The Catastrophe of Self

The Catastrophe of Self

It happens over and over, again and again. I see it in the lives and work of those I serve and in my own endeavors. In our efforts to be and do better, what obstacle impedes our progress? What foe trips us up at the finish line? What force conspires against us?

"We have met the enemy, and he is us." - Walt Kelly, Pogo

Yes, we are the primary impediment to our own progress. Yet we continue to name it as if it exists outside of ourselves. Resistance, imposter syndrome, and all the other ways we personify fear, doubt, anxiety, and self-loathing.

Is there a way through, over, or around this self-sabotage? I've certainly tried. I've crafted all manner of maps and compasses to help myself and others learn how to change your mind and how to get out of your own way.

And yet, I continue to insert myself between the me I am and the me I want and need to be every day. I bet you do too. Why?

In part, that's the gig. Work that's worth it, any meaningful enterprise, is fraught on purpose. That's what makes it meaningful and worth it. The journey of self is a moral trek. It's an ethical building project. The path is a principled pursuit in which progress can only be made if we kill the very thing we are trying to save, ourselves.

Ego is the enemy. And this inconsiderate, selfish, and certain coward can't be destroyed or overcome. However, through the cultivation of character and will, our better angels can co-exist with it and reach a degree of tranquility and equanimity.

The Summons of Service

And how does one cultivate character and will? I have found that there is only one path, service to others.

Your primary concern, the search for self and meaning, can only come through work done with and for others.

"The important thing is this: to be able at any moment to sacrifice what we are for what we could become." - Charles Du Bos

Enhancing your life through endeavors that elevate others is a calling that you can heed anytime. Why not do so today?

Scott Perry, Chief Difference-Maker at Creative on Purpose

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