Thursday Thought - 3/31/2016

Identify Your Identity

In college, I studied Communication where we discussed the idea of possessing an identity. Identity is a sort of fluid thing. It is who you are in natural essence and it is who you through social construct. 

There are many things that shape your identity, a few primary examples are:

• School / Work
• Family
• Friends
• Yourself

Now take a minute and imagine if you had to think of ten to twelve words to describe who you are. What words immediately come to mind? What things do you imagine people use to describe you? By doing this, you probably named off a number of things that are developed through social construct and have probably been assigned to you. For instance, being tall is relative to the average, or even being successful is defined through society's idea of success. 

Identify who you are. Are you outgoing or shy? Do you think creatively or logically? Describe and Define yourself. This does not need to be a rigid definition, as I said it is fluid and changes through situations. 

Once you have an idea of who you are and where you stand now, then you can begin to develop you plan as to where you will go and formulate who you will be. 

How do I identify myself? I perceive myself as being strong of character and physical abilities, having a strong desire for success and happiness, tall in stature and ambitions, stout in body and mind, and destined for something beyond my mortal comprehension. 

How do you identify yourself? Let me know...

Wednesday Word - 3/30/2016

Masculine

Man Series, Part 1

Merriam-Webster: Having qualities appropriate to or usually associated with a man; especially strength and aggressiveness.

Quintessential Voyage: Embodying the characteristics of strength, lack of emotion, strength, independence, and self-confidence

Disclaimer: This is not saying Femininity lacks any of the above characteristics, just what masculinity is. 

Being Masculine is something that men are expected to be, being feminine is what they are not allowed to be as men. That's a little rough in this day and age with so many men being welcomed to be emotional, weak, and subdued. There is something to be said about men who can allow themselves to be exposed in some situations. 

A man who is masculine (in my opinion) possesses courage and bravery, strong character, physically able, mentally developed, holds pride in himself, and has the ability to stand out in a crowd or a stand alone. 

Next week we will look at a word that negatively bars against manly, physically strength. 

Tuesday Take - 3/29/2016

Look up to your goals and dreams, 

Turn your eyes to the prize, 

If their words try to lower your spirits, 

Your nose will be turned up at them, 

For you are determined to live up high. 

Up High - By Cole Cook

You do not have look down upon the people that try to bring you down and humble your goals. You should turn your nose up at them, not to disrespect them, but because you must do so to see and realize your true dreams. 

It is not easy to set your eyes high for a goal or a dream and to always keep it in focus without losing track. 

Work to remain set on that goal. One step forward is one step closer to achieving it. 

Monday Mountain - 3/28/2016

Aesthetics of Work Ethic

Life is balance. When it comes to working, there are generally two philosophies that exist: the check-box mentality and the detail-oriented mentality. This of course discounts procrastination and other various forms that may lack the ability to actually complete the required tasks. You need to ave a drive in order to get the job done, otherwise you may as well be replaced. 

When I refer to aesthetics here it means relating to art or beauty. When you apply yourself to word hard and do a good job for reasons beyond "you have to." There is a real beauty in this day and age when someone goes above and beyond to apply themselves. 

As young adults this day will do what is required, sadly they have been conditioned to require reward upon doing what is required. The true reward lies in going above and beyond. 

Expecting a reward for doing what is required is like climbing Mount Everest and expecting publicity and a movie deal at the top. It's idiotic. You did climb it, but you must also complete the job with the same effort you began it with. There is beauty in completed projects and tasks. 

An old boss once told me: In school if you do everything that is required, then you will receive an A. In your career, if you do what is required, then you will receive a C. Going above and beyond acknowledges your desire for a better situation and that you know what it takes to do a great job. 

Another instance of just getting it done is like when I perform my weight training routine. If I just do the reps without correct form or the proper weight, even though I did complete the workout, I did not receive all that I could have from it because I lacked attention to detail and true effort from beginning to end. 

Do not simply check the boxes. Begin to seek out ways to do your job better. Imagine how wonderfully it will received completed and metaphorically wrapped up in a bow. Apply yourself to be engaged and involved in everything that you do. There is admiration and recognition awarded to those who artistically craft their projects with effort and attention and creativity.

Thursday Thought - 3/24/2016

Drawing Up Your Story Line

People and Points of Perspective, Part 3

Read Part 1

Read Part 2

You have a story. It is not written like a book, where the point that ignites the tale is an abridged coverage of what happens. It has a set start and a conclusive end, this bookends the story of what happens. Your birth to your death, your story is complete. It is also completely up to you on how your story goes. 

