Introduction: David Brooks is a political commentator. You might read his opinion pieces in the New York Times, or see him on PBS News Hour. He also writes books; a person may not agree with what he has to say, but, I find that he often has something interesting to say. This past fall, while visiting the National Parks, listened to a podcast with David Brooks, which led me to re-read his book, The Second Mountain: the Quest for a Moral Life (2020).
Brooks discusses first and second mountains; first mountain is focused on a person’s career and individual accomplishments; second mountain is focused on serving others, and often arrives after a mid-life crisis. Intention is to share some of the insights from his book.
Theme 1: work
Brooks suggests that after graduating university, a person’s first job out of college will likely “suck,” and the most valuable opportunity is to widen a person’s horizon of risk.
This is likely good advice; reflect back on my time at university and graduate school; received two paid internships, for “valuable” work experience. In hindsight, should have done something entrepreneurial, and risked failure, or even, been encouraged to fail. Failing at age 20, or age 30, is much easier, and less damning, than risking failure at age 50.
In the fall, passed through Silver City, New Mexico; stayed at Triple Crown Hostel. Met Naomi, a recent college graduate from the Bay Area, in California. She was riding her bicycle across the southern tier of the United States. Certainly, an interesting opportunity to better understand oneself, and perhaps, gain some insight on what may lie ahead.
The poet, William Arthur Ward, writes, “the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing…the person who risks nothing, does nothing…has nothing, is nothing…only a person who risks is free.” Respect that this may not be reasonable for a person who is married, or has children. Recent college graduates, however, often have few obligations or commitments.
The comedian, Jim Carrey, often speaks of his father, who got a “safe” job as an accountant to provide for his family, and was later fired. Carrey suggests that “you may fail at what you don’t want, so you might as well take a chance on doing what you love.”
Brooks also suggests that “work is a place you may lose yourself more easily perhaps than finding yourself” noting a confidant who shared that “I always sought to win whatever the game was; only now do I realize how much I have been played by the game.” I had the title, well compensated, worked with good people, and yet, found my career vapid and hollow.
Theme 2: suffering
Brooks also discusses suffering, and suggests that when “climbing out of the valley of suffering; people don’t come out healed; they come out different.” Agree with his sentiments; a person doesn’t practice Zen Buddhism because his life is going well.
Often reminded of a quotation by Winston Churchill, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during World War II, “when going through hell, don’t stop.” Brooks goes on to suggest that “suffering that is not transformed is transmitted.” Worked with some difficult people during my career, and recall that hurt people, hurt people.
Brooks suggests that “when suffering, be still, and see what it has to teach you; rest in uncertainty, and not jump to premature conclusions.” Perhaps this reflects the value of Zen Buddhism, to sit down in a semi-dark room, face the wall, sit in quiet meditation, and observe whatever arises, without change or influence.
Brooks reminds us that “ego prefers certainty to uncertainty, predictability over surprise, and clarity over ambiguity,” and that “fear is a good GPS; fear tells us where our true desires are, even if they are on the far side of social disapproval.” Recognize my own craving for comfort and certainty, resisting ambiguity and uncertainty. I’ve made many sub-optimal decisions to mitigate uncertainty, when uncertainty couldn’t be mitigated; I’ve been wrong so many times; my life, one continuous mistake; practicing (Zen Buddhism), like a fool, like an idiot.
Brooks ends with a poem by WH Auden, from the Age of Anxiety:
We would rather be ruined than changed
We would rather die in our dread
Than climb the cross of the moment
And let our illusions die.
Theme 3: commitment
Brooks suggests that there are four commitments when climbing the second mountain: spouse or family, career or vocation, faith or philosophy, and community or village. He suggests that “a vocation is not about finding the biggest or most glorious problem, but finding the best match,” and that a “vocation does not come from willfulness or taking charge, but rather, from listening, and listening requires patience.”
Brooks suggests that “finding a vocation is different than finding a career; a wise vocation decision, is not one that is safe, but rather, one that awakens your heart and soul each day.”
Brooks asks, “what is the idea for which I am willing to live and die,” and that, “if you catch on fire with enthusiasm, people will come for miles to watch you burn.”
The comedian, Jim Carrey, asks, what is worth my time. Jedidiah Jenkins, who rode his bicycle from Seattle Washington to Patagonia South America at age 30, asked the question, to what endeavor do I wish to dedicate myself the 10,000 hours to become an “expert.” I ask the question, in what do I believe so strongly, that I would do it for free; what do I wish to pursue for the next three decades of my life. Sometimes recall the 2011 documentary, “Jiro Dreams of Sushi,” which follows then 85-year old Jiro Ono, the only Michelin three-star sushi chef in the world, who clearly dedicated his life to his craft.
