"However, I began meditating at about that time and have continued on and off over the years"
About this Quote
The quietest flex in Daniel Goleman’s line is its refusal to perform enlightenment. “Began meditating” could be the opening to a conversion story, but he undercuts the expected arc with a shrug: “continued on and off.” That modesty is strategic. Goleman made his name translating inner life into public language - emotional intelligence as a skill set, not a mystic gift - and this sentence works like his broader project: demystify, normalize, keep it usable.
The intent reads as credibility without evangelism. He’s signaling firsthand contact with the practice while dodging the guru trope. “About that time” hints at a formative period (Goleman’s early exposure to Asian contemplative traditions and the 1970s Western fascination with meditation), but he doesn’t romanticize it. The temporal vagueness is also a rhetorical shield: the story isn’t about a single revelation; it’s about a habit that competes with life.
The subtext is almost behavioral-science in its realism. Meditation isn’t a permanent identity; it’s a tool people pick up, drop, and return to when the costs and benefits shift. In an era when mindfulness gets marketed as a lifestyle brand or workplace productivity hack, “on and off” is an anti-slogan. It suggests a durable relationship rather than a pristine streak.
Context matters: Goleman’s authority comes from bridging research, psychology, and contemplative practice. This line positions him in that bridge-space - experienced, skeptical of hype, and more interested in what actually sticks than what sounds impressive.
The intent reads as credibility without evangelism. He’s signaling firsthand contact with the practice while dodging the guru trope. “About that time” hints at a formative period (Goleman’s early exposure to Asian contemplative traditions and the 1970s Western fascination with meditation), but he doesn’t romanticize it. The temporal vagueness is also a rhetorical shield: the story isn’t about a single revelation; it’s about a habit that competes with life.
The subtext is almost behavioral-science in its realism. Meditation isn’t a permanent identity; it’s a tool people pick up, drop, and return to when the costs and benefits shift. In an era when mindfulness gets marketed as a lifestyle brand or workplace productivity hack, “on and off” is an anti-slogan. It suggests a durable relationship rather than a pristine streak.
Context matters: Goleman’s authority comes from bridging research, psychology, and contemplative practice. This line positions him in that bridge-space - experienced, skeptical of hype, and more interested in what actually sticks than what sounds impressive.
Quote Details
| Topic | Meditation |
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