As an adult, you make decisions on your life and what happens and how you react to them. There are somethings in your life that you lack control over, that is quite alright because you have control over how you react to them. For example, you can become angry and bitter causing you to want to seek revenge, but then that turns you from a character we would hope for to one that we would root against. If you take it with a grain of salt and seek a better opportunity, then you can in turn become the once-discredited hero who rises to the occasion. 

They say that life is X% what happens to you and XX% how you react to it. That's how your story and its plot twists come into play.

I challenge you to think your plot line through. How will each decision and reaction shape the opinion other characters hold of you? How can it help or hurt you in achieving your desired end?

I want to be considered the hero, that character who saves the day, embodies values and virtues, and who also is the living ideals of manhood. Cheesy or not, you have to deal with it because that's my ambition and how I work on my story. I want to be more intelligent than the simple brute, better physically-abled than the feeble nerd, deeper than the modern socialite, and I also desire to be enlightened with a touch of the blind eye.

What story do you see yourself writing? What character do you play? How are you portrayed in your own story and by others?

Wednesday Word - Artist - 3/23/2016

Artist

Merriam-Webster: a person who produces paintings/drawings as a profession or hobby; a person skilled at a particular task or occupation

Quintessential Voyage: a person who invests their soul and energy into a piece of work and into the world around them in order to help produce something magical and wonderful. 

This was a bit cheesy writing this, it must be written. 

I believe that we can all be an artist without a paintbrush or a charcoal pencil. You can express yourself in your job or in your words or however you may like. Your expressive self can become an outlet to exhibit your abilities. 

Invest a part of your soul in order to create something that is vibrant with energy and love. 

Become an artist. It will add beauty to the world. 

The world can never be too beautiful. 

Tuesday Take - 3/22/2016

Yeah. Honestly, I'm tired of being tired.
I just want that feeling back.
I just want to be inspired. 

- Skizzy Mars - 

This rap lyric is representative of this point in my life currently. I'm tired of the stagnation of the process. I'm going to be brutally honest, there's been a standstill of the process. Hence the post yesterday about consistent development and growth. 

Sometimes you feel something missing, and in this case what is missing isn't necessarily what I had, but it's what you need to have. 

My plan to remedy the slowly dying fire of passion is to ignite it through a change of scene and change of pace. 

Don't get tired. Become wired and inspired. Let your success become a fire, a raging inferno of passion and growth. 

Monday Mountain - 3/21/2016

Better Yourself, Better the World

Take some time to evaluate how you improve yourself each and every day. This is something that I've preached before, and I'm going to say it again, because it's that important!

Each step, each day you move towards a destination. Imagine it's like every decision and action moves you towards a good or a bad place, you can either build yourself a mountain or dig into a hole.

Almost all of us would prefer to fly rather than sink. It's a hope of the human spirit to rise above our shit and shine with the sun.

I challenge you to determine the process in which you improve yourself on the three following states:

• Physical 
• Emotional/Personal
• Social/Interpersonal

These three aspects complete you life. Your physical presence in this world. Your representation of your soul to your heart and mind. Your personality and impression on the world around you. 

Eat a better lunch that what you had the day before. 

Take some time to pinpoint and evaluate an issue you've been bugged by lately.

Go out there and make a difference on somebody else's day.

Each of those things listed above can impact the world in better way through making yourself better each day and in different ways. Strive for a better self, the world will strive with you. 

Thursday Thought - 3/17/2016

Drawing Up Your Story Line

People and Points of Perspective, Part 2

You can be a character. How you are perceived is relative to how you interact with the other pieces in your life story. What character you can be is entirely up to you. A character produces a voice within a story and it changes based on the perspective of the storyteller.

We often love to hear the stories of the underdog, the person who against what seemed like insurmountable odds, that succeeds in a series of events. There is also the beloved good guy, the one who does everything under the guidance of their moral compass. These characters in the stories possess what you may call a positive influence on a story line.

What about negative influences on the story line? A critic who loudly proclaims the errors of the beloved. A counterpart who may be striving for the same goal as a heralded character, but in this instance they are pursuant for a less than good reason (perhaps selfish). What's even more obviously devious is the character who actively fights to keep someone from winning something for no good reason.

As the sports world continues, there are stories and voices and characters abound. Lebron James has fans and support, but since his move to Miami and back, he has been seen in varying lights. Sometimes good and sometimes bad. Just one of many examples that could be provided for characters who fluidly float between protagonist and antagonist.