Theme 4: discussion questions
Throughout the book, Brooks asks several rhetorical questions, not in an academic manner, but questions to consider deeply, questions that might influence a person’s vocation. I tackled these questions in an exercise that I borrowed from James Altucher, an exercise that I call “list ten (L10).” Using an ordinary notepad, label down the margin, one through ten. Often times, I’ll go beyond ten, and number down to the bottom of the page. Using each of the questions below, write down responses and ideas. Often do this exercise in the morning, with a cup of coffee, when the day is quiet. It often takes more than one session; ideas often arise during the course of the day; try to be mindful, and write them down.
What would you do if you weren’t afraid
Why were you put on this earth
What do you enjoy discussing
At what times in your life did you (ever) feel fulfilled
What do you do when not being paid or rewarded
1. This past fall, visited National Parks in the desert southwest; appreciate the warm, dry weather, blue skies. Enjoy hiking; think better when hiking, free from distraction.
Recognized that I’m institutionalized; education, including university and graduate school; military service; religion, even living in a Zen Buddhist monastery; and every paid job.
Been a “paid” employee since I was eight years of age; being told what to do by someone else; even as CFO, still had a boss; my last “effective” boss was at JetBlue Airways (2007).
Grown fatigued being part of someone else’s machine, being part of an organization that didn’t share my values, or having to subvert my values. Reflect on life and recognize that I haven’t had a single original thought; perhaps not much more than a trained circus monkey.
2. Embarrassed and disappointed where my life is right now and what I am doing. It would be much easier to get any job, and satisfy society’s norms. Acknowledge the discomfort of uncertainty, ambiguity, and not knowing. Acknowledge feeling broken, dented, damaged, defective; all of the above.
Always wanted to teach university, and felt that teaching would be my “second mountain” a chance to contribute in the classroom. Clearly mistaken; most (graduate) students wanted a degree, and not an education; most students demonstrated very little curiosity. If I returned to teach a second year, the experience would be marginally better, but not fundamentally different. The easier decision, albeit disingenuous, was to remain at the university. The more difficult decision, the honest decision, was to quit.
3. Grateful for the opportunity to climb the second mountain, and ask, “how may I serve others,” to ask, “what is life asking of me.” Grateful for financial independence to walk away from ego and career, to make myself vulnerable, and to accept where I am, right here, right now; as often reminded in Zen Buddhism, the lotus flower grows only in the muddy water.
4. What am I going to do next, don’t know; on a mission of curiosity, discovery and exploration; identified five attributes to keep in mind, not strict rules, just guidelines:
A. do something challenging (meaningful | substance)
B. do something new, that I haven’t done before
C. do something where I learn (almost every day)
D. do something that’s engaging (almost every day)
E. do something that scares or intimidates me, embrace fear and discomfort, and pursue a path that risks failure. This attribute appears to provide the greatest intrinsic value, not out of ego or artificial motivation, but rather, in terms of learning and growth; so the question remains, what is my capacity to absorb additional risk and discomfort.
Recall the movie, Gladiator (2000); near the end, Maximus (Russell Crowe) and Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) engage in a discussion before their glorious and fatal duel in the arena:
Maximus: You would fight me?
Commodus: Why not? Do you think I am afraid?
Maximus: I think you’ve been afraid all your life.
I have been afraid my entire life; a coward. If I run away, whatever I am running from will catch up with me; so might as well run towards fear, embrace discomfort, and risk failure.
5. In Mexico for four months, visiting the UNESCO colonial cities. Sometimes, the best part of my day, is sitting in the central square, the zocalo, turning off my iPhone, watching people, and doing nothing. Benefits of boredom, doing nothing, and being still. My afternoons are pretty low key; exercise in the local park; shop for vegetables in the open market; leaves time to see what might resonate, or not.
6. An article from the October 22nd 2021 Wall Street Journal, “Reinventing Yourself in Retirement Sounds Great – But It Isn’t Easy” suggests that the second mountain journey takes time, time for trial and error, time for dead-ends and wrong turns, time to be publicly embarrassed, and is not as easy as reading a book or taking a survey. Turns out that I ended up taking my gap year at age 52, instead of age 22; same journey; better late than never.
Closing: in Zen Buddhism, a koan is a teaching story; and these teaching stories often present the student a form of riddle that may not be solved by the thinking mind. Close this post with case 20, from the Book of Serenity, the same koan posted to LinkedIn profile. Planned out my entire life; to what avail; with humility, don’t know what lies ahead.
A monk asked, “where are you going.”
Second monk replied, “on pilgrimage.”
First monk asked, “what is the nature of pilgrimage.”
Second monk replied, “don’t know.”
First monk said, “not knowing is most intimate.”
garthmonroe 