Mark Twain had pneumonia and went to the doctor. Asked whether he smoked, he replied, “Oh yes, more than 1 dozen cigars a day.” Asked whether he drank, he said, “Oh yes, a bottle a day.” The doctor advised him to quit smoking and drinking to recover. He did, and indeed recovered.
A female friend of Mark Twain also had pneumonia. He advised her to stop smoking and drinking. She replied that she neither smoked nor drank. Mark Twain was “speechless,” not knowing what else to advise. Shortly afterward, she passed away.
Mark Twain concluded that she died because she had nothing to give up.
If you still cling to money and wealth, as long as your hands do not sink deep into the mud and you do nothing against your conscience or the law, go ahead and pursue wealth with all your ‘fervor.’ When you feel the need to look back, observe within, and know when enough is enough, you will find the path. Perhaps it will be the path of liberation. You will practice things that, while you were still too ‘fervent,’ you could not understand when others spoke of liberation—not only the content, but why anyone would act that way. You could not understand that choice. To you, it seemed strange, perhaps foolish, perhaps even… crazy. Then one day, you will have not only sufficient conditions but also sufficient blessings to become ‘crazy’ like that.
If you still cling to fame, whether because you crave it or because your mission still needs reputation as a ‘tool,’ either reason is fine. You are still attached. There is no need to force yourself. Keep developing your reputation until the day you have appeared in every reputable newspaper and on every important television channel, received every prestigious award, and created all the influence you want in the community. Enough is enough when you feel it is. Then you will naturally become tired of fame. If you want to let go then, let go; letting go needs no PR. If you continue, keep going until you are thoroughly tired of it. You will have twice the experience of someone who has never had those things. You will know what to do then. That is the natural path.
Boredom, it turns out, is the state of someone intelligent enough. No, more than intelligent: wise.
Be wise enough to know when you have had enough.
May you feel bored!