Next week I will write about how you should view your story and what character you are (and what you can be). There is a lot of be said about your story and how you write it.  

Wednesday Word - 3/16/2016

Energy

Merriam-Webster - Ability to be active; physical or mental strength that allows you to do things

Quintessential Voyage - something beyond calories or joules, but rather the charisma, effort, outlook, vision, and so much more that factor into you and your daily efforts towards a better you. 

Tuesday Take - 3/15/2016

"When you are looking at a mountain, marveling at its beauty and strength, realize looking right back at you and admiring you...

Embrace your greatness!"

- Dodinsky-

Garden of Thoughts

Even though a natural wonder stands impressive over you in the modern moment... That monument had invested days, weeks, months, years in itself to make itself stand at its current height. 

You are a human wonder. Your biological and conscious and subconscious processes have been in the works for years and hours and days and every single second. 

Admire away at that mountain standing hundreds of feet high. 

Be sure to admire yourself as you stand amidst hundreds of opportunities and unlimited potential.

You can exist and be something mediocre, or you can dream and dare to become something wondrous. 

Monday Mountain - 3/14/2016

Energetic Empowerment

So take a journey with me, where nobody did anything for yourself. We all lived life like a quarter-mile track competition, we each stayed in our lane and did nothing for or against anyone else around us. That's very competitive, however, it is also not very entertaining and physically draining. 

Now let's take a look at something very different: a team sport. I think my favorite is baseball, now it's still not very exciting, but the sport itself requires great effort between individuals to work towards an offensive or defensive goals. To prevent the opponent from scoring you must pitch excellently, field the ball well, throw accurately, and play your part in the whole scheme. To create scoring opportunity you must hit productively, run intelligently, read the defense, and get the ball into strategic areas.

What does this have to do with empowerment? 

Everything.

You can empower and enable someone else and still do your part of the team. There are two different types of players that get hte MVP award (1) is the guy who does everything on their own and is a true team of one (2) is the person who plays their position so well that they make everyone else on their team immensely better. So which one of these MVP winners receives the Championship ring? The answer is the one where the whole is better than the sum of its parts. 

I'm telling you to energetically put into the team's efforts and don't be afraid to help someone else improve their game. Through positive input into team, whether you're the coach, the MVP, the rookie, or whoever, you can achieve great victories on a regular basis and that eventually adds up to holding that two foot tall trophy. When you win the Stanley Cup in Hockey, everyone gets a chance to skate around the rink with that huge metal cup above your head. I would want to be on that team. Where we all get acknowledged for our part of the win, and no one is taken for granted for the process. 

Do your best to be the MVP for the team, the team where you're all greater together than apart. 

Friday Freestyle - 3/11/2016

Appreciation of Destination

Do you believe in destiny?

I do, maybe that's just me. 

Imagine where you think you're meant to be. 

It's not your choice necessarily. 

What is a destiny then?

It's a place you choose 

Where your work places you

Only you can see it, no other can

It's a path you go down

You choose if it's a crown

The cards may have it in for you 

How you'll get there is up to you 

It can be some place great 

Or somewhere wicked

The timing is always late

And the landing, well you better stick it 

What I'm trying to say is that where you want to be is not arrived at by purely by luck or happenstance, it's done through hard work and dedication. A destiny in my mind is man crafted and it's not something determined through divine intervention, God may enable you but you were given free will. 

Those gifts and abilities given to you, it's your choice whether you see them through. So whatever mountain you stand upon, be sure to put in the effort for that climb. Once you reach that summit, it'll be a long time coming and it'll feel like you were planted there since birth. 

Morning Motivation - 3/11/2016

Thursday Thought - 3/10/2016

Drawing Up Your Story Line

People and Points of Perspective, Part 1

March Madness approaches and with those college basketball teams who are experiencing substantial success there is almost guaranteed to be voices that speak loudly. What do these voices say? Each voice projects a different message and a different viewpoint. 

Let's walk through a scenario to see what different voices there are based on perspective.

