On Faith and Risk-Taking (Rational Vs. Deep True Will)

On Faith and Risk-Taking

What do a theoretical physicist, an entrepreneur, a revolutionary leader, and an artist have in common?

They all have a profound conviction about what they truly want to do, what they need to do. Solve a scientific problem, start a new company, change the world, or make it as a professional creative. That is their deep true will.

Albert Einstein: “Certain it is that a conviction, akin to religious feeling, of the rationality and intelligibility of the world lies behind all scientific work of a higher order.”

Steve Jobs: “You have to trust in something—your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.”

Che Guevara: “At the risk of seeming ridiculous, let me say that the true revolutionary is guided by great feelings of love. It is impossible to think of a genuine revolutionary lacking this quality.”

Ludwig van Beethoven: “The true artist has no pride: he unfortunately sees that art has no limits; he feels darkly how far he is from the goal, and though he may be admired by others, he is sad not to have reached that point to which his better genius only appears as a distant, guiding sun.”

That ‘distant, guiding sun’ is the deep true will.

Rational Vs. Deep True Will

The rational true will is a goal to achieve, a mission to accomplish. It presents a calculated risk that fits perfectly into the rational frame. This is the path to success.

The deep true will is an esoteric mission, a quasi-mystical faith. It presents an incalculable risk that transcends the rational frame. This is the path of the soul.

What is your deep true will?

What do you know, in your heart of hearts, that you must do with your life: your profound conviction that you cannot reason yourself away from?

What is the one thing that you must try because you could never forgive yourself if you didn’t: your fundamental condition for eternal regret?

Think about that. Feel into that. Know that.