Hi, this is Brian.
Welcome back to another Areté +1°, a micro-chapter from our new book, Areté: Activate Your Heroic Potential.
I hope you're enjoying the series.
One of 451 of those little micro-chapters…
CARPE DIEM
SEIZE THE DAY! (OR IS IT "PLUCK THE DAY"?)
Carpe Diem!
I don’t know about you, but I get fired up just saying that. (Hah.)
Today we’ll have fun looking at the ancient Latin roots of the phrase and see how we can apply that wisdom to optimizing our lives.
So… The Latin phrase carpe diem (seize the day!) comes to us via Horace’s Odes written over 2,000 years ago.
(Well, technically, the phrase came to most of us via Robin Williams’s character in Dead Poets Society but he got it from Horace’s Odes.)
But…
Here’s the thing.
“Seize” the day isn’t quite the best way to capture the essence of the Latin word carpe.
Although it doesn’t sound quite as cool, a more precise translation of carpe diem would be to “pluck the day.” As in, pick today off the tree of life—it’s ripe and ready to enjoy!
The difference is subtle but significant.
Imagine a ripe piece of fruit hanging from a tree. It’s juicy and ready to be enjoyed. We don’t need to “seize” that fruit as if it’s something we need to “take hold of suddenly and forcibly.”
We want to “pluck” it. And then enjoy it.
THAT’s the essence of what Horace was getting at.
Life is preciously brief. Today—and, more precisely, THIS MOMENT!—is something to be enjoyed and lived to its fullest.
So…
Our +1°…
Pluck the day!
Eat it like your favorite piece of fruit.
And, savor every bite.
P.S. I hope you enjoyed that Areté +1° from my new book Areté: Activate Your Heroic Potential. The book will be shippable on Nov 14th—right before Black Friday… in time to make it the perfect holiday gift?!? 🤷♂️ 🤓 🙌
I wanted to let you know that we have some special giveaways if you think you might like to pre-order the book and even more goodies if you think you might want to give the book away this holiday season. Here’s the deal!
Pre-order 1 copy and get a free advance reader copy of the eBook today!
Pre-order 3 copies and get a free advance copy of the eBook AND the audiobook AND a limited-edition Areté coin.
Pre-order 10 copies of the book and get all that plus an AUTOGRAPHED advance hardcover reader copy sent to you immediately inside the Areté VIP Box packed with other goodies including 10 (!) free annual Heroic memberships for your gift recipients!
Pre-order 25 copies and get all that plus a free ticket to our launch event-party in Austin on November 10th-12th.
Pre-order 50+ copies and get a big discount!
Place your order here: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Indies
Let us know when you have so we can hook you up: heroicpbc.typeform.com/preorder
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