ZenBest - The Way of the Mountain

I would like to introduce you to a new personal project that I have just begun. Being ever in love wth catchy titles, I have dubbed it ZenBest and it goes like this:

• I have been feeling like it is time for me to step up to the plate and stretch myself again in terms of personal development.
  
• I have just finished reading "Zen in the Art of Mountain Climbing" by Neville Shulman, a very simple, modest book about how the man just decided to climb a bloody great mountain one day and despite the odds stacked against him, did so by using the mental strength that comes of Zen philosophy and practice.
• We all have mountains to climb every day. I am currently standing a short distance the way up Career Mountain. It is very much my obsession to make it to the summit of this mountain. I have attempted several hundred times to make it to the top - but have thus far abandoned all of my attempts.
• I believe it is my pre-destined mission in life to climb this mountain. There are other mountains that I will need to climb also but these are in fact part of the same mountain. Sounds a bit out-there I know, but what I mean is (for example) if I am to climb Career Mountain I will also need to climb Health Mountain as there is no career without my health.
• Maybe I am just an egotist, but I have no desire to follow somebody ele's pre-determined program for success. I am not so full of myself that I don't read the collective wisdoms of those who have climbed before me and take it all into account, nor do I have any desire to re-invent the wheel, but I believe we all have our own personal mountains to climb, and that these are all different. Therefore they cannot be scaled by just following somebody else's guidebook. We each must write our own.
• So now I begin ZenBest.
• ZenBest for me is a way followed by asking myself at any given moment - at moments of decision making - "is this the ZenBest thing for me to do?"
  
• This is different from asking "Is this the BEST thing?"
• The BEST thing to do might be complicated. Complicated is not my way.
• The ZenBest Way is defined by these two words: Simplicity. Productivity.

I have written enough for today, but this will be the continuing theme of my blogging from now. I began my own personal ZenBest program on Sunday October the 1st 2006 with two simple decisions. The first was to set up a pty ltd company and get serious about my career. The second was to abstain from drinking until Christmas Eve 2006. Two simple decisions that I believe will make all the difference ... but ONLY if carried through. Making decisions is easy, acting on them can be difficult. Anyone can decide to climb a mountain, it takes great resolve to actually do it.

I have posted further about this subject at my other blog MooseMusic.

ATTENTION Melbourne Crew: I am playing a gig tonight at The Wesley Ann on High St Northcotte at about 9pm with Tully and Hilda. Come along!

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