“And I say that life is indeed darkness save when there is urge
And all urge is blind save when there is knowledge
And all knowledge is vain save when there is work
And all work is empty save when there is love.”
Kahlil Gibran “The Prophet”
I love the above writing by Kahlil Gibran that deals specifically with work. In the context of living your plan, the above section breaks down how our working lives ideally work when we have a conscious plan of action.
“And I say that life in indeed darkness save when there is urge” Essentially he is talking about passion. What is it that you want to do? When you live your plan you are living your passion and living your plan directs your plan. To do anything in life is to do it with passion.
“And all urge is blind save when there is knowledge” Now you have passion but are you harnessing that passion thoughtfully? This is where the building of your plan starts. Thinking of your plan and putting it down on paper and being able to articulate what that is.
“And all knowledge is vain save when there is work” So you know what you want to do but are you doing it? Are you sitting on knowledge that can drastically improve the world. It sounds funny to think that an idea that is so good could ever be suppressed but I am sure that there are more good ideas in a graveyard than were ever brought to the market. Don’t take your great ideas to the grave.
“And all work is empty save when there is love” You want to have an effective business or be a better employee? Care about other people and make value creation your #1 goal. If there is no desire to make the people around you better, then what’s the point?
My point is that beyond being a more passionate, certain, hard working, loving person, there are many other benefits to living your plan. Rather than living in life you are actually participating in it. You have a more positive self image and take action with more certainty. Are you living your plan? What are the positive outcomes from doing so? How has it been hard? And the last questions I have regarding living your plan is….What if you did?