Opus Day 7: Explore polycentricity

[Barque]

"Many people believe that they should be whole, meaning that their life and work should look like one piece. They have never questioned this word whole, or imagined it in a way that doesn’t pressure them to give their life a single focus. An alternative would be to appreciate a multifaceted work life, to give attention to the many interests that claim your attention.
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Often this pressure appears as a dilemma: “Should I quit my job as a nurse and become a psychologist? Which way should I go?” Maybe you should go both ways - and more. You will need a rich, flexible imagination guiding you toward a solution where you are not torn apart, where you at least give some of your energy to your various interests. People will judge you, of course, because the dominant value in society is unity and single-mindedness. But you don’t have to think that way. You can operate out of a personal philosophy of polycentricity - many centers of interest and attention.
**
A calling is a deep sense that your very being is implicated in what you do. You feel that you fit into the scheme of things when you do this particular work. You have a sense of purpose and completion in the work. It defines you and gives you an essential tranquility."

Today’s Work: Look for ways to maintain “many centers of interest and attention” in your life, and identify activities that give you a sense of tranquility.

Share your responses with Barque readers, by replying to this discussion.

[Ann]

Actually, I have not found polycentricity to be all that serene or tranquil. I have some very divergent areas of life that aren't just separate but somewhat in conflict. Trying to attend to various compelling, yet not very compatable "callings" is a struggle I've lived with since I was 18.

However, I'm not sure tranquility is my goal. It sounds boring. :)
Ann

[Dr. Robert Klass]

I agree with Ann that tranquility may not be the goal. I like being busy with those things about which I feel enthusiastic. There are times that I do feel tranquil, and I enjoy those times very much, but I think that enthusiasm is very-much-underrated. It seems to me that those tranquil experiences are kind of an interlude in which I re-charge and get involved with something else that interests me. In fact, one of the common threads that I have found with people who are happy and successful in life is that they are enthusiastic about what they do.

I'm also not sure that I agree with the statement "the dominant value in society is unity and single-mindedness." If anybody has insights about how this statement either is or is not true, I'd be interested in hearing about it. We are able to hold certain apparently-opposed viewpoints. For instance, we all know that everything that exists is composed of tiny, sub-atomic particles, and we also believe that the chair we are sitting on is solid. I don't recall ever meeting anybody who had a problem living with those two viewpoints. From what I can tell, being able to hold such viewpoints and to polycentric, enthusiastically-interested in more than one thing, is a sign of strength. Aloha, Bob

[Dr. Robert Klass]

Dear Julie, Thank you for your response. In life, all of us have to make decisions that may have implications for the rest of our lives. If the man who is the CEO decides to become an organic potato farmer, that's the right decision for him at the time. Whether it works out for him or not, is something that he has to live with. In my own life, I've been faced with decisions such as "Should I get a job that I wouldn't like very much?" or "Should I pursue my creative energies?" I have decided on the latter course, and how it all works out is still a work-in-progress.

As for finding balance, I get it that can be a challenge. In my case, I do the best I can to consider what I'm doing and the possible impact it will have on myself and others. I ask myself things like "Will this make my wife happy?" and "Will this make the world a better place?"
If I consider these things before acting, I find that my margin for screwing-up is much less and that I have a much greater probability of being true to myself, my wife and the rest of the world.