Becoming Albus Dumbledore: A Well-Organized Mind #MNBHP

To one as young as you, I’m sure it seems incredible, but to Nicolas and Perenelle, it really is like going to bed after a very, very long day. After all, to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure. You know, the Stone was not really such a wonderful thing. As much money and life as you could want! The two things most human beings would choose above all—the trouble is, humans do have a knack of choosing precisely those things that are worst for them.

Dumbledore, PS/SS

Fast forward to book seven. Dumbledore has already passed on to his “next great adventure” and Harry discovers this on his family’s tombstone:

Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

DHs/Matthew 6:21

In Dumbledore’s younger years his heart was with finding ways to defeat death by uniting the Deathly Hallows and on creating a wizard-dominant society for “the greater good.” His mind was focused on glory and greatness, so much so he neglected his family. That neglect led to a battle that killed his sister—and he’ll never know if he cast the killing blow.

That moment changed what Dumbledore treasured. He reorganized his mind away from the pursuit of greatness—as much money and life as he could want—and placed it on fighting the evil that led to his sister’s death. An evil that was embodied in the pursuits of Grindelwald and Voldemort. It is my belief that, that shift in Dumbledore’s priorities (treasures) is what made him the wise, loving man we know and love and not another pursuer of power like Voldemort.

CHALLENGE:

Ask yourself where your treasure is. What occupies most of your time? What is on your mind constantly? Where do you spend/invest most of your galleons? Dumbledore occupied his time with fighting evil by doing good. His mind was set on protecting others not for his glory but so they could live in a world where there is more love than evil or indifference. And his treasure—well it is clear that was with Hogwarts and its students.

Once you figure out where your treasure currently is, ask yourself if that is where you want it to be. Are you pursuing the “Hallows” to save yourself or are you going after the “Horcruxes” to save everyone else? Be honest. And if you realize your treasure is in the wrong place, move it before you make a big mistake. Organize your mind by reorganizing your treasure.

Where is your treasure? Share your answer with us using #MNBHP.

Next Week: Becoming Hermione Granger: Cool Logic in the Face of Fire