"Waiting on the World to Change" is the most frustrating song. He mentions that people pretty much feel powerless against world leaders. If we were powerless, Mr. Mayer, we wouldn't be a democracy and other countries would not be striving to have our government's structure. I'm not big on politics, but I do know that the US citizens can mobilize for change, and we freakin better not be waiting on the world. Gandhi, and most recently President Obama, said it themselves...we must be the ones to provoke the change. The here and now is us. We cannot wait because tomorrow is not promised.
Picasso said it best: "Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone."
Are you willing to wait until change happens, risking even more suffering and turmoil for our future generations? If you are one of those people who think that the future doesn't matter anyway because you won't be here for it...this is what I have to say to that: YO, THIS WORLD IS NOT ABOUT YOU. OTHERWISE, IT'D END WHEN YOU DIE. But it goes on, buddy, and it will long after you're six feet under. We're not on Earth solely to fulfill our individual needs; otherwise, coexisting wouldn't be necessary.
That's just my rant for the morning. Man, John Mayer, you kinda lost my respect, unless I'm misinterpreting the song.
Anyway, have a good day people and think on this.
Showing posts with label impact. Show all posts
Showing posts with label impact. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Friday, July 3, 2009
mindXposed Quote of the Week
"To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment." - Ralph Waldo Emerson
We all want to keep our images straight, hoping that people understand us and know who we truly are. However, sometimes the people we care about give us advice, or see us differently than how we see ourselves, and that's a conflict.
We metaphorically stunt our growth when we take into consideration what people think of us and make decisions based on how they feel rather than on how we feel. For instance, say you grew up playing a sport, and you're really into it. However, Mom and Dad think you'll be better off playing a different sport. You grow up not knowing just how great you could have been in the sport you love more than anything because you gave it up to do something else that did not suit you in order to keep them happy. Or you're not the drinking type, but you go to a party where everyone is liquored up. You don't want to be an outcast, so despite yourself, you get down with the party.
I could go on with examples, but I don't feel like it and you get the idea, I'm sure. There are millions I could go over, big and small. It ain't easy living up to your own expectations when the people you care about most have their own expectations of you, and they let it be known loud and clear that they don't like what you're doing, or they think you can do something they believe is better for you, even though you're content and you're not hurting anybody or yourself. Even the strongest people falter in order to make others happy, sacrificing what they want in order to keep their reputations right, or to keep up an "appearance" that they want others to see them as.
In this world, Emerson is straight up correct, being true to yourself takes work and is a serious accomplishment.
We all want to keep our images straight, hoping that people understand us and know who we truly are. However, sometimes the people we care about give us advice, or see us differently than how we see ourselves, and that's a conflict.
We metaphorically stunt our growth when we take into consideration what people think of us and make decisions based on how they feel rather than on how we feel. For instance, say you grew up playing a sport, and you're really into it. However, Mom and Dad think you'll be better off playing a different sport. You grow up not knowing just how great you could have been in the sport you love more than anything because you gave it up to do something else that did not suit you in order to keep them happy. Or you're not the drinking type, but you go to a party where everyone is liquored up. You don't want to be an outcast, so despite yourself, you get down with the party.
I could go on with examples, but I don't feel like it and you get the idea, I'm sure. There are millions I could go over, big and small. It ain't easy living up to your own expectations when the people you care about most have their own expectations of you, and they let it be known loud and clear that they don't like what you're doing, or they think you can do something they believe is better for you, even though you're content and you're not hurting anybody or yourself. Even the strongest people falter in order to make others happy, sacrificing what they want in order to keep their reputations right, or to keep up an "appearance" that they want others to see them as.
In this world, Emerson is straight up correct, being true to yourself takes work and is a serious accomplishment.
Friday, April 17, 2009
mindXposed Quote of the Week
"Every man I meet is my superior in some way. In that, I learn of him." - Ralph Waldo Emerson
I found this quote in Dale Carnegie's How to Win Friends and Influence People. I have yet to finish the book because I keep losing it, but I am halfway through, and now that it's in my possession again, I'll do my best to keep it in sight. But this isn't about the progress I am making in reading the book; this is about the quote. So let me continue...
