On Karma and Mastery

Unlived Lives, Sovereign Self, Karma, Allies, Mastery

This week’s 5 Big Ideas draws inspiration from Taylor Swift.

I.

Unlived Lives

In their book Repacking Your Bags, authors Richard Leider and David Shapiro assert that the deepest human fear is “having lived a meaningless life.” If this holds true, then discovering your purpose in life and actualizing it is arguably the most important endeavor you can pursue.

A couple of years ago, driven by my own quest for meaning, I read countless books on philosophy, self-improvement, and the like. One idea that surfaced from this exercise is that some people inherit a similar calling to their parents or grandparents. However, like most people, many of our relatives fail to realize their potential. Perhaps that’s why Carl Jung proposed that there is no greater psychological or environmental burden on a child than the unlived life of a parent.

This leads me to my first idea about Taylor Swift. Did you know that Swift’s grandmother, Marjorie Finlay, was a well-known opera singer in the 1950s and 60s? Taylor frequently cites her grandma as her primary inspiration to pursue music from a young age. What sets Finlay apart from numerous other grandparents, though, is that she achieved something meaningful and complex—one could say she “lived out her calling.” She performed opera throughout South America, released an album in Mexico, and even hosted El Show Pan-Americano. (Her Spanish was reportedly bad enough to make her a comedic TV host.)

If you’re in search of a deeper understanding of your life’s purpose, consider exploring the unlived lives of your parents and grandparents. What were their dreams and aspirations? What would they have pursued if their thinking wasn’t hindered by trying to please others or make ends meet? If your family members are no longer around to ask these questions, seek out the people who were close to them. Ask them about the visions your ancestors frequently discussed but never actually pursued. What passions consumed them? What were they best equipped to do?

In her song, marjorie, Taylor Swift wrote,

I should’ve asked you questions;

I should’ve asked you how to be;

Asked you to write it down for me;

Should’ve kept every grocery store receipt;

‘Cause every scrap of you would be taken from me.

Our family members won’t be here forever. Some are already gone. If you haven’t taken the opportunity to ask your loved ones who they were designed to be, maybe now is the time. Additionally, if you’re a parent who hasn’t been leading a life of meaning and intention, perhaps you can set a better example for your kids by starting now.

Marjorie Finlay and granddaughter, Taylor Swift

II.

Sovereign Self

You’re on your own, kid

You always have been

Taylor Swift

We often censor our thoughts and actions because we fear how others will perceive us. We worry that if we show people who we really are, they’ll think we are weird or abandon us. So, to avoid the pain of rejection, we suppress our big ideas and abilities.

Yet, our friends could not care less about what we think or do. They’re too preoccupied with their own insecurities and biases to spare much thought for us. Once we grasp this truth—that other people don’t care—we free ourselves up to be who we really are. We’ve been using other people as an excuse for not living out our lives when, in reality, the only person standing in our way is ourselves.

III.   

Karma

Karma’s a relaxing thought

Taylor Swift

At its most basic level, Karma can be thought of as the Law of Cause and Effect. In the Newtonian sense, it’s the third law of motion: “For every action, there’s an equal and opposite reaction.” In Jesus speak, it’s “as you sow, so then shall you reap.” While in the timeless wisdom of mothers everywhere, it’s “what goes around comes back around.” 

We all know what Karma is, but do we believe it? If we are told that Karma determines every aspect of our lives, then we are likely to be skeptical of it or reject it—and for good reason. After all, natural disasters that wreak havoc indiscriminately are generated by nature and not by bad Karma. While Karma doesn’t dictate every event that occurs, it still has a profound influence on our lives.

Consider this simple example of cause and effect: When you are generous towards others, you’ll find that people generally respond with friendliness. Conversely, if you frequently express jealousy, you’ll find that other people tend to avoid you. Every action yields an effect. If you work hard and treat others well, you should expect to generally receive good outcomes. 

But Karma doesn’t just apply to physical actions—emotions and thoughts are likely governed by it, too. Wholesome mind states that foster openness tend to attract positivity, while closed minds that dwell on past regrets typically produce negativity. Effectively, we receive what we put out in the world. Whether you call it Karma or just “the way things work,” you can’t deny that the way we show up in the world significantly influences what we will get out of it. 

IV.   

Allies

Inspired by The Archer by Taylor Swift

In his book The Archer, Paulo Coehlo writes:

The archer allows many arrows to go far beyond the target, because he knows that he will learn the importance of the bow, posture, string, and target only by repeating his gestures thousands of times and by not being afraid of making mistakes.

And his true allies will never criticize him, because they know that practice is necessary, that it is the only way in which he can perfect his instinct, his hammer blow.

Note to Self: Don’t fear putting yourself out there. Don’t fear giving this life your best shot. Don’t fear losing those who don’t deserve you.

Your true friends—your supporters—will admire the courage it takes to try again (and again and again). They’ll understand that growth is an ongoing journey, and they’ll stand beside you through all the trials and tribulations. And if you don’t at least attempt to show the world what you’re made of, your real allies may never find you.

V.   

Mastery

I laid the groundwork, and then

Just like clockwork

The dominoes cascaded in a line

What if I told you I’m a mastermind?

Taylor Swift

In truth, all people—you, me, Taylor Swift—are equal. The only thing that sets us apart is our level of mastery. When we encounter a masterpiece, we’ll try to convince ourselves that its creator must have been born exceptional or gifted. Otherwise, there would be room for the idea that mastery is possible for us, too. Most people never reach their full potential (i.e., they never achieve mastery) because they’re unwilling to invest the necessary time, effort, and dedication. And our reluctance to devote ourselves to our life’s work only reinforces the belief that mastery is some elusive and unattainable thing.

But what’s often unseen behind the success of masters is the thousands of hours they spend honing their craft. Emerson, Kobe, Pelé, Mozart, Einstein, Darwin, Frida Kahlo, Octavia Butler, Steven Spielberg, Serena Williams, Alan Turing—every one of these masters dedicated their entire lives to their obsession, eventually achieving some degree of mastery. Taylor Swift has been writing music since childhood. Over the past two decades, she’s written over 200 songs, produced 11 studio albums, and re-recorded four of them. She doesn’t really have a life outside of music; music is her life. All masters make their vocation their life.

When asked how long it takes to produce his newsletter each week, Rob Henderson wrote,

In terms of actual, physical, writing, re-writing, and editing, maybe 8 hours a week. But I spend the majority of my waking hours—maybe 50-60 hours a week—reading, thinking, note-taking, brainstorming, speaking with other writers, academics, journalists, and so on. All of that goes into my writing. When I’m in the shower mulling over a recent psychology paper or having a coffee chat with a professor or reading my Kindle app on the train or jotting notes on my phone when I’m out for a walk, does that count as “working on my Substack?”

That’s exactly how this “writing thing” works for me. I’m obsessed with distilling big ideas through my writing and most of my waking moments are spent pondering what I’ll write about next. I carry a small notebook with me wherever I go, I jot down shower thoughts on my waterproof notepad (can’t let good ideas go down the drain...), I send myself reminder emails and texts throughout the day, my desk is covered with little orange Post-its, and my iPhone’s notes contain more ideas than I’ll ever be able to publish.

Each of us has something we could obsess over and never tire of. This thing—your calling—is the thing that you have the capability (i.e., a potential skill) to master. But you must first transform your capability into an ability (i.e., an actual skill). This requires investing countless hours towards refining your craft without financial gain, recognition, or emotional support. You must be willing to do it for the sake of doing it and improving at it. Mastery requires a solid foundation. Groundwork. Only then can the dominos cascade.

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