"I am not willing for someone to waive a moral flag and then tell me what I have to say!"

"Most people find deep meaning in life as a consequence of bearing responsibility for themselves and others, and the heavier the responsibility, the better!

Biology matures women and the responsibility that comes along with that. Men need a catalyst. Taking responsibility (see first paragraph).

What people believe is what they act out. I act as if God exists. It's a matter of action and commitment. A metaphysical reality that's virtually impossible to comprehend. By their fruits, ye shall know them. You risk when you reduce. Human beings have a spark of the divine in them. I talk about what I know and leave the rest alone. I am not going to make statements reflecting a certainty that I don't have."

What is your approach to truth? "I try not to say things that make me weak. I believe you must pay attention to every word you say. Say what you believe to be true and take the consequences."

Why are you afraid of being weak? "It's essentially fear of Hell! If you make yourself weak, and you suffer stupidly because of it, you will become bitter, and after you become bitter you will become vengeful and once you become vengeful there is no limit. You make yourself weak by engaging in deceit. You fail to take responsibility and you torture yourself."

Why are so many on the Left afraid of you? "They have every reason to be afraid. I am not a fan of collectivists. I am not a fan of people who put group identity first. I am not a fan of people who would dare to identify as Marxists after what happened in the 20th century. I am no fan of right-wing collectivists either. The right level of analysis is the individual, and that's what the West got right.

Are you a political centrist? "I am not political! It's a matter of your relationship not only to your conscience but to your soul! I am not willing for someone to waive a moral flag and then tell me what I have to say! That's not happening!"

Commit and follow through!

Seth Godin writes,

The distance from can to will keeps getting larger.

You can connect, lead, see, speak, create, encourage, challenge and contribute.

Will you?

The confusion kicks in when we become overwhelmed by all the things we can do, but can’t find the time or the courage to actually commit and follow through.

In the face of all that choice, we often confuse can’t and won’t. One lets us off the hook, the other is a vivid reminder of our power to say yes if we choose.

What story do you tell yourself about your work?

Seth Godin writes,

One of the critical decisions of every career:

"Well, there's plenty more to do, I'll do the least I can here and then move on to the next one."

vs.

"I only get to do this one, once. So I'll do it as though it's the last chance I'll ever have to do this work, to please this customer, to ring this bell."

As little as possible. Or as much. The system might push you to become mediocre, but that very same system rewards excellence. The perception that the minimum is viable is built deep into our notion of productivity, but it turns out that the maximum is valuable indeed.

The biggest cause of excellence is the story we tell ourselves about our work.

It's a choice, a commitment and a lifelong practice.