Book 206 - A Year of Magical Learning

Reflection Title: The Why Behind Your Meaningful Work Is More Important Than the End Product!

Book – Shakespeare: The World As Stage by Bill Bryson

Book Description: Shakespeare: The World As Stage is a biography of William Shakespeare by author Bill Bryson. The focus of the book is to state what little is known conclusively about Shakespeare, and how this information is known, with some discussion of disproved theories, myths, and that which is believed by the public but not provable. It also explores the political, social, cultural and economic background to Shakespeare's work.

Reflection:

I was blown away by how little we truly know about William Shakespeare after reading this book about his life from Bill Bryson.

Shakespeare is one of the most recognizable names in modern history. I’ve seen or read a movie, a play, or an adaption of one of his works at least 30+ times in my life, if I had to guess. Hell, I’ve even performed in A Midsummer Night’s Dream back in an acting class I took in high school (and I’m not an actor). One would think that with how ubiquitous this man’s name and work is 100’s of years after he last took a breath that we would know everything there is to know about his life. Well, you’d be very wrong. Turns out, we hardly know anything about the person behind the work, and that is a shame.

All we really know today is the fruit of his lifetime of meaningful work. While the fruits of his labor are beautiful and continue to inspire so many long after he is gone, these days I find myself more fascinated with how that meaningful work came to be vs. the end results. What I really want to know is what drove William Shakespeare’s art? What was his why? What was his purpose? Where did his inspiration come from? What were his atomic bombs that happened in his life that drove his action and propelled him forward? Who were his meaningful relationships that contributed that helped him along the way? What was he chasing? What did he believe? What was his beautiful question?

Sadly, we’ll never know the answer to any of these questions most likely because Shakespeare never took the time to write it down, and that is a shame. For all the meaningful work he produced in his life, he apparently never took the time to share anything the journey for meaning for whatever reason. I don’t know why he didn’t, and maybe even he did but we just don’t know about it yet. Most likely all this is lost to history, which sucks.

I’ve talked about this before, but I feel even more resolute that everyone’s story is important and deserves to be shared. Each of our lives are unique, special, and I want to know about it. I want to know your answers to the questions I asked above. I want to learn what shaped the arc of your life. I don’t know why, but I feel like we have a duty to share as a human being to help one another along the way.

I have no illusions that my meaningful work will someday come even .01% close to the impact of William Shakespeare’s in the pantheon of human history. Frankly, I really don’t care to be honest as that isn’t what this journey is about. How the end result of my meaningful work is viewed by society is total randomness and luck in which we have no control over. The true importance of meaningful work is the journey for meaning that took place prior to its existence in this world. This journey for meaning is something we all have 100% control over if you want. It is during this time of our journey that the real meaning is happening for the person doing the work. That journey is what life is all about and deserves to be shared with the world as that matter so much more than the fruit of your labor.

Do us all a favor…take the time to write down your story and share the journey for meaning behind the art. Only you can tell that story, so get to work!

Question: How are you documenting your journey toward meaning?

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Links:

What is The Year of Magical Learning? An Introduction

YOML Podcast Discussion - Coming Soon

YOML Bookstore - Shakespeare: The World As Stage by Bill Bryson