Eternal Rewards + Punishments
August 2, 2011
Growing up I was warned to stick to the business at hand… and NEVER discuss religion, politics or personal beliefs with colleagues. Perhaps that’s good advice. For the record, I have little respect (actually none) for beliefs or subjects deemed too taboo to question. In fact, I encourage everyone to question most, those deemed most unquestionable. That said, in the spirit of harmony… and to not alienate readers, I’ve bowdlerized this post. Yes, showing restraint and hitting the delete key can sometimes be painful : )
Recently, I posted this question on Facebook, “To live a moral life, do people require the promise/threat of eternal rewards or punishments?”
It received many interesting responses… several were sent to me personally. For pantheists, atheists and others, my question posed little challenge. While some religious practitioners suggested eternal rewards and punishments were extra incentives, the majority claimed they would continue living a moral life, regardless of afterlife consequences. While concepts of heaven and hell appear in many religions, I’m limiting my discussion to monotheistic religions of the Abrahamic tradition, since many FB responders identified themselves as such.
I must confess, this subject intrigues me. My grandfathers were evangelical preachers… need I say more? I’ve spent many years discussing theology, studying religion, philosophy… and pondering life. But like Odysseus, I’ve ordered myself tied to the mast as to stay on topic during this post.
If the promise/threat of eternal rewards or punishments have little (if any) influence on people’s moral behavior, why do they exist? In the early Bible, the concept of heaven, hell or Satan didn’t exist. Should someone have referenced these subjects with a Hebrew from the time of Moses, they wouldn’t understand. What changed? Why propose such an idea? No doubt, such questions will generate countless responses. Let me propose one—it explains why those who follow God’s law are sometimes punished on earth while those who don’t, are sometimes rewarded. It offers the promise of retribution. With this belief in place, the just find earthly injustice more tolerable. While a perceived problem is sometimes an unseen solution, the opposite can also be true. The intended and unintended consequences of believing in eternal rewards or punishments is readily evident. Just pick up a history book or turn on the TV. Read more
Canaries and Patriots
July 12, 2011
I love music. During my cardio workouts, I put my iPod on random shuffle… and before long, with heart pounding and endorphins firing, the elliptical machine transports me into another dimension. In this dimension, aided by a vast music collection, my brain is free to explore uncharted territories and occasionally make new connections. That’s what happened today when the song Monster by Steppenwolf started playing. I had forgotten the many memories connected to this song. By the time it ended, the past had merged with the present and left me focusing on the future… America’s future.
At one point, Monster returned me to my sophomore year of college. To a time when my nerves were shot… I was confused, sleep deprived and directionless. When you’re attending college full-time while simultaneously working to pay for it, there’s little time for sleep or contemplation. Picking the right path (major) under such conditions can seem impossible. I had always been drawn to the arts… but needing to make a living, practicality was important, too. Uncertain, I decided to enroll in Preston Jackson‘s basic design class. (A few years later, I earned a degree in design/visual communications.) In addition to being a renowned artist, Preston is also a great instructor… and a kind, sensitive and insightful person to boot. One day, as Preston was musing, he said something I’ve never forgotten. “Regardless of what you do in life, be a student of history. But don’t limit yourself to history books. Study the music, art, and literature of particular time periods. Learn everything you can, from every perspective. The past provides meaning to the present… and sheds light on the future.”
When Monster was released, the U.S. was engaged in the Vietnam conflict, Richard Nixon was president, and civil unrest was rampant. To many citizens, especially those from the “older” generation, bands like Steppenwolf were unwelcome messengers—radical groups of unpatriotic, hippie misfits. Students of history know that demonizing the perceived enemy is nothing new. Wait! The enemy? Did you read the lyrics? (see below) They’re lucid, insightful… even prophetic. Unpatriotic? Steppenwolf sounds like a band of patriots! That’s from today’s perspective. When Monster was released, these lyrics challenged America’s ideology with reality. They violated many citizens’ perceptions of themselves by contrasting symbolic representations with facts. The map is not the territory. For many, this concept is difficult to grasp. Read more
Houston, We Have a Solution!
May 19, 2011
Since my flight to Houston didn’t leave until 12:40 PM, I spent the morning packing, answering Emails, reviewing my keynote‚ and enjoying the peace of mind one derives from not being rushed. Traffic was light and I arrived at O’Hare in record time. It seemed the stars were in perfect alignment.
The flight took off on time and before long, we were preparing to land. Suddenly, the plane zigged, the storms zagged, adults screamed, and children cried. Our smooth sailing craft, at the hands of Mother Nature, had been transformed into a trackless roller coaster. People who had forgotten how to pray suddenly remembered.
The turbulence was so extreme the pilot bypassed Houston and landed in Austin where the plane was to be inspected for damage. My fellow travelers and I stood at the gate, mentally and physically disheveled, awaiting our fate. Some sent text messages, others called loved ones, and a few reached out to comfort one another. At times like this, it becomes apparent—we humans have far more in common than not. I called my wife, Anne, to see if she could find another flight into Houston. No luck.
Many passengers remained focused on the “problems” at hand. They provided each other with affirmations, complained to agents, and gathered evidence to support their beliefs. Within an hour, our flight had been rescheduled on another plane for later that evening… and then delayed once again for even later. My gut told me the third rescheduling was not going to be the charm.