1. The Admirer - There is a voice telling the story of the underdog, an individual who has built themselves to get where they are. They will praise and promote this person because of what the heartwarming that is available.
2. The Skeptic - This person tries to strip a person of whatever laurels or success they have been awarded, whether it's based on merit or a matter of inheritance. Discounting of that person could or could not hold down their achievements or blemish their title. 
3. The Wizard -  If you're familiar with the story of the Sword in the Stone, this would be the Merlin type character who enables the hero and believes in him for all that he can do, and will do. 
4. The Evil Rival -  A person who competes against another for selfish purposes through nefarious processes. This is mutually exclusive to any other character once you begin to strive to achieve through dark deeds.
5. The Hero -  Imagine a person that the general public simply adore, a person who we want to win because of their golden heart, positive ambitions, and honest work ethic. They may not be in shining armor, but dressed in armor for the just cause nonetheless.

This list is incomplete, there are other than these five that come to mind, there should be more archetypes to add with plenty good reason. What other characters could be added to the list? Come up with a short description and name for each one. 

Next Thursday will talk about how some of these characters interact based on the story lines of modern life and pop culture. 

Update & Status - 3/10/2016

State of the Blog

Where Quintessential Voyage is and Where it is going

Quintessential Voyage is now on Facebook & Twitter!

Follow both pages for motivational pictures on those channels. Each day's posts will be pushed on those channels as well. 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/QuintessentialVoyage/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/QuintessVoyage

Doing this we will begin to transition away Morning Motivation as a posting on the blog, but we will push those motivational images through the Social Media channels. The postings will have a relevant image to help deliver the message. 

This blog has been in the works for about five months now. Started in October 2015. 

Our postings are now as follows:

• Monday Mountain: An inspirational writing based on experience or lessons learned, created to help you with that weekly climb.

• Tuesday Take: A look at a quote from literature, speech, or any other source to pull out meaning beyond its face value.

• Wednesday Word: Pulls the dictionary definition and then I create a definition based on connotation and application to life.

• Thursday Thought: Editorial written based on modern life and cultural perspectives, this will be uncensored and is open for discussion.

• Friday Freestyle: Poetry, short stories, guest articles, whatever comes that does not fit into the other topics will be published here. A grab bag!

Morning Motivation - 3/10/2016

Wednesday Word - Commitment - 3/9/2016

Commitment

Merriam-Webster: something pledged; the state or an instance of being obligated or emotionally impelled

Quintessential Voyage: pledging to someone or something where you begin to invest time, energy, and emotions. An obligation to a specific person or thing in hopes that your investment will return a profit of happiness and positive outcomes.

We fear commitment. There are so many options available to us in each decision we make. We need to decide what we want to eat, what we want to watch on Netflix, what we want to do with our weekend, and so on. We are afraid to commit to one thing, once we do the option to retract is not always on the table. 

I am terrified of commitment. Specifically, I am terrified of romantic commitment. It's rare I find someone who I find interesting and attractive and worth my time. The process is usually good for a month or two, then I begin to freak out. I usually regret it after, and by the time the regret and loneliness set in, it may be too late to reach back out and admit my fault. 

Take on commitment. Don't be reluctant to invest into something or someone beyond yourself. It goes back into an equation where once they pass the preliminary requirements then you can almost surely invest into them and vice versa.

Morning Motivation - 3/9/2016

Tuesday Take - 3/8/2015

"When you own your imperfections and you embrace your life, you become a better person."

- Dodinsky "In the Garden of Thoughts" - 

Take a minute and look at the things you have wanted to improve, fix, or heal. Now if you can't think of anything, that's good!

If a feature or attribute or feeling does come to mind, how would you go about remedying that issue?

I'll give you the answer, you embrace it and take ownership of it. Don't let it take ownership of you. Those specific blemishes are what give you character, color, and depth. Imagine how boring you would be without it. 

I'm not perfect, oh believe me I know that, however, I have been able to embrace and own my flaws in my personality and damages in my heart. Through this process the beauty of who I am, because of the developments and growth and pain of life experiences, is welcomed into my own heart first. 

Loving oneself allows it be easier for others to love you as well. 

Morning Motivation - 3/8/2016

Monday Mountain - 3/7/2016

Hard Shell, Soft Spirit

It's a fact of life that it's hard. It comes wielding objects with the ability to pierce or to bludgeon us. It can be very painful to live life with an open heart and willingness to let people in to your inner circles.

I used to be very open and would allow nearly anyone in. Not everyone is going to be nice, polite, or considerate to you or who you are. 

I learned to refuse to let people in, but that does not work if you want to be human.

I tried to let people in if they proved themselves sort of friendly, that was too generous.

What you need is a balance of a hard exterior and a soft interior. This may not be motivational, but it needs to be said. You can go through life without letting anyone in and it will only lead to unhappiness and loneliness. You can go through life while letting anyone in and it will only lead to pain and suffering by the select few who hurt you.

