# Everything is Arbitrary



## JM (Apr 29, 2009)

Any thoughts?

Sherdog: If you had one principle by which to live your life, what would it be?

Greg Jackson (mma trainer): I really want to fulfill my potential. I really think that encompasses it. To me, everything is arbitrary -- what you put meaning into has meaning -- and, so, this is what I put meaning into, this is what I have decided to make my life; it is the pursuit of making myself the absolute best trainer I can be, to be the best martial artist I can be. That, to me, is what I live my life by, just trying to fulfill my potential.​


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## Theognome (Apr 29, 2009)

JM said:


> Any thoughts?
> 
> Sherdog: If you had one principle by which to live your life, what would it be?
> 
> Greg Jackson (mma trainer): I really want to fulfill my potential. I really think that encompasses it. To me, everything is arbitrary -- what you put meaning into has meaning -- and, so, this is what I put meaning into, this is what I have decided to make my life; it is the pursuit of making myself the absolute best trainer I can be, to be the best martial artist I can be. That, to me, is what I live my life by, just trying to fulfill my potential.​



This is an arbitrary thread.

Theognome


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## BG (Apr 29, 2009)

B


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## Reformed Thomist (Apr 29, 2009)

JM said:


> Greg Jackson (mma trainer): I really want to fulfill my potential. I really think that encompasses it. To me, everything is arbitrary -- what you put meaning into has meaning -- and, so, this is what I put meaning into, this is what I have decided to make my life; it is the pursuit of making myself the absolute best trainer I can be, to be the best martial artist I can be. That, to me, is what I live my life by, just trying to fulfill my potential.​



Fulfilling our potential _is_ what life is about. But certainly our potential as human beings extends beyond being the best at X, Y, or Z profession -- it is far more general, higher, than that. Actualizing our potential as human beings, or beings endowed with _rationality_, is to be the best _human beings_ possible, bringing our thinking and behavior in line with rationality (to not be thinking and behaving _irrationally_) as much as our intellectual faculties allow. (This includes, or rather culminates, in faith, which is by no means an irrational act.) _This_ is the real 'good life', _not_ that you are great at training or fighting... or whatever specific skill you want to mention.

Wayward behavior and unhappiness is ultimately reducible to people thinking that being or having _specific_ things is what the good life is about. Such persons are really selling themselves short. They are more like beasts than men.


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## BG (Apr 29, 2009)

M


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## Reformed Thomist (Apr 30, 2009)

WDG said:


> Man's cheif end is to glorify GOD not to fulfill ones potential.



Actualizing our potential is to glorify God. Surely God does not consider those who squander their gifts to be glorifying Him.


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## gene_mingo (Apr 30, 2009)

maybe.


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## PresbyDane (Apr 30, 2009)

This answer to this thread


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## OPC'n (Apr 30, 2009)

Not everything is arbitrary for instance TranZ4MR isn't


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