When I think of the word, vulnerable, the word procastination follows right behind it. These two are sister words. When one has to open themselves up for possible annihilation, one tends to back-off and find a different route around the potential hazard, or just stay put if the road block seems to daunting. We are creatures of comfort and naturally take the path that is smooth and easy. How easy it is to fall in this mindset and come to a point in your life where you feel you haven't accomplished or acheived or aspired to do what you know you could do or even wanted to do and along the way a realization occurs; you cut yourself off from many life lessons along the way. Many of which contain enjoyment, enrichment and giving for the betterment of others as well as oneself. I have noticed a pattern in the lives of those who are successful. They are willing to constantly put themselves in the face of failure; they MAKE themsleves vulnerable. They find grit in the face of oppostition and dig their heals in when no one wants to take the time to understand their position. Many times they find themsleves alone but their determination sees them through and during this process they gain a backbone, a stance that can not be shaken and are resolved to be the individual that has reached his potential in spite of the world or limitations set on them by people, oppressive ideology or careless words. There are many in history who have done this as an example for future generations to see and know that being vulnerable has its rewards.
I too have recently had a minor battle with the not so fun part of vulnerabilty and I am actually still in the middle of the guantlet of raw feelings it tests your through. Some of those feelings are of inadequacy, second guessing yourself, putting yourself under the public microscope of scrutiny. Am I going to let rejection, indifference and possible failure change my determination or steal the joy I have had from making a conscience effort to fulfill a small dream. NO WAY! Even if my dream is ignored by the world, kicked under the bed to gather dust bunnies and never gets an iota of recognition I am beginning to learn one valuable lesson vulnerablity tries to teach us; rewards from the world or peers are secondary, the fact you tried, you followed through and did what you said you were gonna do in spite of it all is what first and foremost matters.
I look at Abraham Lincoln and Albert Einstein, and Paul the Apostle; three men who definately had their battles with being vulnerable and think, "what if they threw in the towel?" These three had the stubborn quality to see the goal and despite the obstacles, perservere. Although my battle with being vulnerable is miniscule compared to these wonderful examples, I am aware that the choice I took to allow its lessons have only brought me further along a beautiful path I helped make instead of letting others trod one down for me.
These words of advice have helped me on this maturity lesson and I find them quite entertaining, I hope they can help you too. Oh, and by the way, these quotes are from graduates of vulnerabilty with honors in great success...
“The rate at which a person can mature is directly proportional to the embarrassment he can tolerate.”
Douglas Engelbart (American Inventor, co-invented the computer mouse)
"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." Dr. Suess ( Everyone knows who he is...)
No comments:
Post a Comment