Comments on: Going to Extremes

By: Terry Okono

Terry Okono — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:21:22 +0000

I haven’t see the movie but i think its a great movie from all what has been said. I’ve been trying for a while to “get out” of my “comfort zone” and your post has added much energy to my ‘urge’. I sure need to see the movie as only then can I comment reasonably.

By: Nathalie Arsenault

Nathalie Arsenault — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:01:19 +0000

I agree with most of what was said, except for this statement: ‘Balanced people don’t usually change the world’. If Gandhi wasn’t balanced in mind, body and soul, do you think he could have achieved all the great changes he has?

You must be balanced within yourself before changing anyone else or anything else. Work on the foundation before building a home. Balanced doesn’t mean ‘boring’, it just means that you understand yourself fully and you follow your own true feelings. When you understand this, you can change the world, for the better that is.

By: Kaitlin M

Kaitlin M — Sun, 30 Aug 2009 00:09:27 +0000

[That thing you’re working on today – will it matter one year from now? If so, great. Keep doing that. If not, why are you doing it?]

That final thought was very powerful, I think if we all just stopped for a moment everyday and asked ourselves, is what I am doing right now, helping me get to where I want to end up? We would be better off.
So instead of getting to the end of the year and thinking what have I done with all this time, we would know and the question wouldn’t even enter our head.
Thanks for the great article.

By: Trackback from My Cultivated Life

Trackback from My Cultivated Life — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 12:25:00 +0000

[...] and maybe it’s just an illusion. Maybe we shouldn’t even strive for it since “[b]alanced people don’t usually change the world“? There are only so many hours in a day, days in a month, months in a year, and we each [...]

By: monica

monica — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 16:11:45 +0000

I loved that movie. It was sort of a wake-up call for me..I’m trying to be more open-minded and say yes to more opportunities!

By: Cara

Cara — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 19:29:10 +0000

Excellent post Chris, though I have to say that I disagree with you on one thing, though I suspect that it is a definitional problem more than anything.

I will join with the contrarians that being well-rounded is not the same as being boring, nor is it the same thing as dipping your toe in each little part of the pool, but never diving in anywhere. In other words, I being truly well-rounded isn’t what your high school guidance counselor thought it was.

Being well rounded and balanced is about being curious about the world and taking off the blinders that keep us focused on our own lives and careers. It doesn’t mean that you don’t dive in to your work or hobbies with a passion, but that you engage with the universe with enthusiasm, gratitude, and wonder to find out more beyond yourself and your norms.

Of course, my entire blog is devoted to being well-rounded, so I have an interest. Thanks for what you do and for sharing it with us.

By: Joe_mx

Joe_mx — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 23:22:00 +0000

I totally agree with you about this movie. YES MAN, well a formula, but for people like us, who strive for something bigger, better, beautiful, a great story of life, the message is so clear, because we are open to them, to the learning experience of every person, movie, song, mistake, what ever.

I so refreshing from time to time to come here and read you, and all the people that follow you. It makes me remember my commiment to my life, to my goals.. to “why not see it all, do it all, we are here until we get to go”…

thanks again Chris for your thoughts, time and enthusiasm to life

By: Nichole Moses

Nichole Moses — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 15:09:46 +0000

I had the exact same feelings when I saw the movie. How many people realize that they can literally change their lives by doing things out of the ordinary once in a while, or breaking away from their comfort zone. If you want to make a change in your life, you must do something different.

By: Elaine

Elaine — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 21:06:19 +0000

Just last week my partner Ted asked if I wanted to watch the “Yes Man” DVD with him.

I said No.

Now you’ve got me thinking…

By: Amy

Amy — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 17:44:26 +0000

Maybe the reason you list is why I don’t really like watching movies. I just feel it’s a waste of time. I like the really good movies – I could watch Amélie a million times over. But the bulk of it is just a way to waste your time. One of my friend doesn’t get that – she absolutely doesn’t understand why I could not like watching movies.

And to answer your question at the end: my personal project is that I’m organising and uncluttering my place, and trying to save up more and more money every month – I want to go to China next year, and I just want to get rid of all the useless stuff now, so that storing my useful stuff & packing will be much easier in a year from now & a decent amount of money in your pocket (figuratively speaking) wouldn’t hurt.