Even in this increasingly complicated world, there lives within each of us an astonishing and wondrous potential for greatness. It’s an inherent force—a pure potentiality, a healing and creative power, realized through you in all of your actions—and because there is only one of you and there will never be another you, the realization of your complete and true self, what Buddhists refer to as your “original self”, is immeasurably valuable and imperative. That true self is most evident in those moments whenever we express love, compassion and a genuine concern for the well-being of all sentient forms of life—what we offer each other, seemingly without second thought, in those most desperate times of life.

Whenever we ask the question, “What does the world need?”, especially now as the future grows increasingly uncertain and perilous, the resounding answer is “You.” You are the missing link. “You are what the world needs now.” If you never realize this for yourself and actualize it in your lifetime, it will never exist in any other medium and will be lost forever, and in the words of William Shakespeare, in the end, “All are punished; all are punished.”

To never lose your passion for learning, especially the knowledge that leads to self-realization; to fully realize your own strengths so that you may achieve your personal vision, while helping others achieve theirs; to always choose to be a bold participant in life, rather than a timid, feverish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy, so that you may develop the self-confidence you will need to meet all the challenges life will throw at you; to always remember that the only true happiness comes from loving others and living your life as a benefit for others; to have the fortitude that comes from resisting impulses to criticize yourself and judge others; to refuse to discriminate with your gifts and talents or to harm what you may not yet understand; and to dedicate your life to cultivating the finest virtues and character of a fully realized human being, what Buddhists call “Buddha”, this is the real meaning of “being spiritual”, of living a Zen-Inspired Life. But most of all: “What the World Needs Now!”

Be bold. Be you. Listen to Rumi when he writes: “Forget safety. Live where you fear to live. Destroy your reputation. Be notorious.”

Hurry, there is no time to waste!