Preppers can be a rather self-centered lot, and for good reason. Operational Security, aka "OpSec," often requires we keep our efforts on the down low, lest we invite others to avail themselves of the fruits of our efforts in a crisis situation. Further, most of us who are into this to one degree or another often feel a sense of frustration with those who see absolutely no need to be more self-sufficient for the next round of severe weather, an economic emergency, or their kid's lacerated scalp.
Yet many in the movement got into it because their moral code moved them to do so. For many of these people, this same moral code also prods them into helping others. How do we reconcile these? Can we?
Becky shared this Tanqueray commercial with me, as part of James Altucher's daily email.
Below, I share Altucher's analysis of the video and his reasons for admiring the bartender:
Physical – Clearly he seems healthy. In addition to being a bartender who also serves as bouncer, kicking out a rough patron to the cheers of the other bar patrons. He also has the balance and poise to carry drinks through the room (while precisely messing with the arrogant pool player).
Emotional – The bartender seems
to instinctively be on the lookout to help people. If your constant thought
throughout the day is “What life can I save next?” then over time you build
this instinct and opportunities will happen throughout the day. You will be a
non-stop superhero and the people around you will sense this about you.
Another way to cultivate this
instinct is to be in a constant state of surrender. You don’t have to believe
in a higher power, you just have to picture yourself as transparent to ANY
power (higher or inner or whatever you want to call it) and simply ask (out
loud if possible) “What do you want me to do next?” If you always ask, “what
you do want me to do next?” and you ask it with sincerity and without trying to
control the answer, the answer will always come. Again, it’s a practice but,
built up, it has many rewards. When you give, you can’t help but receive.
The bartender gives repeatedly
and again almost on instinct. He helps the junior bartender with the message to
the girl. He helps the bride jilted at the altar, while politely putting off
other customers. He makes her laugh. He helps the girl playing pool by messing
with the arrogant guy she’s playing.
And in doing so, you can see
the respect the crowd gives him. The looks the girls give him. The space he
becomes entitled to while he does his job. I know - it’s a commercial. But it’s
not imaginary if you cultivate these things inside of yourself.
Mental – He’s the head
bartender for a reason. He knows hundreds of drink recipes. He can make the
customer’s laugh. He deals with the stress of having hundreds of customers asking
for a drink, some of them so drunk he has to evict them. And he plays the piano
and hasn’t given up on it after childhood was over (like I did).
Spiritual – he needs his moment
at the end of the day. His cave. Again, he has given throughout the evening,
always looking to save a life, to help where he can so that it became an
instinct. And he gets to enjoy the fruits. Not by going home with any girl
(which he clearly could’ve, given the looks he was getting) but finding his own
private time to relax in peace.
And it’s all connected. Being
open to helping people is spiritual. Being able to show balance and poise is
spiritual and physical. Handling all the drink orders shows abilities in both
the mental and physical categories. This is why no one “body” is more important
than the others. They all flow together and building one up to the detriment of
the others will ultimately create blockages in life.
There's a lot we can take away from this. Prepping is about self-sufficiency. Being able to help others is a by product of that. We need to be confident, versitile, ever-mindful of the needs of others, attentive, physically fit, engaged with the others around us, and able to inspire others. It's a tall order, but the successful prepper will work to cultivate the skills.
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