MUST I?

Isn't it great to keep in touch with people?
Most of all, isn't it awesome just having a mentor, someone who has been there-done that, learned it all, to guide you? I recently downloaded an audio version of Letters to a Young Poet by Rainer Maria Rilke (Listen To Genius ). First of all, the author is not a woman but a man. He is of Bohemian-Austrian origin and is known for having written great poems and keeping to himself.When I started listening to the audio version of the book, everything was on hold. My room-mate could not talk to me and for once she realized that when it comes to Rainer, I cannot multitask!
So, have you ever asked yourself if you have a talent or that one spark that makes you different and special? If you haven't well-I think you just did upon reading the previous line. When you are looking for your talents look for:

• what you enjoy doing
• what you enjoy thinking about
• what you enjoy learning about
• what you enjoy as a process

In one of his letters to the poet he tells him to stop seeking everybody's opinions and look inside to discover his own voice.Like the poet, most of us are keen on seeking approval and as such we are walking 'zombies' who know very little about themselves and how much they can accomplish. I happened to ask a lady who has her own company, what her greatest investment is-and to my surprise she said "my workers."
I smiled and asked her, what she knew about her "workers" and her response was that they were loyal and hardworking. I asked another business leader, who happens to be in my Google+ circles (Sir Richard Branson), and I am glad he responded because my question was number 1478. He simply said "my colleagues." So, what is it about our work ethics and organization structure that leads to people not doing their best or simply being their best? It's the term "workers" "employees" "civil servants" and the list is endless. For documentation purposes these terms are very efficient, but for mental and achievement purposes they enslave. I still insist that the greatest gift human beings have is their mind. It is also ironical and depressing that in our lifetime most of us only use 5% of their mind. If you go to work knowing you are an employee, worker or servant-thinking that you are answerable to someone, this limits your productivity. It also makes you hate going to work because you know that every single hour you are accountable to someone. If you, on the other hand, go to work with the notion that you are only an employee on paper, but you can learn a new skill to make you better, you are on your way to liberation. Rainer told the poet, to ask himself the question "Must I?" when it comes to talent. For all writers the question remains, "Must I write?" and if the answer that comes, is definite, loud and clear as a crystal that "YES" then so you must and as such the journey begins toward self discovery."
My take for today is simply take a pen and paper, and write at least five lines that describe or show in essence who you are.