Fascinating! Great post, Larry.

I read a collection of essays a while back put together in a book called Ikigai by Sebastian Marshall.

The authors description:

“Ikigai’s closest meaning is *raison d’être* in French–what one lives
for, what makes your life worth living, why you inhale and exhale each
breath. But Ikigai goes further than that, to the point where your passions and obsessions can consume you … think of the artist or inventor all-consumed by his work, the boxer who lays his body and mind on the line in every fight, or the gardener whose mind is perfectly still among his creation.”

My favorite quote from the book:

“I’m not going to compare myself against people my age any more. I’m going to start comparing myself to the greatest men of all time. Instantly, I’d gone from top 1% of my peer group (people near my age, self-made, alive today), to the bottom 1% of the greatest people of all time.

I started looking at Washington, Jefferson, Franklin, Tokugawa, Meiji, Augustus, Trajan, Socrates, Aristotle, Confucius, Wellington, Rockefeller, Rothschild, Medici, Zhuge, Sejong, Salah, Shah Jahan, and so on. Suddenly I was not doing excellent; in fact, I was behind schedule. In fact, I realized entirely that the path I was on did not lead to where I was capable of going.”

Do you follow Seth Godin’s daily blog? He has many gems: http://sethgodin.typepad.com

Thanks for the inspiration and also welcome to strongtown!

Without goals and work we perish!! So dam much to
accomplish. So. Keep up your goals and reaching for
the stars

I have a sign on my office wall that says, “Nice Matters”. So silly that we have to post a sign to remind people.

Yes!

It is so nice sharing the new and wonderful experiences with the one you love!
Being complacent!! it is boring.

I like to travel and last year in may I really wanted to go see a friend. It was a good choice because it helped me get over some fences. While I was waiting I made the mistake to visit a few submarines and battle ships. It was interesting to see the living and working conditions but there was such a sad emotional taint tide to the place that it made me carry that feel with me for the rest of the day. As a form of remedy I went to visit an aquarium which was cool but way too loud for my liking and had strobing lights which combined with the noise really made me nauteous and almost instantaneously brought on a migrain headache. Before the final blow I got to pet some underwater creatures. I felt like a child as I reached elbow deep in the water. It was cool to touch and feel their texture but it instantly made me think about their discomfort and slavery to their place and function. Some experiences are just not worth my time and energy. On the other hand some experiences are worth every drop of blood and life only because they give meaning to the universe. We truly live in an amazing world where being connected and sharing a special bond is priceless.

Build a national landscape brand! I honestly believe it is my calling to change the landscape industry across the country. The green industry is made up of mostly landscapers that opened a business, as opposed to business owners that provide landscape services.

Good Morning Larry — and everyone… may it be an amazing Wednesday!

Not entirely. I’m saddled with a 12 week old yellow Labrador retriever and all the training that comes with him.

Was I lucky? I don’t know. But what I do know is that my heart would have started racing a lot harder in my chest if I was unexpectedly startled by the noise of the riders fast aproaching from behind. Besides, it was probably safer not to be in the way. There were many turns and opportunities to be trumpled by misstake. Riding is a skill I do not have that is why I am an occasional passenger or why I often choose fly my own dragon.

I’m going to tell my wife she is wrong. See you on the other side. Phil.

Hey, Larry! Ok, fine. I’ll delegate.

Your absolutely right! I know friends that skydive for exactly that reason!

A vision etched in your foundation which emits the particles of the warm blue fog surrounds the soul on every thanksgiving day and finds a crack into the heart transforming and purifying the blood. A vision born in the form of a prayer from the deepest part of your essence – the eternal soul. A vision that strengthens the bonds and transforms the universe into paradise. Every day is a gift from God the Goddess, the spirit of life which manifests itself through every particle, atom, living organism and element, action and thought. Give thanks and always protect the simplest things around you because they make the biggest difference in the future of our world and for the heart and soul. Thank you for warming many hearts and recalibrating my soul.

Thanks Larry . Your thoughts and words always help . David

Great reminder.