Moving Outward? Move Inward.

Shared visioning and goal setting is a challenge.

It’s tempting to chase others around and to make them conform to your goals and ideals.

But, that typically diverts your energy and time away from embodying the very goals you are trying to cultivate.

It’s also tempting to defend yourself against others when the criticize your goals and ideals. But, defending yourself typically has a low R.O.I.

So…

This quote comes to mind:

“The ancients who wished to demonstrate illustrious virtue throughout the land, first ordered well their own tribes.

Wishing to order well their tribes, they first regulated their families.

Wishing to regulate their families, they first cultivated their persons.

Wishing to cultivate their persons, they first rectified their hearts.

Wishing to rectify their hearts, they first sought to be sincere in their thoughts.

Wishing to be sincere in their thoughts, they first extended to the utmost their knowledge.

Such extension of knowledge lay in the investigation of things… from the sun,

down to the mass of the people,

consider the cultivation of the person the root of everything besides.”

~Old Proverb

This paradox of “being the change you wish to see” has been paramount in my last year or two. I can try to act upon others, but they will typically push back. Both will be less for this.

I’m trying to learn this balancing act of compassion offset by detachment and acceptance.