Not Fade Away: A Short Life Well Lived
A good friend of mine recently loaned me a book entitled "Not Fade Away: A Short Life Well Lived." The book was written by Peter Barton, one of the leading cable industry pioneers who helped establish such channels as The Discovery Channel and Black Entertainment Television, among others. The story was written by Barton (and co-authored by Laurence Shames) in the months leading up to Barton's death from terminal stomach cancer at age 51.
The subtitle of the book "A Short Life Well Lived," sums up Barton's life very well. Whatever he did, whether it was half-naked ski jumping on two mismatched skis, driving business colleagues crazy by always insisting that he be home in time for dinner every day so that he could spend time with his kids, or listening to rock n' roll music REALLY LOUD, Barton lived life to the fullest.
For those of us - myself included - who typcially wrestle with the second Life Question ("Did I become all that I could be?"), there are many lessons to be learned from this short book. Among them is the possibility that becoming all that one can is not about becoming the most "successful" business person (as defined by society's measure of money, power and prestige) but rather about whether one's life has been lived to its fullest. In that sense, Barton had, to his own satisfaction (which is the only measure that really matters) used his gifts and talents to live life to its fullest potential. He hadn't always known exactly where things would end up, but he applied himself with energy, passion and enthusiasm to whatever he was doing - whether that was having fun or building a business.
How many of us can say that we approach our lives - our jobs, our important relationships with children, family and friends, our sense of wonder - with energy, passion and enthusiasm? No wonder we often find ourselves adrift and our lives apparently without meaning.
Meaning in life is not something that suddenly is handed to us. It is revealed slowly, over time. But it is not a passive exercise. It requires our active, positive, enthusiastic participation. We can't sit back and let our life happen to us. Such an existence is destined to lead to frustration and disillusionment. We are challenged to create our own lives and it is in the act of creation that meaning is revealed. As Barton so accurately describes for us, life is meant to be lived vigorously, with enthusiasm, so that at the end of our lives we can truly say that we have been "used up." To Become All That You Can Be is not solely about your job or career. It's about maximizing your gifts and talents and living life to its fullest.
The subtitle of the book "A Short Life Well Lived," sums up Barton's life very well. Whatever he did, whether it was half-naked ski jumping on two mismatched skis, driving business colleagues crazy by always insisting that he be home in time for dinner every day so that he could spend time with his kids, or listening to rock n' roll music REALLY LOUD, Barton lived life to the fullest.
For those of us - myself included - who typcially wrestle with the second Life Question ("Did I become all that I could be?"), there are many lessons to be learned from this short book. Among them is the possibility that becoming all that one can is not about becoming the most "successful" business person (as defined by society's measure of money, power and prestige) but rather about whether one's life has been lived to its fullest. In that sense, Barton had, to his own satisfaction (which is the only measure that really matters) used his gifts and talents to live life to its fullest potential. He hadn't always known exactly where things would end up, but he applied himself with energy, passion and enthusiasm to whatever he was doing - whether that was having fun or building a business.
How many of us can say that we approach our lives - our jobs, our important relationships with children, family and friends, our sense of wonder - with energy, passion and enthusiasm? No wonder we often find ourselves adrift and our lives apparently without meaning.
Meaning in life is not something that suddenly is handed to us. It is revealed slowly, over time. But it is not a passive exercise. It requires our active, positive, enthusiastic participation. We can't sit back and let our life happen to us. Such an existence is destined to lead to frustration and disillusionment. We are challenged to create our own lives and it is in the act of creation that meaning is revealed. As Barton so accurately describes for us, life is meant to be lived vigorously, with enthusiasm, so that at the end of our lives we can truly say that we have been "used up." To Become All That You Can Be is not solely about your job or career. It's about maximizing your gifts and talents and living life to its fullest.
posted by Chris Kenny at
4:43 AM
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