Part II
In my opinion many of us feel like we've made deposits into society, yet we are unable to make withdrawals. But the truth is, I don't wonder about what the world owes me any longer.
I know better, through a long arduas road of mental, physical, emotional and financial struggle, I've come to understand that the world really doesn't owe me anything. I've already been paid. Don't think so….well listen..
We get our gifts at birth. We're here. We're alive. We're given a set of circumstances, many to overcome, whether it be (in my case) race, poverity and others have some to elevate us. And yes, sometimes it seems that the way the world works is unfair. But from a long-range view, is that truly the reality?
What's really the difference between you and the next guy? Is the next person better off than you, smarter than you, faster to pick things up? Maybe, maybe not. But even in that capacity, the main differences between someone who is successful and someone who is living paycheck to paycheck or no check has nothing to do with that.
It has to do with determination, and taking advantage of the opportunities presented to you, more than anything else. The paths to the belief in yourself that yield that determination are many, but the end of that path is the same: success.
So who cares if the next person was born well off, or has some advantages or is smarter than you? Is it fair no, but don't make excuses to why you can't succeed. The rode to success for them will just be easier than your.
Between two people on an otherwise even keel, with the same chance for success, the tie-breaker trait is the willingness to do what it takes to get where they want to go. And that person is more likely to keep their eyes open for that chance to shine.
Nothing you ever learn from me or anyone else is magic- if I had a magic wand that would *poof* bring everyone success and instill the principles it takes to maintain it. I'd do it.
I'm not done with my journey to success yet. But looking at where I started and where I am now, every pain I had to go through to get here, every moment I had of feeling that I couldn't possibly go on, every tear that was shed, was worth it. It all shaped me into who I am, and makes me grateful every day for every single bit of accomplishment I have made, no matter how small.
Instead of worrying about what the world owes me, I focus on what the world has paid me. I have the opportunity, to make a change for myself and my children. The problem a lot of us have is that we don't ask questions, we fall into the cycle of acceptance. That's why the cycle of poverity continues. I didn't grow up w/ a silver spoon in my mouth (my next blog I will share my life childhood) but I asked questions. I had aspirations of obtaining more that what was around me.
In return for the hard work, I received the dividend of results. For my optimism, I got the ability to change my own universe through the power of thought and positive, well-timed action. In exchange for obeying the laws of attraction, I have more blessings in my life than I could have ever imagined.
We are not so much owed by the world, as we are indebted to its gifts, such as the ability to give.
posted by Guide_to_life at 11:18 AM
10 Comments:
give what?
give of yourself...passing on of knowledge
Many people today, especially in our community, are addicted to glamour. Now, while the word glamour often conjures images of limousines, flawless make-up and champagne, that may not always be the case. People often perceive a glamorous life-style in some of the most unorthodox of places. The problem is glamour without the pain and sacrifice of draining and boring work EVERYDAY.
For instance, drugs can be glamorous to some people (especially because you don’t need to “work” very long, and get paid that day in cash). Theorizing on the essence of “True Blackness,” instead of spending that energy working on a positive tangible project is glamorous to some. Activism that hasn’t budged the Black unemployment rate (or more importantly the number of people actually out of work) is glamorous to some. Theorizing on what other Black people SHOULD do with what they have earned, instead of what the individual should be doing for themselves and their family is glamorous to some. I could go on forever.
But tedious and boring work is not glamorous. I think we fool ourselves into believing that the tedious and trying work that brings expertise in a discipline is some sort of haughty arrogance for stuffy people who walk around with a monocle in their eye. But the truth is, without money, unless you have expertise in something, all you can offer is brute labor; and that doesn’t pay too well these days.
We are the only people that mock and make fun of our educated simply because the technical language they learn in school becomes part of the way they normally speak. To fools, this is “Acting White.” This phenomenon is more than troubling, it’s sad. But the most troubling part is, the same people that mock those with expertise turn around and say “Why aren’t you helping me??”
Many of us are always eager to tell others what they SHOULD be doing with their money and time once they work tirelessly to scratch out a small corner of the world for themselves. That brand of thinking, in and of itself, is deeply rooted in a feeling of entitlement. The thought is that: “If you REALLY loved me, you would do this or that for me (or us).” Rather than: “Congratulations. Man, can you point me in the direction YOU’RE going?? I want better for me and mine, and you look like you know something you can teach.” But no, we must do the whole: “You think you better than me” thing.
Success is becoming a dirty word in our community; it is seen as the antithesis of being Black. That is frightening. In a world that is becoming increasing more dependent on both collective technical expertise and individual achievement, many in our community are rejecting reality in place of a glamorous fiction that is unachievable or incorrect.
The world is a mystery to us because we aren’t steering our children in directions where they can become: Petroleum Engineers, Investment Bankers, Managers of Private Equity Funds/Hedge Funds, Doctors, Attorneys, Botanists, Architects, Certified Public Accounts… and so on.
Now, I’m well aware that some of us might not be familiar with what some of these people do; I know I don’t know about all of them. That’s fine. But we can steer young people in these productive directions, and not in the direction of entitlement, violence, addiction and dependency.
I should know, my illiterate grandparents who never left their small towns in the rural South knew they wanted more for their children; their respective families gave the very little they had, which was mostly love, to point my parents in the right direction. As a community and as individuals, after we point our brothers and sisters in the right direction, it’s up to them to keep going.
I guess all I’m saying is that after working with young people who don’t give a damn, I’ve decided to be more selective in whom I share my time with. I love Black success. But I won’t kiss ANYONE’s ass, especially when I do my best to work with the young, and those who I can see don’t know better, and can do better.
THE PROBLEM IN NOT IN BEING BLACK, IT’S IN OUR COMMUNITY MENTALITY.
Sorry for the long comment, but I enjoyed your post.
i see a lot of people and wonder how they got where they did. you're right it is determination. for a while i was kind of scared of success. but now i'm determined to be successful. and most of all, happy.
The ability to give. I love that.
I didn't grow up with a lot but I'm doing okay now. I want to make sure my kids don't struggle like I did but I also don't want them to take hard work for granted. They're already spoiled so I find myself pulling back sometimes.
I apprepciate everything I have so much more because I worked for it. No one gave me anything and I like it that way! When folks give you stuff they seem to think that they are due something in return.
"We are not so much owed by the world, as we are indebted to its gifts"
great quote.
your own??
To Guide To Life,
Very interesting, I like how you try to stay focused on what one owes to others and life. I say, the only thing the government owes me is the money they take out of my checks. How eloquently spoken you are guide to life, you should write a book. And, I mean that if you have written books write more SIR! How motivational of you to speak so eloquently and inspirationally.
By Chance
I like this post. Life is all about the journey.
eggsactly how am i supposed to live without a "guide to life" hope the job is going well
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