That noted philosopher L. R. Hubbard described a hierarchy of activity called “Be, Do, Have” that was purported to be the secret to life, or one of the secrets, or something. As he explains it, to Have some prize, or satisfying result, or what have you, you first had to Do. And to Do, you had to Be.
I was watching Frank Langella being interviewed by Charlie Rose. He gave deep and compelling answers, and it took me a half hour to understand his viewpoint. Both he and Charlie we talking about Doing from an exalted viewpoint, where the Having of success came from Doing one’s own authentic Being. But Frank was speaking as an Enneagram 4/5 who set out to discover his own being over a lifetime (he is 76 now) and feels like he has homed in on the Path and has made great strides.
Charlie had a similar conversation with two other great actors together on his program, Sir Patrick Stewart and Sir Ian McClellan, and as I listened to Frank I ached to have had Sir Patrick there with him, as I could see so clearly that Frank had much to say to his inner self.
I have made what I consider improvement, but integration of Being, in personality (the context here) has eluded me. When Charlie and Frank were exulting about the satisfaction they got from their Doing I was completely unmoved; I don’t know that world at all, the world of work, careers, praise, esteem, success, attainment.
What do you do in that case? The only way to self is to get out of God’s way, to be His adjuvant, viceroy, servant, friend. The irony is that that may be the only permanent development, submission, that can be taken with you from life on Earth. I can only hope.
