July 9, 2011

My fake plants died because I did not pretend to water them.” –Mitch Hedberg

You think, “He is so lying to me!  I know he doesn’t care if my new project is successful.  Does he truly think I’m to believe a two minute blurb during this meeting constitutes genuine support?”  Your being wants to act on that thought.  (Time to blow this Popsicle stand!)  Your instinct to survive the social arena kicks in. (Wait.  I can’t leave the meeting!)

Here is where your mind begins to develop options.  Do I stay or do I go now? (Me debo ir o quedarme?)  If you stay, you struggle to suppress the instinct of flight.  If you go, you defer to your base instinct; however, there may be a price you pay socially.

And it all stems from the original thought, “He is so lying to me!  He doesn’t care if my new project is successful.  Does he truly think I’m to believe a two minute blurb during this meeting constitutes genuine support?”  But what if he REALLY does think he is giving you genuine support?  If your original thought were, “I am grateful for the two minutes.  And I will make them the best two minutes of this two hour meeting!”  Which thought will produce positive energy for a successful project?  Which thought restricts?  Which thought creates?

Faking it takes a lot of effort.  My experience is faking it just burns you out and leads to a deadend .  Being gracious takes no effort and you don't have to worry about finding the fake agua to water the fake plants.  “It is our choices…” said Dumbledore.