Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Please Pass the Magic Lamp

OK. Imagine that you have a promise that you will be successful in life...the only thing you have to do is and here's the catch...make a choice! That's right the only catch is that you have to choose. And not even that, it's not just one thing, it's pretty much whatever you do you are guaranteed to be successful at. So it's a nice little scenario right. Yeah, I met someone with this guarantee, seriously. I am not at liberty to divulge any details, although I will say it's definitely not at all anything from "the dark side." I have actually known this person for well over a decade. I just never knew about their little golden ticket until the other day. My first reaction, complete and total elation for them. Ok that's good right. My second reaction. Green with ENVY! I want a life like that. And then I thought do I know what I would if I was guaranteed success in no uncertain terms. Would I knit cupcakes and run a bakery of only knitted treats? Would be great for dieters and goats alike! Would I try to do something that is guaranteed large returns? Ooh, I could live on an island and make all my own everything! And order supplies online. What would fund this lifestyle you may ask... The stock market of course. I would be very successful at investing in stocks. I would also be very well read in this scenario and I would speak many languages because of my many travels with my private jet that I fly myself. So seriously, If I had this promise would I be riddled with indecision, frozen with the vastness of life choices? Turns out...I know EXACTLY what I would do. So why haven't I been doing what apparently I have always known back there in my subconscious would bring me true joy? FEAR, fear of failure. Weird that someone else's "golden ticket" would give me such clarity of thought.

Before this happened I had been thinking a lot about this quote and wanting to find it and read it again. I stumbled upon it on someone else's blog. Coincidence? I think not.
"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate, our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be?" –Nelson Mandela
So we don't all lead charmed lives but what about this quote. There is still hope for the rest of us. Flawed though we may be. Success may not always come but I don't know, I feel grateful for the journey, even when it's a trial. And here's why... I have found that my most difficult life moments have given me more personal depth and a greater capacity for compassion than any type of personal growth I have been able to muster up otherwise. I would love to hear your thoughts on this!

Today I'm thankful for your comments!! It has made blogging so much more fun! Thanks guys. I would really love to hear what it is you would do if you were GUARANTEED success!

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yo sister, I'm a bit confused by this golden ticket stuff but I definately think fear keeps people from success. I think ones definitions of success matters a lot too. I've thought a lot about your description of yourself "We never settle for less than what we really want out of life and therefore are always looking for the next adventure." My first thought was-well that's not me, I settle all the time. Then as I thought about it I thought well maybe that is me. I mean I think there are trade offs, and maybe not forever but for lengths of time any way. So I sacrifice things I want but I think in most cases I sacrifice things I want for things I want more. For example I want a really cool fun rewarding job and a happy and secure family. But for now I'm willing to take an okay somewhat interesting job to get the happy and secure family. That doesn't mean I'm not still looking for the really cool fun rewarding job it just means I'll take what I want most until I can have everything I want. I've also been thinking a lot about choices which your post touched on. I was telling the wifer today how I kept seeing two very different futures for us. Both were good they were just different in every way (job, location, family composition, income level, etc.). It seemed strange to me that I would see two so very mutually exclusive futures. No conclusion on that yet just putting it out there. The only thing I can figure is that I've been trying to make some can't go back on that one kind of decisions and maybe my self conscious is trying to push me one way or another on both decisons. Anyway-happy choices.
ps I like the quote, I heard it first on Akeela and the Bee

Anonymous said...

I've been thinking about what you wrote and I think there are different degrees of success. Whether or not we lead charmed lives is up to the way we view our life. For example... Yesterday I had this huge dance performance that was a big part of my grade. I had been practicing for it all semester. I started to feel the pressure and then began to doubt myself. Here I am a Mom (of two now) what am I doing trying to keep up with 18 year olds who are cute and are much better at dancing and letting go then I am? But then I read your blog. I loved the quote by Nelson Mandela, and that's when I decided, I was going to let myself be great, and not be afraid to be fabulous! The performance came, I was front and center, and I danced flawless. After the performance I didn't have a standing ovation, flowers thrown at me, or a contract to dance on Broadway, but I did have a family sitting in the audience who came to watch my flawless performance. And I did feel very successful! Although, afterwards I took Everett home and he pooped on my bed. Will we lead a perfect life... no. Can we lead a charmed life... Definitely YES! Love you Drea! Thanks for helping me out yesterday with my dance performance! I needed it! Love, Katie

Anonymous said...

He pooped on your bed. That's the most hilarious thing I've heard in forever. Too funny. Charmed indeed!

andrea said...

I'm a little slow, but I just realized that I could comment to your comments in here! Thanks Katie! That made me feel so good! love ya!

andrea said...

So Brother, do you care to share your 2 different life options?

Anonymous said...

Hey friend!
I had that mandela quote on my refridgerator for years... mmmmm, now ask me if it was impactful past the first day or two. ;) I have a plethora of other gems all over my fridge if you need any more inspiration! Love you! Thanks for the reminder about that one!

P.S. guess who's having a baby!?!?! you have to call me to find out! bwah ha ha ha!

-love amber