Emerson made a great point, which I kind of touched upon in my post "Your Past..." in which I said that everyone, no matter how long or briefly you have known a person, has some kind of influence over you. Every person you come across is someone you can learn from, no matter where they came from or how far advanced they are in their formal education. In fact, the more different you are, the more you can learn.
Everyone's life experiences are different; therefore, you can take something valuable from someone else's story. Life is too short to experience everything ourselves, and human relationships and interaction are important in shaping who we are.
I absolutely love meeting new people and listening to stories. I am constantly learning. We have to humble ourselves in order to better ourselves. We cannot shrug off advice from a young child or from someone who quit high school. We cannot ignore the words of someone of a different religion or sexual orientation just because their beliefs or actions are not like ours.
We are no better than each other, and if we lived by what Emerson stated, imagine how much more intelligent and logical we would be as a whole. Imagine how much more understanding we would be of each other, and how much more grateful we would be for sharing this world with each other.
I found this quote in Dale Carnegie's How to Win Friends and Influence People. I have yet to finish the book because I keep losing it, but I am halfway through, and now that it's in my possession again, I'll do my best to keep it in sight. But this isn't about the progress I am making in reading the book; this is about the quote. So let me continue...
Emerson made a great point, which I kind of touched upon in my post "Your Past..." in which I said that everyone, no matter how long or briefly you have known a person, has some kind of influence over you. Every person you come across is someone you can learn from, no matter where they came from or how far advanced they are in their formal education. In fact, the more different you are, the more you can learn.
Everyone's life experiences are different; therefore, you can take something valuable from someone else's story. Life is too short to experience everything ourselves, and human relationships and interaction are important in shaping who we are.
I absolutely love meeting new people and listening to stories. I am constantly learning. We have to humble ourselves in order to better ourselves. We cannot shrug off advice from a young child or from someone who quit high school. We cannot ignore the words of someone of a different religion or sexual orientation just because their beliefs or actions are not like ours.
We are no better than each other, and if we lived by what Emerson stated, imagine how much more intelligent and logical we would be as a whole. Imagine how much more understanding we would be of each other, and how much more grateful we would be for sharing this world with each other.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
mindXposed Quote of the Week
This is something new I am doing on my blog because I like quotes. They make you think, and sometimes people say things in better ways than you can. Besides this week, you can expect a new quote every Friday.
"It isn't ever going to be today again." - Tom Hopkins in How to Master the Art of Selling
The last thing I expected while reading a book on how to sell was a general life lesson. I expected this book to be very technical, and was pleasantly surprised by this quote. The quote speaks for itself, but it is worth a thousand words. I read the sentence in the book and immediately stopped reading. I was so intrigued by this quote that I posted it next to my bedroom door as a reminder every time I leave my room. "It isn't ever going to be today again." You only get one chance to live today, one chance to make an impact, one chance to make a difference. If you knew today was going to be your last day, what would you do? Would you forgive someone who did you dirty? Or would you seek forgiveness from someone you did wrong? What places would you visit? What kind of lessons or advice would you share with your children? In what ways would you give back to your community before it is too late?
"It isn't ever going to be today again." So, what are you going to do?
"It isn't ever going to be today again." - Tom Hopkins in How to Master the Art of Selling
The last thing I expected while reading a book on how to sell was a general life lesson. I expected this book to be very technical, and was pleasantly surprised by this quote. The quote speaks for itself, but it is worth a thousand words. I read the sentence in the book and immediately stopped reading. I was so intrigued by this quote that I posted it next to my bedroom door as a reminder every time I leave my room. "It isn't ever going to be today again." You only get one chance to live today, one chance to make an impact, one chance to make a difference. If you knew today was going to be your last day, what would you do? Would you forgive someone who did you dirty? Or would you seek forgiveness from someone you did wrong? What places would you visit? What kind of lessons or advice would you share with your children? In what ways would you give back to your community before it is too late?
"It isn't ever going to be today again." So, what are you going to do?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
