“But indeed Conviction, were it never so excellent, is worthless till it convert itself into Conduct. Nay properly conviction is not possible till then; inasmuch as all Speculation is by nature endless, formless, a vortex amid vortices: only by a felt indubitable certainty of Experience does it find any centre to revolve round, and so fashion itself into a system. Most true it is, as a wise man teaches us, that “Doubt of any sort cannot be removed except by Action.” On which ground, too, let him who gropes painfully in darkness or uncertain light, and prays vehemently that the dawn may ripen into day, lay this other precept well to heart, which to me was of invaluable service: “DO THE DUTY WHICH LIES NEAREST THEE,” which thou knowest to be a duty! Thy second duty will already have become clearer. . . .The Situation that has not its Duty, its Ideal, was never yet occupied by man. Yes here, in this poor, miserable, hampered, despicable Actual, wherein thou even know standest, here or nowhere is thy Ideal: work it out therefrom; and working, believe, live, be free. Fool! The Ideal is in thyself, the stuff thou art to shape that same Ideal out of: what matters whether such stuff be of this sort or that, so the Form thou give it be heroic, be poetic? O thou that pinest in the imprisonment of the Actual, and criest bitterly to the gods for a kingdom wherein to rule and create, know this of a truth: the thing thou seekest is already with thee, “here or nowhere,” couldst thou only see! . . . . Be no longer a Chaos, but a World, or even Worldkin. Produce! Produce! Were it but the pitifullest infinitesimal fraction of a Product, produce it, in God’s name! ‘Tis the utmost thou hast in thee: out with it, then. Up, up! Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy whole might. Work while it is called Today; for the Night cometh, wherein no man can work.” ~ Thomas Carlyle

Most, if not all of you have an an inherent understanding of excellence. Whether you attribute it to a gut feeling, hunch, your inner voice or some other compelling voice, the voice of reason, of balance and yes, of excellence is at hand, whether you listen to it or not. More than conscience, this inner compulsion is finely woven into the fabric of life.

Its expression, however, is not guaranteed, for it must be given a proper reception in your mind and heart before it can be translated into action in a manner that is consistent with its nature. It is for this reason that purity of heart and clarity of mind are important. “The Ideal is in thyself” yet the mechanism for its translation into meaningful action must be in place if it is to be known.

But where to start? Thomas Carlyle offered timeless instruction in this regard: “Do the duty which lies nearest thee.” Don’t worry about what challenges, obstacles or opportunities which might lie ahead some distance in the future, instead, focus your energies, your thoughts, your actions on the circumstances immediately at hand. By so doing, you unlock the enclosures which safeguard the opportunities of the future.

Pining for a mentally constructed kingdom in which you can rule or create is a fool’s errand. Anyone who has tried to assemble the perfect family, job or life can attest to the fact that such an approach tends only to heighten the sense of disconnection, uncontrollability and of mismatch between the various components used to produce the desired goal.

You have a natural realm over which you exercise authority and through which you contribute to the creation of a brighter and more expansive future. Carlyle described it as the “Actual,” a state which you cannot afford to dismiss as being insufficient, deplorable or unworthy of your attention. More often than not the least likely is the most crucial.

Recognizing this, you can begin to do the duty which is yours and yours alone. The gulfs between excellence in compulsion, excellence in thought and excellence in action will be bridged thereby. Like it or not, there is no other way. You cannot “Fake it until you make it” in this core activity of living.

So take it upon yourself henceforth to “do the duty which lies nearest thee,” not just to please another, to give the appearance of trying hard, but so that you can honestly say that you gave life a chance, that you lived life with all of your might.

Dear readers, find it in yourself to heed Carlyle’s injunction and over time you will find peace, fulfillment and joy that far exceed even your wildest imaginations. Produce! Produce! Produce!