Commitment

Over the weekend - and in between Australia pummelling England in the Ashes series - I watched Inside the Actors Studio.

James Lipton interviewed Barbra Streisand. It may be an old interview, but I enjoyed it. I think she's rare talent. Anyway, one thing she said resonated with me. Ms Streisand isn't the one who said it, but cited it as an inspiration:

If you make a commitment, the universe conspires to assist you.

When you think of all the unhappy, stressed people in the world, working a jobs they despise, all because they have families to support/it's the right thing to do/it's expected of them/for whatever reason, and then you look at the people who are happy in their lives because they refused to adhere to social expectations, the above phrase is probably the unconscious motivation for them.

It's all a matter of perspective. I've heard many a tale of friends who stick with jobs they don't like because of 'moral obligation' but would rather paint, write, sculpt, or simply shift from public service to gardener or shopkeeper. Most are too afraid to take that leap because their current job gives them security. And they will throw aside their own dreams in the name of that security.

I don't blame them; in this economic climate, holding down a job someone else pays you for is the best thing you can have.

If you make a commitment, the universe conspires to assist you.

I'm guessing you have to be on the right path before the universe will pay attention; all you have to do is find it.