As It Is, As It Ought to Be

From a Journal Entry of Mine – July 13, 2026

The greatest gift a man can receive from God in the form of talent and skill is the ability to see the world as it is, not as he wishes it to be. Greater still is the ability to see himself as he truly is, not as he imagines himself to be.

Likewise, the greatest gift a man can give to the world is to refuse to settle for the world as it is. Instead, he strives tirelessly to create the world as it ought to be through the relentless refinement of his character, virtues, aspirations and actions. In doing so, becoming the man he himself ought to be.

The Paradox of Life

I struggle often to find that delicate balance, the integration of truths in life that lead one to see fully what is before you, while not losing sight of exactly where you are. Though I am grateful for everything I have, still yet, I desire more. Though I am happy and full of life, still yet, my attention is diverted to other things. Though I am confident in my beliefs, still yet, I question the purpose behind any of this.

I doubt I am alone in this tension. As I have observed life, the nuance and uniqueness of all “this” I have found that life is itself a tension of sorts, a delicate balance, in motion, becoming. When I think about how I would define “life,” my answer would be, “a sort of becoming.” A passing of states, changing of order and integration of many different facets and configurations of things.

This “becoming” is the paradox of growth, as it takes an observation of the present and holds it equally to a desired future state. The becomingness of life is quite literally a transformation from one thing to another. It can’t be a state of its own, as there is only the present and the present as it ought to be. This is ‘vision’, aspiration and desire manifest in our mind.

Six Takeaways from This

1. Truth precedes transformation. Before anything can improve, it must first be seen clearly. Most suffering comes from refusing to acknowledge reality.
2. Self-deception is the greatest obstacle to growth. It’s far easier to diagnose the flaws of the world than to confront the flaws within ourselves. The discipline of accurate self-assessment is a rare virtue.
3. Acceptance is not surrender. Seeing the world as it is doesn’t mean accepting that it should remain that way. Reality is the starting point, not the destination.
4. Character is the mechanism of change. We often try to change circumstances before changing ourselves. Lasting influence flows outward from an ordered inner life.
5. The world changes one person at a time. Institutions, companies, communities and families improve because individuals improve. The world “ought to be” begins with who the man “ought to become.”
6. The paradox of leadership. The leader must hold two truths simultaneously: absolute honesty about present reality and unwavering hope for a better future. Lose either one and leadership collapses into either cynicism or fantasy.

Practical Applications of This

If you find yourself wondering how to change your circumstances and rise above the current reality within which you find yourself, I encourage you to internalize and remember two things. First, your circumstances do not define you. They never have and never will. Who you are defines you and that is something no one can take from you, except yourself. Secondly, all change begins within. Your ability to get where you want to go is determined 90% by who you are willing to become and 10% by the circumstances out of your control. Go become someone who you are proud to be.