The honest man speaks for truth, not for self-gain.
His focus is on speaking with the right intention and without deceit.
Honesty, then, is a way of being.
It is a lifestyle, not merely an act.
Within honesty, lies clarity. Within clarity, lies confidence...
Therefore, to act confidently is to act honestly.
Without clarity, we cannot see what to do through the haze of uncertainty.
There are endless potentials, but very few specifics.
The haze may at first seem comforting as it is not divisive by nature.
It is not clear when we have failed due to the haze, so it helps to protect egos when we fall short.
However, it is also not clear when we have succeeded.
This purgatory is a breeding ground for anxiety.
The honest man, then, is also a courageous man...
One who is willing to let his beliefs die instead of him.
One who is willing to be wrong and seeks out these experiences that prove he is wrong.
One who embraces his role as the fool as this embarks him upon the journey of becoming the wise old sage.
The honest man bravely wanders into the haze with the intention of clearing it.
He likely does not know how to complete this job, but this doesnβt faze him.
His job is to take one step into the haze. Then another, then another.
It is not to plot out every single step first.
His end goal is always in mind: to remove the haze of dishonesty despite the risk to his self-image.
This is why courage goes hand in hand with honesty.
Honesty may unveil a dragon in the fog, but courage then reaches for the sword.
Would you prefer to walk towards the dragon unprepared?
I cannot answer this for you, but the honest man knows the answer in his heart.
And so, with fear, the honest man stumbles forwards.
For fear is a pre-requisite for the journey, not a problem.
Honesty breeds clarity. Clarity breeds confidence.
Confidence breeds courage. Courage breeds fulfilment.
If fulfilment is what you are seeking, look first at cultivating honesty.
You can read the unrolled version of this thread here: typefully.com/_itsmrclark/qqmTm0S
Mr Clark π
@_itsmrclark
Helping to normalise difficult conversations through philosophy. Teacher, coach and bibliophile. Also, a lover of extreme music.