Find those people who you can let in, it may only be one person or it could be twelve different people, that choice is up to you. You should invest in those people who you can be yourself around and tell your secrets to. You should be willing to let them be themselves and listen to their secrets. It's really important to filter out who is in your life by what they are contributing to you and your life, and it's even more important to contribute back to them and their life. 

Morning Motivation - 3/7/2016

Morning Motivation - 3/4/2016

Morning Motivation

Friday, March 4, 2016

Friday Freestyle - 3/4/2016

Life goes and it rolls

It has it's ups and downs

That's how it goes

Then there are the daily tolls

When the shadows encroach

Darkness approach

But does not include

The negative attitude 

You must always look for the metals

That silver lining 

Those golden moments

Create the life currency, it's mint

Continue to go forward 

Upward

And onward

Be continual in progressive growth

There are some who have a crown 

Acquired and inherited 

However it was not merited

The warning is more valuable than the given 

I encourage you to be enabled

To break what is normally labeled 

Turn yourself into someone deserving

Not given something based on a curve

In dark times you can acknowledge your journey

Not meant for for him or me 

This plan was something meant for you 

An original experiment for you to follow through 

Thursday Thought - 3/3/2016

Thursday Thought

Hit Me Up About Humility

Reminder: 

Thursday Thought is the the Quintessential Voyage equivalent to an editorial, an opinionated piece.

I think I'm a great person, not meaning that I'm not an asshole or that I'm not selfish. I work hard, I've been lucky enough to become pretty good at what I do, I have some solid intelligence, and I am continually hungry to learn.

It has come to my attention that some people may think that I'm "a little full of myself" or that I'm "up on my high horse" or my favorite is that I'm "too big for my britches." Well sometimes you don't truly know someone, so then you begin to doubt them or fail to believe in their potential. As you go on from place to place in life, if you're successful, they may support you (as a true friend) or they may become doubtful if you deserve this new opportunity (as fake supporters).

So here's what I'm saying: if you think that I'm cocky or overconfident, then you either don't really know me or don't believe in me, at which point I say you need to shut up. Just because I may be more outgoing and I am more confident in my skills and I'm very driven to succeed and that I'm proud of what I do and what I have done, does not mean that I am too big for my britches. 

They want to see you do good but never better than them. Remember that. Believe in yourself and what you can do. Forget those haters, they will run themselves into the ground watching you with a negative view.

Morning Motivation - 3/3/2016

Morning Motivation

Thursday, March 3, 2016

Wednesday Word - Love - 3/2/2016

Wednesday Word

Love

Merriam-Webster: to feel a deep affection or sexual attraction to someone or something

QuintessentialVoyage: to feel a strong sense of emotional connection and attachment to something or someone; this is often misinterpreted when it actually is lust. 

Love is a silly thing. Often we say we love a food, a place, an experience, and even people. 

Love is strong word that we may often misuse. I do love my parents and my close friends, now do I love hamburgers? If you're asking me the answer is yes, keeping true to the word the answer is probably not. 

Be able to love people and things, cultivate strong feelings and connections. Personal recommendation is that you should not be afraid of love inside of you, do not flush it out, do not burn that bridge. 

Love is something that we all should have because true love is pure and selfless and understanding and vulnerable and weak and strong and tremendous.

Let love swell in your heart. 

Morning Motivation - 3/2/2016

Morning Motivation

Wednesday, March 2, 2016

Tuesday Take - 3/1/2016

Tuesday Take

Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.

- Mark Twain -

What a beautiful quote! It's always interesting when you talk about people who feel that they are great whether it's egotistical delusion, belief for a predestined outcome, or being enabled by another. 

I believe you should always enable other people to do the best work that they can and give them the support that they should require to do it. 

You can take a horse to water, but you can't make them drink it. 

I write this blog because I believe I'm going to do something great, and I know that there are people out there who will do great things. Perhaps this blog will be the catalyst that leads to their wondrous success. I am motivated by the things I read and the people I work with and the world that surrounds me. 

Find your motivation. Enable yourself. Enable Others. Find your happiness. Develop your success.

Stay away from the negative Nancy and stay near the friendly Freddy. Those who lift you up are true friends. Don't be put down by someone else. Believe in yourself and in someone else, let there be magic in that symbiotic, cooperative interaction. 

Morning Motivation - 3/1/2016

Morning Motivation

Tuesday, March 1, 2016