R. Jensen.

Click HERE to visit the Freedom Focused website.