The Grand Design: A Meditation on Creativity, Ambition, and Building A Personal Mythology

The Meditations #3

by James A. Owen

“This book brings together all of the ideas I explored with the previous volumes in The Meditations series (Drawing out the Dragons and The Barbizon Diaries) about all of the things I know and believe are most important in choosing to live an extraordinary life. Significance is a choice, and the extraordinary can always be chosen. That’s everything. And that’s all." – James A. Owen

Genres: Nonfiction

101 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 10, 2013

Reviews

[papasteve · Rating 3 out of 5]

An amazing sermon of the human potential movement, and James knows how to preach it and live it. Personal examples of his own experiences make this an inspiring read. Although I see the hope of human potential in more theological terms, rather terms like "following your signal" or "realizing the power of your choices," both of which are valid points, they leave God entirely out of the picture. The problem with James' "personal mythology", in my mind, is that he doesn't take personal waywardness (read, sin) seriously enough, which will always doom us. The only way to take sin seriously is with something bigger to take care of it (read, God). Only with God taking care of our proclivity towards self-destruction via sin will we reach our greatest potential. Sorry, but I just don't think we can reach that potential by making the right choices, and claiming our own personal power, and doing the right thing for the right reasons. The very self we are trying to build up will be the one that constantly gets in our way. That's why someone like St. Paul could write, "...the power of sin within me keeps sabotaging my best intentions, I obviously need help! I realize that I don't have what it takes. I can will it, but I can't do it. I decide to do good, but I don't really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway...Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time" (Romans 7:17-20). That something that's gone wrong deep within us will sabotage our "human potential" every time. Until that deep wrong is dealt with, we will bear the fruit of human frustration, as Paul describes, rather than human potential. Dealing with that deep wrong is God's work, and only by God who is our Creator and Maker, will we ever find out what we were meant to be.

[Scott Wozniak · Rating 2 out of 5]

I absolutely LOVED the first two books in this series. I really wanted to love this book, too. But it wasn't even in the same ballpark as the first two. Partly, it was a rehash of material in the first two books (whole sections on the exact same topics). Mostly, it was over-grand and under-specific. It wandered around on the same basic ideas.

Sadly, I don't think it added anything to the series--not even a better treatment of the same ideas. Just read the first two. They are wonderful. Skip this one.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

A perfect conclusion to this trilogy of inspiring books. I've been waiting for this book for two years and my anticipation was met with admiration.

[Scott Lee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Neither of the continuing volumes in what I understand is soon to be a four book "Meditations" series which began with Drawing out the Dragons has quite matched the enchanting excellence of that first volume, but there's still a lot of room for very, very good stuff. It's kind of like saying well, "it's not quite _______________,..." where your personal absolute favorite writer is inserted in the blank.

In this third volume Owen deals mostly with consciously controlling and creating our own narrative. Shaping ourselves and our lives. Not denying truth, or being "inauthentic," but a projection of the idea that we either actively shape ourselves or allow ourselves to be passively shaped by others and outside forces that goes a bit further than most are willing to. I think he's done another excellent job here, and that his ideas are spot on. The book just doesn't hit quite as hard as the first one.

[Cynthia Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, this book is the perfection conclusion to Mr. Owen's Meditations Triology with stories and wisdom about building your own mythology. These are words I needed to hear, James has a way to know what is true and what will help the whole from the Macrocosm and Microcosm. Written with love and true, its the best read I can think of. Go ahead and read Drawing Out the Dragons, The Barbizon Diaries, and The Grand Design, you'll won't regret it!

[Annalee · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first two books in this series fundamentally shook me to the core. This one then shattered all previous beliefs I once held about our own individual strength, purpose, and ability to achieve our Grandest Dreams. This is a story exceptionally told and expertly written.

[Amy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A meditation on creativity and the author's artist ancestors. I enjoyed many of the ideas, but I couldn't get a firm hold on the structure of the book, and it interfered with the enjoyment for me!

Also, I pretty much hate any iteration of The Secret's you-attract-what-you-deserve.

[Steven · Rating 5 out of 5]

The final book of this trilogy really drives home the inspirational messages of the first two books and this one.

Be an Awesomist!