PLOTINUS’ ADVICE TO THE YOUNG PROFESSIONAL:
PROFESSIONAL LIFE IS A WORK OF ART.
Human sculpture is the art of proportion. So is the professional life.
Plotinus explains:
"you should always be carving your statue."
He meant that you should never stop growing, developing, maturing, and working towards a virtuous life.
This is even more true for the young professional who wants to cultivate an exemplary life for their professional practice and community.
If I could offer advice to young career professionals, the goal of carving your statue is not perfection, but beauty.
The word beautiful comes from the Greek, καλός (ka-los), which means good, noble, or fine. And yet, it transcends all these things into the realm of virtue. It is an uncommonly well-done or notable thing.
A beautiful (καλός), well-curated life is the goal. This is the goal of all ancient philosophy; to find the best possible life. For me, this is the goal of the professional as well.
So strive for beautiful balance, and it will look closer to perfection along the way.
So if carving a beautiful statue of life is the goal. How do you do it?
What makes a professional life beautiful?
Proportion.
A LIFE IN PROPORTION.
Proportion is what makes sculpture beautiful.
Michelangelo’s David is one of the most beautiful statues, because its marble has limbs in near-perfect proportion. It is certainly καλός.
David shows us beauty through proportion:
The head, the arm, the other arm, the leg, the other leg-- all must receive equal attention and eloquence by the artist.
But even more than that, they all need to match.
If one limb is too big or another too small, it ruins the witness of the work of art.
Or to say it positively, a masterpiece is perfect in proportion.
And so should a young professional be. (thanks Yoda :D).
I don’t know about you, but I want to be a BETTER statue (exemplary professional) for clients every year I am in the business of serving them.
And so I have to keep carving the statue of my life with great intent and consistency by asking hard questions and staring the answers in the face.
Am I healthy? Am I tired? Am I still passionate? Am I coasting?
Am I still growing in my discipline? Or have I plateaued?
Am I a better example of a coach and consultant than I was five years ago?
Or am I actually a cruder statue than I could be?
A HEALTHY LIFE HAS THESE FOUR LIMBS IN PROPORTION.
Here’s what I have learned from my own life, seasons of growth, and especially failures:
A professional who wants to carve a beautiful statue of life has to have LIMBS in proportion.
The limbs of a masterpiece professional life, are:
are
a strong-mindset, (resilience)
emotional intelligence, (because professional life is a roller coaster)
relational health, (quality of life equals quality of relationships)
and
physical prowess (in a fight between biology and mindset, biology always wins).
Neglect one of these limbs so it is too small and the statue starts to look less masterpiece. And your heart starts to lose courage and excitement.
Ignore one of these, that the statue starts to look incomplete. Or like we dug it up after a couple thousand years and wish so badly we had the other leg!
Go long on just being strong-minded and full of resolve--
with no awareness of emotional or relational health,
and sit day after day without exercise...
and you will look like a poor statue
(And be a really, really tired professional).
THE TRAP OF THE PROFESSIONAL LIFE IS THE NEGLECT OF ONE OR MORE LIMBS.
Except that's what a whole lot of professionals do.
They deem themselves a doctor or lawyer or engineer or businessman or consultant,
and focus everything on professional development...
to the great neglect of their limbs.
Strong-mindset.
Emotional intelligence.
Relational health.
Physical prowess.
These are the limbs of a magnificent, uncommon statue and life.
We must master them and master them in balance.
A STATUE OF EXEMPLARY HEALTH.
Here's the best part-- it's not something to worry about or feel overwhelmed by...
Carving your statue is something you get to do!
And the more you carve your life in these areas in proportion,
the better life gets and the more you really do become
a professional work of art.
Remember, you are what you repeatedly do.
Mark Shaffer
Philosopher Kings
. . .
At Philosopher Kings, we want as many professionals as possible to love their work and love their lives.
Here are a few ways to grow with us for free:
Philosopher Kings Facebook Group, a community of high performers going pro at being human!
Listen to the Podcast, where we break down the basic principles of what makes a Philosopher King.
And here are some ways to go farther faster in virtue and practice:
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