Questioning Motivation, Purpose, and Advice

 

“Pursue what catches your heart, not what catches your eyes.”

-- Roy T. Bennett

(With due respect to Mr. Roy T. Bennett, no. Just no.)

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Note to my readers:  People are bored, again.  My answers garnered 8990 views in the past week.  I think we all need to get a life.  What say you?

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What year was the best year of your 30s?

32, when my daughter was born.

Do you ever feel guilty for having "negative" feelings?

No. I don’t have them very often, and when I do they’re usually deserved. I recognize the feeling and let it go. No reason to dwell on it.

What motivates you in your daily life?

Beautiful weather. It motivates me to go outside and do things.

“Do what you love, love what you do, and with all your heart give yourself to it.”

-- Roy T. Bennett

What can a mentally weak person ever really be in his life?

They are. As long as they remain mentally weak, they are all they can really be. T be anything else will require a conscious choice on their part. It is what it is until it isn’t, and then it is what it is, again. 

Do you apply the same advice that you give others to yourself?

If I have the same issues to face, yes.

When do you know when you're ready to quit?

Never. However, in the real world, when I discover I’ve bitten off more than I was qualified to handle. I do own the mistake, though, and explain to others why and who really needs to be found to do the task. Failure is not the “end-all” of life, but simply an opportunity to learn and press forward.

"The moment you are ready to quit is usually the moment right before the miracle happens. Do not give up." 

-- Vita Curly

Is self-evaluation a key to getting better and ahead in life?

YES!  

Think of an experience of communication breakdown. Why did it fail? What could you have done for it to become successful?

My boss didn’t listen to me when I suggested a fence be put in line with the existing fence. When the owner did a “walkabout” she asked why it wasn’t in line with the existing fence. I waited for my boss to answer, and when he did he threw me under the bus. Needless to say, I had a piece of his ass when we got back to his office. Come to find out, over drinks that night, the owner suspected it was his decision, so I was vindicated. She asked why I didn’t speak up at the time and I informed her that I don’t throw people under the bus in front of others.

If inspiration were a byproduct, what would it be a by-product of?

Creativity?

"Happiness is not a goal; it is a by-product."

-- Eleanor Roosevelt

Why did you consider that decision as your most significant?

To be clear, are we discussing “that” decision, “this” decision, or the “other” decision?

Though integrity has no relation with money, is it reasonable to conclude that people with integrity are financially sound?

No, because integrity has no relation with money. You can have integrity and, most probably, not be as financially sound as you might. Integrity is like happiness, better to have it whether rich or poor.

What’s your definition of success? What are you willing to give up to get there?

My definition of success is constant happiness. I was more than willing to give up misery to have it since misery simply sucks.

"Happiness is an attitude. We either make ourselves miserable, or happy and strong. The amount of work is the same."

-- Carlos Castaneda

What’s the point of working when you still can’t afford nice things?

So, you’re not working to survive? “Nice things” are great, but they don’t put the roof over your head, meals on the table, or a warm bed, you know, the things that are really supposed to make you feel blessed.

What gives you the strength of purpose?

Desire.

Is it more common for someone who retires early, to actually go on to a second career, and is it usually an endeavor they’re passionate about, or more of a monetary necessity?

I retired three times. It was about making enough for my family to survive comfortably, but I was also blessed to have three jobs I was passionate about doing, every day.

After the second retirement, I went to Mexico for two years. My old boss called me up to entice me to return. I was in a hammock, drinking a beer, and checking my email. I told him I'd only come back for an amount of money he’d never agree to. Obviously, I was mistaken.

“If you have debt, you're not a free person. You're explicitly owned by your debt and implicitly owned by the creditor.”

-- Jacob Lund Fisker

Editor's Note

(Re: disclaimer cum "get out of jail free" card)

Before you go getting your panties in a bunch, it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion. It doesn't make either opinion any more right or wrong than the other. An opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form opinions of their own, if they haven't already done so. This is also why, occasionally, I will present an "opinion" just to stir an emotional pot. Where it may sound like I agree with the statements made, I'm more interested in getting others to consider an alternate viewpoint. 

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and while engaging in peaceful and constructive discussion, in an arena of mutual respect, concerning those opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human. God's test for us is what we learn from the experience, and what we do afterward.

Pastor Tony spent 22 years with the United States Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, instructor, and senior manager. He spent 17 years, following his service career, working with the premier, world-renowned, Institutional Review Board helping to protect the rights of human subjects involved in pharmaceutical research. Ordained 1n 2013 as an "interfaith" minister, he founded the Congregation for Religious Tolerance in response to intolerance shown by Christians toward peaceful Islam. As the weapon for his war on intolerance he chose the pen, and wages his "battle" in the guise of the Congregation's official online blog, The Path, of which he is both author and editor. "The Path" offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's own personal, spiritual, path toward peace and the final destination for us all. He currently resides in Pass Christian, Mississippi, where he volunteered as a chaplain at the regional medical center.

Feel free to contact Pastor Tony:  tolerantpastor@gmail.com