Something's missing without a mission

Wheels, wardrobe, Walther, women. That stuff takes you a long way to living like Bond, but if you don't have a mission-something compelling to perform-well then, you're all dressed up and no place to go-unlike Bond.

You have the wheels, wardrobe, Walther and women... but do you have a mission?
photo © Sony Pictures

In every book, in every movie, Bond has something important to do. Most of the time, it is of world shaking (not stirring) importance. Find the bombs, beat the bad guy at a high stakes card game, stop the robbery of Fort Knox, stuff like that. What's your mission? Is it compelling, important, sexy? Well, if you are already a spy, you've got that covered. A doctor? You're out there saving lives, or building boobs, or defusing a maniac. Sexy, TV drama kind of things. Maybe you're a lawyer, like me. Defending bad guys, (sometimes "goodfellas"), taking kids away from psycho parents, saving a business from a bogus lawsuit, more sexy TV drama kind of things. That kind of stuff is obvious. But other professions that don't get TV dramas made about them can have cool missions to perform also.

Maybe you're a marketing maven for a pharmaceutical company pushing a new heart drug that can save tens of thousands of lives. That's a Bond type mission-saving lives, lots of them-you against the competition, using your wits. You might be in research and development, making new technological advancements and improvements that can change the world, and that can not only give you a Bond mission, but a "Q" card to go along with it.

But what if you are in some boring kind of job? As Bond might say, "a second hand motor salesman, or a or a yellow press journalist pickled in gin and nicotine." Well, in that case, you have a greater challenge. Your mission, as it currently exists, is about as exiting as writing a love poem to a used tongue depressor. But, this challenge, creates in itself, a new and important mission for you. Your new and important mission is to move yourself out of your current rut, and into a much more interesting position, where you are presented with the kind of challenges/missions that make for good reading, good movies, or at least good conversation at a cocktail party where you are drinking your Vodka Martini shaken not stirred.

Bond lifestyle is style, but it is also substance. The man Bond, is a man with a mighty important mission. A mission that can affect the lives of others-often, many others. Without it, Bond might as well be Pierce Brosnan, qua Pierce Brosnan. So how do you get off the car lot and into a mission with more meat? It might take more education, more intelligent use of your time, some sacrifice of the "now" for the rewards of a "later." But it will take planning, training and effort to go from zero to hero.

What motivates you? What gets the creative juices flowing? If you can't jump into whatever that "what" is now, at least create a plan that will eventually and efficiently get you there as soon as practicable. If you can do some of it now, do it now. Bond is an international man. A gambling man. Plan your vacations accordingly. Learn new languages, learn the rules of the games. Bond is a man of discriminating taste. Plan your wardrobe, your meals, your "bottle of plonk" choices accordingly. Bond is a man of martial skills. Plan your exercise program accordingly. Bond is seen with beautiful women. You're on your own with that one, folks. The point is, after a hard day of trying to sell used cars (made by overpaid underperforming workers) that nobody in their right mind wants to buy, you go home and work on your real mission, Mr. Second Hand Motor Salesman. You break out the language tapes, open a bottle of decent Scotch, Bourbon, Wine, Vodka, etc. You plan your next (and probably first) trip to a Bond location. You work on your inner and outer Bond to be worthy of a worthy mission. If your occupation doesn't allow you to contribute to saving or improving lives, then you can volunteer in your off times to do just that. If you want to get involved in international affairs, at least on some level, get thee to the Encyclopedia of Associations and look up the multitude of such organizations you may be eligible to join.

Be like Bond. Use what you have, where you are now, then improvise, adapt and overcome. Become more, become that man with an important mission. Perhaps the World is Not Enough, but you can make sure that you are.

© 2009 W. Adam Mandelbaum Esq. - justiceneversleeps.net

Author of The Psychic Battlefield A History of the Military-Occult Complex
Member Association For Intelligence Officers
Former operative at NSA
Present New York Attorney