“Has anyone checked on ground transportation?” I asked a group of passengers that were commiserating at the bar. “No, it’s too far to drive‚ about four hours. We’re just going to wait it out,” said one woman as she raised her glass to toast the decision. The others followed suit. As I thanked her, she wrinkled her nose in a peculiar way and said, “Find the tall woman in the white sweater; she’s thinking about renting a car.” I couldn’t tell if it was the alcohol talking, or if a suppressed memory had unexpectedly surfaced. In any case, it seemed surreal—like Alice’s encounter with the Cheshire Cat. I skeptically scanned the crowd and to my amazement, found my version of “The White Rabbit” standing less than 20 feet away, talking to some fellow passengers. This trip was becoming “curiouser and curiouser!” Perhaps I was in Wonderland? Read more
Seeing Unseen Solutions
April 27, 2011
I recently closed a speech with this challenge: “You can live each day in a world filled with “problems,” or rise each morning and embrace a world filled with unseen solutions… eager for you to find them. The decision is yours… both worlds exist. The one you choose is the one you will create.”
Afterwards, during a Q&A session, a young man remarked, “Your presentation was awesome, but how do you go about seeing unseen solutions?” What a great question! In a nutshell, here’s my answer:
Seeing “unseen solutions” starts by believing they exist. This is fundamental. Without this belief and a willingness to suspend our judgment and remain open to new possibilities, unseen solutions remain just that–unseen.
Secondly, when one appears, we need to accept it. That’s right… unseen solutions try to get our attention on a regular basis, but we’re too busy working and living to notice. Because most potential solutions dwell on the edge of our perception, we usually overlook, ignore, or dismiss them. Occasionally, a potential solution is so persistent; we can’t help but catch a glimpse of it. When this happens, we briefly acknowledge it, believing we’ll remember it. But when we try recalling it, we discover it’s gone… or parts are missing.
While some solutions appear all at once, most come in small flashes that strike us when we least expect it… when we’re reading, taking a shower, on a walk, exercising or daydreaming. These flashes are fleeting gifts! We all receive them, but few take them seriously. To quote my late grandfather, “When God whispers in your ear, pay attention.” Read more
Planting Seeds of Change
March 14, 2011
Recently, while driving to a meeting, I started thinking about healthy food. How can the average American (if such a person exists) avoid eating GM (genetically modified) fruits and vegetables inundated with pesticides and fertilizers? My first thought was to buy organic. I often do, even though it’s more expensive, but many households can’t afford it. During the summer, I frequent outdoor markets and buy from local organic farmers. This is fine during the warm months and I enjoy meeting with the farmers and supporting them… but it’s also expensive. Besides, what do you do about the rest of the year?
Back in the day we used to have a garden. While it takes time, gardening is a viable solution to the current alternatives. And what isn’t eaten during the growing season can be shared, canned and frozen. As I drove, I envisioned my family working with me… everyone pitching in and reaping a bounty of fresh produce. I imagined sharing with my neighbors and… then reality struck! I live in downtown Chicago, and there’s not a lot of arable land on the 28th floor!
Soon I found myself in the suburbs, driving down a residential street. An elderly couple stood in their yard talking to a couple guys in uniforms… and then I spotted the lawn chemical truck in the driveway.
I remembered spending money on lawn chemicals when we lived in the suburbs. Why do people spend time and money growing, cutting and maintaining grass? Who came up with this idea? Is it social conditioning, tradition… perceptual blindness? My questions triggered a rush of ideas and visions… I had a flashback to my time spent in Germany. The cemeteries I had visited there were so beautiful and the locals took such pride in creating and maintaining them. 
I began to envision suburban neighborhoods filled with beautiful gardens… like a Monet painting composed of fruit trees, herbs and vegetables. Visions of crop circles, corn mazes and rows of fruit trees, and beautifully designed vegetable patterns of all shapes, colors and kinds raced through my head. My brain was crystallizing with interconnected concepts and possibilities. The benefits of replacing worthless grass lawns with beautiful functioning gardens seemed endless… Read more
Seeing Beyond Labels
March 8, 2011
Carol waited for me to leave the venue before introducing herself. I had just spoken to a business audience at a corporate event. But to Carol, my message struck a personal chord and she wanted to let me know—just not in front of her peers.
You made me cry, she said, but quickly added, tears of joy.
During my speech I had explained how our focus creates our reality. If we focus on trouble, we’ll find it. If we focus on happiness, it will appear. I also shared how labels influence our perception. When we label something a problem, it becomes one… and we stop seeing it as anything else.
My speech ended with a story about a kid who quit school in 2nd grade. He didn’t actually quit attending—he just stopped participating. He was smart—but didn’t do well in school. Based on his free spirit, unusual views, pointed questions, and disdain toward academics, some teachers and adults labeled him as a “problem.” This label stuck and became a self-fulfilling prophecy up until the end of high school. Then an unexpected event took place—one that would forever change his life. To the amazement of many, the “problem” kid not only attended college, but was accepted into a competitive program and graduated first in his class. From there, the boy who quit school in 2nd grade founded and built a multi-million dollar visual communications firm, became an internationally recognized designer, and attracted a client roster that read like the Who’s Who of Business. After twenty consecutive years of growth, he sold his firm and became a best-selling author, creative consultant and public speaker… and I’m honored to be speaking to you tonight, I concluded.
What unexpected event changed my life? Read more
2011 Snowstorm
February 2, 2011
Based on the current snowstorm I decided to resurrect the Sleep-Deprived Samaritan post. The colloquial phrase “Good Samaritan,” means someone who helps a stranger… even those you don’t know but are willing to risk your life to save. Enjoy… and reach out to those in need.