Never Stand Behind a Penguin

(You can thank me later.)

I once met a penguin, pictured above, who was quite a lovely soul. We got along beautifully, thanks in part to the wisdom shared with me when the penguin and I were introduced.

“You can go right up to him, but never stand behind him.”

This is because penguins poop like they have a shotgun in their butt. To keep their nests clean without abandoning their eggs, they blast their poop quite a distance away.

If you examine the photo carefully, you will see that I am standing to the side of said penguin.

Why am I telling you this?

If someone behaves in the manner that is natural to them, one should never be surprised or angry.

Coyotes kill other animals for food. This does not make coyotes evil.

Long distance runners run long distances, so you should never be upset when you marry one and they want to run two hours a day.

Salespeople sell. Don’t be surprised when they ask you for money.

And, most importantly, when you realize that someone else is selfish or dishonest or egotistical or bigoted, don’t be surprised when they are that way with you. It would be foolish to assume that you are the exception, and that a liar is not going to lie to you.

To put this more positively, if you want to be treated with kindness, love and compassion, hang out with people whose basic nature is to be kind, loving and compassionate.

**

Every day, I wake up to the most amazing letters from people who have had a conversation with Ikigai Explorer. Here are a few excerpts:

"I am truly amazed and so many emotions are coming up, in a good way. I am only in the start of the second section. I very much appreciate that it takes time, no need to rush."

"I would like to thank you for the Ikigai Explorer. I found myself drawn back to finish the experience when I had to take a break and a bit sad to finish. It helped me to define my strengths and to look at them as positives in my life. And at times I was tearful for some unknown reason."

"Bruce, thanks so much for sharing this with the community! What an amazing gift! And it's timely for me...I just retired and am beginning to think through what I might like to do next. Like others, I'm absolutely amazed at how well this tool worked for helping me peel back layers and get to what's at the core of my own experience."

Ikigai Explorer is one of the fastest ways to get to the heart of who you are and what you need. It costs $18. The payback is priceless.