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This One Ancient Line Contains The Key To a Life Of Joy, Purpose, and Meaning

Craig Stanland
3 min readMar 28, 2023

“The cave you fear to enter holds the treasure you seek.”

Joseph Campbell

One of man’s greatest fears is to die with regret.

Regret is as expansive as his own potential and directly proportional to the amount of potential he leaves unfulfilled.

Essentially, how much of himself is he willing to leave unexplored, or as Socrates said, “unexamined?

Regret wears many masks, and they’re rooted in his fears.

  • He fears it’s too late.
  • He fears dying with his gift inside him.
  • He fears his unexplored and unlived life.
  • He fears his last words being, “If only I…”
  • He fears knowing he had more to give but was too afraid to try.
  • He fears never experiencing inner peace and emotional freedom.
  • He fears the moment he realizes playing safe and small served his fear, not his soul.
  • He fears fully understanding what’s essential in life only as his last breath leaves his body.
  • He fears the moment he’s forced to reconcile the balance sheet of his life and realize…

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Craig Stanland
Craig Stanland

Written by Craig Stanland

From corporate success to federal prison, I share my journey to rediscover joy, meaning, and purpose. Join me in reinventing your extraordinary second act!

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