A Lesson Too Late

Linds Redding passed away a short time ago from esophageal cancer at the age of 52. I never knew of him until I stumbled across his writing today. He was a star of the advertising industry, but for the last 6 months of his life, he was forced to pull away from the meat grinder of his creative agency to deal with his illness.

And in that time, he found clarity.

One of the last posts on Lind’s blog was entitled, A Short Lesson in Perspective (http://www.lindsredding.com/2012/03/11/a-overdue-lesson-in-perspective/). Here, he writes of his own life experience, and the insane pressures of his work that was endured because he believe it was a noble cause, but in the end was an empty shell, providing little value of any kind expect to those who were already wealthy.

His piece is a shocking echo of my last blog post (Advice to a Graduating College Student), where I discussed the potential for losing your identity as you move into the work force and you find yourself on the insane ride motivated only by profit.

Here is an excerpt from Linds’s blog post:

It turns out I didn’t actually like my old life nearly as much as I thought I did. I know this now because I occasionally catch up with my old colleagues and work-mates. They fall over each other to enthusiastically show me the latest project they’re working on. Ask my opinion. Proudly show off their technical prowess (which is not inconsiderable.) I find myself glazing over but politely listen as they brag about who’s had the least sleep and the most takeaway food. “I haven’t seen my wife since January, I can’t feel my legs any more and I think I have scurvy but another three weeks and we’ll be done. It’s got to be done by then. The client’s going on holiday. What do you think?”

What do I think?

I think you’re all fucking mad. Deranged. So disengaged from reality it’s not even funny. It’s a fucking TV commercial. Nobody gives a shit.

This has come as quite a shock I can tell you. I think, I’ve come to the conclusion that the whole thing was a bit of a con. A scam. An elaborate hoax.

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As long as money is the motivating force behind nearly every human activity, we will never reach our full potential. Imagine a world with no money, where we all share everything of what we make – and we are all dedicated to making the best of whatever is required. We would no longer need to try to convince people to buy inferior products, or create false claims to differentiate between competitive products.

There is much more in Linds’s post that is well worth the time to read. Do it now!

Advice to a Graduating College Student

I stumbled across a question on Quora today where a graduating college senior, who had just acquired his dream job, was asking for advice on how to finish this last semester. Most people responded with advice to take it easy, relax, and party.

My advice was a bit different. Here is my post:

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The most important advice you can be given at this point of transition in your life is to always maintain your integrity. Too many people get swept up in the desires of the businesses they work in and, in the process, forget who they are and what they stand for. Particularly, as your dedication to the business's goals pulls you away from the things that are truly more important - spending time with your family, becoming an integral part of a community, and caring for the resources of our environment.

Nearly every employer, especially large and impersonal businesses where you will never meet the people in charge, will try to maximize your output for as little investment possible. They are not interested in your welfare and betterment unless it benefits the company. To them, you are nothing but a tool for the merry-go-round of quarterly profits and shareholder satisfaction.

If you have the luxury of another semester before you enter the "real" world, then spend the time to consider these three things: 

• Meditate on who you truly are - not what someone else wants you to be. 
• Train yourself in the art of critical thinking - do not take anything for granted. 
• Ask yourself everyday, why is this the way? Is there a better way? Are my actions today consistent with whom I believe myself to be?

Big companies will tempt you with a high starting salary. For they know that once they get you inside, your peers will do a fine job of getting you to want more things and live beyond your means. Gotta get the latest mobile device, a better car, or a big house in a nice neighborhood. You will be made to feel inferior if you do not have these things. This creeps up slowly if you let it. And then one day, you will find yourself enslaved to the acquisition of money to support a lifestyle that you probably never wanted in the first place.

Two years ago, at the age of 48, I found a way to start unwinding my corporate servitude and enslavement to money. Today, I make less than 10% of what I did then but I am rich in love, friendships, and the inspiration that nature provides. 

I hope you keep these things in mind as you make your life choices.