This post is part of a series in which Influencers describe the books that changed them. Follow the channel to see the full list.
In high school, I had a wonderfully gifted English teacher who believed that all students should learn to appreciate fine literature. At the center of his focus was the epic poem Paradise Lost by John Milton.
The premise of the poem is Satan's fall from grace after he leads a rebellion of one third of the angels in Heaven, and how he dealt with the realities he faced due to the choices he had made.
Milton’s poem was not based on religious beliefs, but rather a critical assessment of two very human emotions – pride and jealousy. It could not have been a better selection for a teenage youth deep in the midst of contemplating life’s choices, nor could I have imagined how many of its lessons I would draw on so many years later.
The mind is it’s own place, and in itself, can make a Heaven of Hell, and a Hell of Heaven.This reflection by the main character offered a brief glimpse of his regret, having allowed himself to become so overcome by jealousy and the pursuit of “more,” that he had overlooked all of the positive attributes of his circumstances and ultimately decided to rebel.
Better to reign in Hell, than to serve in Heaven.Here, in a state of denial, the main character proudly states to his followers that despite their dismal surroundings resulting from the rebellion they waged, he would much rather reign as the king of this new domain, than to serve in a much better environment. Of course, occurring simultaneously in Heaven, is the statement of a loyal angel who proudly states “Better to serve in Heaven, than to reign in Hell.”
So what lessons did this teach me? Every circumstance presents a series of positive and negative attributes, and it is up to you to look for the silver lining. In my career, I cannot count the number of times I have seen younger leaders leave companies they love -- only to make the change and find themselves miserable afterwards. The most common driver of their decision is that they want to be a vice president or a CEO by a certain time frame – and then feel slighted by the promotion of someone else, or seeing a peer they had gone to school with achieve their desired rank someplace else.The life lesson I have always drawn from Paradise Lost is to first seek an environment where you can be true to yourself, and in which you can be the best you possible. In other words, choose the environment before you choose the role. Once you find yourself in that place, focus all of your energy on doing the job you have, versus “running for office.” Volunteer for assignments or jobs that are viewed as the most difficult, or that no one else wants, stretching you in ways that stimulate personal growth, while building your reputation as a “go to” person. Finally, keep score based on the outcomes you create, not the promotions you receive. In the end, if you have selected the right environment, and have done your job well, all will work out.
All these years later, after being inspired by the complex passages found in Paradise Lost, I thought I had an inside track to knowledge that others who had not read the poem had missed. That was until my youngest daughter came home from Middle School and told me her principal’s message to students each morning over the school intercom: “today can be a good day or a bad day, and the choice is yours.” John Milton could not have said it better himself!
Photo: Illustration for “Paradise Lost“ by Gustave Doré, 1866.
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