Even though I much prefer to be agile, nimble, spontaneous a large part of my journey this last 1100+ days has been to recognized the power of living an ordered life, or at least ordered enough to gain benefit. It is true that being willing to take advantage of opportunity, ability to pivot when needed is a key factor in success, but that does not mean that order is not also important. It is like the ship at sea. In an environment where the vessel can go in any direction, it is imperative that the ship remain organized and ready to handle whatever comes its way. On a ship, everything has a place, yet on that ship you can go in any direction. It seems that a person that were to live a life of ultimate flexibility, must be pretty organized in their approach or they will not survive very long, or have any enjoyment along the way.
So the fact is that an ordered life is required, not to prevent flexibility and variability but rather to allow for it. When one goes out on an adventure it is nice to have a base to return to, and especially to find that base in tact and functional. I am not talking necessarily about a physical place, but rather a organized state. Sure there are times when you need to drop everything and focus on a great opportunity, but what happens when that is done? What happens when the moment has expired and now you have to return to everyday life? Do you return to chaos, everything in disrepair, life in shambles? Or do you return to a normal course of ordered living, where things are organized and therefore you are equipped to go on to the next mental journey or adventure?
Ordered living is not a concept reserved for the Catholic Monastery, it is a concept of practical expedience. There are certain things in life that if you commit to, follow in a defined pattern, and keep going no matter what then you will stay even keeled in times of upheaval, times of emotional challenge, and have a great point to leap off to when you are required. Ordered living helps you take care of the core aspects of life that are needed and required to do, in order for you to persist. I would consider it the most important things.
You absolutely must have an ordered way for dealing with very practical matters of physical, mental, spiritual, and financial health. If you do not have those dialed in with some sort of ordered plan, that you actually follow everyday, you will find out that things start to crumble around you pretty quickly. You cannot persist on your wild adventures when your lights turn off because you forgot to pay the bill, or you fall into a state of depression because you do not have perspective any more. Simple stated, greatness requires us to have an ordered approach to the simple. I have also realized that this ordered approach does not need to be crazy and overwhelming. It does not take a ton of effort to have your financial house in order, you just need to do something on a regular basis. Same with all the other categories. It is not an overwhelming task to make sure you take care of your spiritual and mental health, you just need to do something on a regular basis to check back in and keep yourself stable.
So feel free to go dance on the edge of chaos and get spirited away on some wonderful journey, just get your house in order so that when you do come back and land there is something there to stand on.
Guy Reams
