Three Minute Leadership: What Will Your Verse Be?
To: The Great Leaders Who Have a Passion for Continuous Learning
In his monologue as English teacher John Keating from Dead Poets Society in 1989 Robin Williams, actor and comedian, shared a beautiful perspective of our humanity and our purpose, and posed a haunting question of our unique contribution to it.
“We don’t read and write poetry because it’s cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race. And the human race is filled with passion. And medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for. To quote from Whitman, ‘O me! O life!… of the questions of these recurring; of the endless trains of the faithless… of cities filled with the foolish; what good amid these, O me, O life?’ Answer. That you are here – that life exists, and identity; that the powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse. That the powerful play goes on and you may contribute a verse. What will your verse be?”
Yes, you are here. You are beautifully unique in humanity. What will be your contribution and legacy on your magnificent journey… your significance? What will your verse be? Make it extraordinary in the echo it leaves. As John Keating said to his students: “…if you listen real close, you can hear them whisper their legacy to you. Go on, lean in. Listen, you hear it? – – Carpe – – hear it? – – Carpe, carpe diem, seize the day boys, make your lives extraordinary.” Fill your life with passion and fill every precious moment with the beauty and joy of your precious verses.
Other lessons from Robin Williams’ movies:
As psychologist Sean Maguire in “Good Will Hunting“: “Real loss is only possible when you love something more than you love yourself.”
As car crash victim Chris Nielsen in “What Dreams May Come“: “A whole human life is just a heartbeat here in Heaven. Then we’ll all be together forever.”
As Dr. Malcolm Sayer in “Awakenings“: “Only occasionally, without a sound, do the covers of the eyes slide open-. An image rushes in, goes through the tensed silence of the frame- only to vanish, forever, in the heart.”
As doctor Hunter “Patch” Adams in “Patch Adams“: “What’s wrong with death sir? What are we so mortally afraid of? Why can’t we treat death with a certain amount of humanity and dignity, and decency, and God forbid, maybe even humor. Death is not the enemy gentlemen. If we’re going to fight a disease, let’s fight one of the most terrible diseases of all, indifference.”
Have a beautiful day and a magnificent week!!!
Mike
- Three Minute Leadership: A Tribute to Warren Bennis, “The Father of Leadership”
- Three Minute Leadership: Leadership… Success – It’s About Grit