Driven

When I put my mind to it….

Success is all relative to a certain position in life. To Bill Gates or the Donald I am a drop in the bucket, but to some folks (like my mom), they think the world of me. It is funny how an opinion me can vary when I remain the same person. Fortunately I stopped living for others approval a long time ago. I now just make sure that before I go to sleep, I am comfortable with the things I did that day. In the end that’s all you have.

So as I am growing older I am finding that I have certain areas that I excel and others that I am lacking or below average. Recently as I was interviewing for jobs they asked me what my greatest weakness is? After thinking about it, I mentioned that my handwriting really needs some help. At the time that’s all I could think of. (If you have never seen it, it is really bad) I am currently listening to an audio book of the “Purpose Driven Life” by Rick Warren. (I listen to it on my daily commute.) This is currently the worlds best selling book. I must admit it offers a certain insights to life and the things we can do. I was turned off though very early by one of its defining keys to success.

Mr. Warren states that you must focus on one thing and do it well. He explains how spreading yourself to thin causes you to loose focus on your ideals and goals. Well, I beg to differ. I agree that being the best you can be in an area is great thing, but I also believe that being versatile is just as important also. Personally, I hate to be pigeon holed by someone for something that I am supposed to be. It is easy to write someone off as being one thing. You can say, “hey that’s guys a surfer, or that guys a band dork, etc…” we all say these things as we try to categorize the people we know into blocks or groups. Truth be told, no one is one thing. We are complex beings with much “more than meets the eye”!! (Transformer shout out)
It is my belief that contrary to Mr. Warren we can do and be anything that we want to be at any given time. The need to belong to a certain group or clique is a dangerous notion to me. We form groups or pacts of acceptance to only the ideals and thoughts that fit into our perspective. A club of millionaires will never understand the struggles on the common man, yet if they mowed their own lawn just like John Doe 6 pack, they may understand that we are more alike than we are apart. I believe that we can do anything if we put our minds to it, yet putting your mind to it requires you to think consciously about the world around you…and that’s just not best selling theory these days.