Byron's Babbles

I am loving reading Rob Hart’s great book, The Medusa Protocol. I’ve already blogged about the book once in Perpetuating Our Own Myth. Rob had the protagonist, Mark, quote former UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir, saying, “You know what the true definition of hell is? It’s when you die, you get to meet the person you could have been.” There is some debate over whether the quote was original to Mir or paraphrased from someone anonymous. Regardless, it’s a very thought provoking quote, particularly in the context of Rob’s novel.

This powerful quote reminds us that our choices and actions in life shape who we become, and that overlooking our potential can lead to regret. The quote suggests that true regret and hell are not just about suffering in the afterlife, but about confronting the person we could have been if we had made different decisions, pursued our passions, or lived more authentically. It encourages us to reflect on our current paths and motivate us to live intentionally so that we don’t face such regrets in the future.

Now, I am not a person that believes in spending much time getting trapped in regrets. It is helpful, however, to practice mindfulness and focus on the present moment. Accept that mistakes are part of growth and view them as learning opportunities rather than failures. Setting realistic goals and celebrating small achievements can also steer you toward a more positive outlook. Remember, each day is a new chance to make choices aligned with your values and passions.

I am reading Rob Hart’s great new book, The Medusa Protocol. This is the second book in the Assassins Anonymous series. I am a huge fan of Rob’s work and couldn’t wait to read this one. As always there are great lines and insights into the characters that really make me think. Yesterday while reading, one of the protagonists, Mark, said of another person that he was “Perpetuating his own myth.” This is something we all have done, or are doing and need to be careful of.

“Perpetuating our own myth” means continuing to believe or act as if a false idea or misconception is true, thereby reinforcing it over time. It’s like maintaining a story or belief about ourselves or a situation that isn’t entirely accurate, which can influence how we behave or how others perceive us. Sometimes, we do this unconsciously, and it can limit growth or distort reality. Recognizing and challenging these myths can help us foster a more honest understanding and promote personal or collective development.

Yesterday when I was finishing reading Rob Hart’s great book, Assassins Anonymous, the protagonist, Mark, had a thought that gave me pause. Mark, who was the world’s best assassin and trying to get out of the business through Assassins Anonymous, was reflecting on the death of his sponsor, Kenji. Kenji was Mark’s rock and Mark was reflecting that he had not fully expressed his appreciation to Kenji. He pondered that, “Eventually turned into too late.” His regret of not telling Kenji all he wanted to highlights a sense of urgency and the consequences of inaction—what could have been addressed in time ended up being too late for effective resolution.

We need to remember that situations will progress to points where it becomes impossible to take the necessary actions or make the needed changes. This scene in the book reminded me that there are opportunities or windows of time that are available the important things we need to do, but as time goes on without action, those opportunities slip away. I want to make sure I don’t push things to eventually and then realize it’s too late.