October 10, 2022 | Read Online

5 Questions to Ask Each Day

Achieving our potential and being the best we can be is not easy. But it's still the assignment for each of us.

Around 435 BC, Greek sculptor Phidias was commissioned to make a statue that would stand on the roof of the Parthenon in Athens.

Phidias was the greatest sculptor of his time and painstakingly labored to produce his final work. The colossal statue of the Athena Parthenos was completed and dedicated years later.

The original work, made of gold and ivory, stood some 38 feet (12 meters) high. The goddess stood erect, wearing a tunic, aegis, and helmet and holding Nike (goddess of victory) in her extended right hand and a spear in her left.

But when Phidias presented his bill for the work, the city accountant refused to pay.

“These statues stand on the roof of the temple, the highest hill in Athens," the accountant said. "Nobody can see anything but their fronts. Yet, you charged us for sculpturing them in the round, that is, doing their backsides that nobody can see.”

“You are wrong,” Phidias replied. "The gods can see them."

More than 2,000 years later, the statues still stand, but the problem of saving money and cutting quality still exists. The urge to take the easy path is ever-present in our lives, but the quality that Phidias valued even then will always prevail. Producing our best work will always stand the test of time.

Achieving our potential and being the best we can be is not easy. But it's still the assignment for each of us.

Along our journey, we will encounter the same situation Phidias did. Do we do our best or only what is necessary? Do we satisfy the task or do we satisfy the Gods who can see them?

These aren't spiritual questions that we attach to our daily work production. They're for self-reflection question, a character assessment of our willingness to extend ourselves and not take the easy and familiar path of so many others. Before each day begins, we'd be wise to ask ourselves five questions in particular:

Do we simply want to get the work done or do we hold ourselves to higher standards?
Do we value time over quality?
Is checking off our to-do list the goal each day?
Do we want our work product to be part of our legacy?
When we look back at our work, five, 10 years later, will we be satisfied?

We all have a ton of work to accomplish in a short amount of time. As the great former UCLA basketball coach John Wooden once said: "If you don't have time to do it right, when will you have the time to do it over?"

Phidias only wanted to be the best, even though he wasn't compensated and sent to prison for attempting to defraud the government by charging too much.

But his life and work had a higher meaning.

Does yours?

Update your email preferences or unsubscribe here

PO Box 552
Winter Park, FL 32789, United States

Publish on beehiiv

extended right hand daily work production

Sunday Thinking

Sunday, October 9, 2022

Ask questions that are so big that only your life can answer them. October 09, 2022 | Read Online Sunday Thinking Ask questions that are so big that only your life can answer them. fb tw in email The

Truth Telling + Recommended Reading

Saturday, October 8, 2022

Become the CEO of your mind. Your life is no better than your relationship with your mind. October 08, 2022 | Read Online Truth Telling + Recommended Reading Become the CEO of your mind. Your life is

"Notes" of An Elder

Friday, October 7, 2022

Leave footprints of kindness wherever you go. October 07, 2022 | Read Online "Notes" of An Elder Leave footprints of kindness wherever you go. fb tw in email Nothing in life is of any value

There Will Always Be a Critic

Thursday, October 6, 2022

No matter the era, no matter the feat, no matter the industry, there will always be a critic. October 06, 2022 | Read Online There Will Always Be a Critic No matter the era, no matter the feat, no

Crypto Loans in Latam

Wednesday, October 5, 2022

October 05, 2022 | Read Online Crypto Loans in Latam fb tw in email Crypto Loans in LatAm The economic situation in parts of Latin America right now is not a good one. Inflation is rampant and to

Play and Earn with Dimension X; Elixir Games Season Pass; The Machines Arena Open Beta; Worldshards dropping NFTs during early access; Life Beyond preview and more in Play to Earn Newsletter #225

Saturday, May 4, 2024

May 04, 2024 Pixels remains on top; My Neighbor Alice Beta; new Unity build for Voxie Tactics; Wanderers Closed Beta; Paradise Tycoon mint; Dimension X Arenas, and more in Play to Earn Newsletter #226

Market Mix - 5 Questions to Ask Each Day

5 Questions to Ask Each Day

Key phrases

Older messages

Sunday Thinking

Truth Telling + Recommended Reading

"Notes" of An Elder

There Will Always Be a Critic

Crypto Loans in Latam

You Might Also Like

Play and Earn with Dimension X; Elixir Games Season Pass; The Machines Arena Open Beta; Worldshards dropping NFTs during early access; Life Beyond preview and more in Play to Earn Newsletter #225

The Three SaaS Metrics That Matter in 2024

Does experience matter?

'You Have To Bring Solutions, Ideas and Be Prepared'

The curious case of Google Trends in India

3,500 sign ups in 24 hours

Your Personal Trainer for Making Sales

Zhipu AI: The Rise of an AI Tiger Reaching for AGI

So long, Henry.

He survived all recent Google updates