Below is a powerful excerpt from Jordan B. Peterson as it appears in his book Beyond Order – 12 More Rules for Life (page 348). Word for word. We’ve simply taken the paragraph and parsed it into 5 distinct pieces or thoughts, to make it a little more digestible.
Critically consider, as well, the assumption that it is somehow acceptable or even wise to slip by without paying your bills in full.
This is another variant of the judgment of existence. “It does not matter if I take the easy path” begins with “It does not matter,” and that is Being, judged and damned, with a twist.
The second part of the statement, “If I take the easy path,” is a self-imposed curse. If you take your turn at the difficult tasks, people learn to trust you, you learn to trust yourself, and you get better at doing difficult things.
All of this is good.
If you leave that all undone, you will find yourself in the same position as the child whose parents insisted upon doing everything for him or her: bereft of the capacity to thrive in the face of the difficulties/challenges of life.
We encourage any of those, with an open mind, to consider adding this publication to their summer time reading list. We believe the controversy surrounding Mr. Peterson in some circles, may be simply anchored in the reality and common sense of his thoughts. Let’s face it; common sense and reality drive some people nuts! This fact in itself makes it a worthy read.
Mr. Peterson’s book can be found here on Amazon