via TK’s weblog:

My dear Little Mama,

Now that you have turned 22, done your degree and beginning work can I please give you some advice! No, do not say no, please. It is a father’s prerogative!

Do not ever work
Picasso used to paint all the time, Henry Moore sculpt the whole day. Others would have thought they were working themselves to death. They actually were reenergizing and reinvigorating themselves. Do what you enjoy doing. Do not ever work.

Do not try hard
Let it simply flow. Jimmy Hendrix did not play guitar. He simply let his feelings flow unabated. Muhammad Ali used to float like a butterfly and sting like a bee. (Do not go into boxing though!)

Do not go into any competition
Quality has no competition. Only mediocrity has competition. If you do what you do at the highest quality you have no competition. Quality creates a moat around yourself.

Do not market
Create your own demand. People are always on the lookout for the good. People seek out winners. Therefore be a winner all the time.

Do not read
Fire your imagination and creativity. Read not what is written but read into the writer’s mind. It is Einstein, one of the greatest minds of our times, who said that imagination is better than knowledge.

Do not run after money
Do not run after money. You will find that money runs faster than you do. Bring total mindfulness to whatever you are doing. Hit Nirvana. Money will feel ignored. It will stop running and fall back on you head over heels. In a heap.

Do not run after success
Carry on doing what you like doing without unduly bothering about success or failure. Success is also like charm. If you think you have it surely it will elude you.

Do not take advice
Advice is what others did not take but wish to give. Your mind is your best guide. Certainly keep your eyes and ears open. Absorb everything but add your own pinch of salt. Filter out what does not suit you. (Do not think I put this at the end on purpose. Honest.)

Love,

Dad

(h/t Andrew) 

Today is my 25th birthday. A quarter-life crisis, as some like to say, feels more like a quarter-life blessing. I’ve spent nearly my entire life in pursuit of why I exist and how I can impact others. At twenty-five, I can finally say I’ve discovered the how to my why.

My approach to life has always been quite simple: do what feels right, change what feels wrong, appreciate all experiences, and touch as many people as possible along the way. I never know what five years will look like, let alone six months from now, and that’s why every new experience takes my breath away and makes me feel alive. Instead of putting myself in a pattern of predicting the uncertain future and basing my “potential success” on an externally focused goal, I like to focus only on that which is internal.

I’ve realized that my relationship with myself and the frequency in which I do things that make me feel useful greatly influences my mood, actions and behavior. I figure that so long as I continually strengthen and improve upon the relationship I have with myself, and give what I learn to others, I will increase my chances of creating positive impact. Why I exist and what I live for has never been in question for me. I feel fulfilled when my actions touch and inspire positive action in others, and nothing warms my heart more than warming another’s. What I do and how I satisfy my desire to inspire has evolved and changed throughout the course of my twenty-five years.

The question I frequently ask myself is: how will I eat and put a roof over my head while continuing to create and feel positive impact every day? Much to the dismay of others, I’ve quit jobs without knowing what’s next, “suddenly” moved states without knowing anyone, flown to cities without a place to stay, and fully thrown myself into uncertain situations that might hurt me or give me “nothing” in return. But really, what is “nothing”? And what is everything? What is success? And when do I reach it? Can I be successful right now by simply doing the things that make me feel like I do good?

And what’s most important: experiencing something that forever changes my life or security and making money? Loving someone and getting my heart shattered or never experiencing that depth of love at all? Pursuing that which feels right and sometimes fucking up in the process or never knowing what it feels like to truly live? Dedicating my life to following my heart or basing all decisions on numbers and revenue potential? Struggling to discover what fulfills me or never knowing why and what I live for?

I like to focus on the former. And because of this, I feel blessed.

The Acumen Fund asked me to be a judge for their Search for the Obvious project. I was very taken by their “Why?” which is why I was eager to get involved.

We believe in the power of creativity to better the world. Instead of seeing problems, a creative mind sees obvious solutions. Look around you and you’ll find all sorts of solutions to problems that once seemed impossible. Now Acumen Fund needs YOU to help change how the world is addressing poverty by showing that there’s a better way.

Over the last month, people have contributed everyday objects they feel have changed the world. I was asked to pick one that spoke to me and so I chose the pen. Here’s my write-up on why:

Imagine a world without pens… there would be no handwritten love letters, thank-you notes, and picture postcards from Paris. No spur-of-the-moment mind maps, action lists, and the pleasure of crossing off that which we’ve accomplished. No proud signature to represent our name or handwriting to express our individuality.

The pen is a powerful tool which helps us visualize our thoughts and bring our heart to paper. It provides a starting place for creation and expression, and allows the opportunity to take a moment of silence amid the noise of life. Every day, the pen impacts my world and helps me touch others too which is why Adam’s contribution and beautiful write-up struck me immediately.

I believe our future doesn’t lie ahead of us, waiting to happen. It lies within us, waiting to be discovered. That’s why the pen has changed the world. It allows us to discover our true selves so that we can go on creating our futures.