In his article ‘Which Leads to More Success, Reward or Encouragement?’, Deepak Chopra unpacks the notion of en-couraging people … supporting them to find their courage. In contrasting this approach of empowerment against the basic behaviourist strategies of reward and punishment employed by the ‘winners’ he describes so beautifully (see the counter response from one such ‘winner’ in the Comments), Chopra has expressed with such clarity an understanding very dear to my own heart.
Years ago, when I first read Viktor Frankl’s ‘Man’s search for meaning’, I was en-couraged and illuminated by his assertion that finding meaning in suffering provides the impetus we need to move forward when exposed to unimaginable realities. There are many days and many ways that we need courage to face the unknown and unimaginable, and it’s not a superficial reward or punishment needed that takes us into a primal response. What is needed most crucially is the connection to our heart … to the deepest core of our being that knows … the knowing beyond knowing. Not out of fear, but out of love and personal truth.
I am grateful for Deepak Chopra’s beautifully expressed knowing … do yourself a favour and read the article … I en-courage you …
Jennifer K Miles 