Steve Jobs said that being fired from Apple in the early days was the best thing that happened to him. He could not see it at the time but he did say that the burden of success was lifted from him and the lightness of being returned as he now had the luxury of starting out all over again.
How many of us have been lucky enough to start all over again? My experience is that this starting over again many times nourishes our sense of adventure and discovery, helps our intimacy, friendships and family and even contributes to our material welfare as we find increasing significance in whatever work we do, not just in the reward at the end. We have nothing to lose.
Recently I read something else he said which rings true to me and maybe to you too. The last time he was ill he said that almost everything–all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure–these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important.
He went on to say that, “remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.”
Certainly starting out all over gets your creative juices working at warp speed and where survival is a question to be considered makes you all the more inventive. After all necessity is the mother of invention, is it not?
If we really understood that we have nothing to lose what is it we would do, without wasting another moment? Would we still want success at all costs, would creativity be enough unto itself, would we be more careful in our relationships, would we be more present in our actions?
Cheers
Chris Borrett
Image Credit: FreeImages.com/Daniel Wilson
If by chance, you have not encountered my previous posts outside this blog, one of my favourites is about “A Woman’s Labour of Love”. You have the luxury of reading it by clicking here.