"Whether You Think You Can or Can't, You're Right" - Henry Ford
Very Yoda-esque of ol' Hank Ford, eh? Of course, he's completely right. We succeed or fail not because of our ability or inability to do something but because of whether we think we can or can't.
Or, to quote Yoda, “Do or do not... there is no try.”
While leaving a comment over on one of John's Where's My Plan posts, I remembered something I learned a number of years ago while working out with some powerlifters. The body is capable of so much more than our minds think it is. It isn't whether or not I can benchpress 300 pounds but whether or not I think I can. And, after building up my strength to do it, I did. At a fairly mere weight of a few notches under 170 pounds I benched 305 three times. My body could do it, it was just my mind stopping my from doing it. Once I convinced myself I could do it, I did.
To a point, of course. I'm not saying you can make your mind up to throw a rock to the moon and do it.
But it isn't a stretch to say that you are far stronger, faster, smarter, more powerful and just plain better than you think you are. And the more you believe that, the truer it will be.
Showing posts with label mentality. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mentality. Show all posts
8.24.2009
12.02.2008
Shouting at Jaywalkers, or Mentalassity
I do not get the mentality in this town. I have never gotten the mentality in this town.
From people throwing their trash on the ground when they are less than fifty feet from a trash can to people jaywalking across the street less than twenty feet from a crosswalk. Or the obese mother who not just bumps into you but knocks you back a few feet and then glares at you for having the gall to get in her way.
I should know better than to say something but sometimes I just cannot help myself. I know my words won't be listened to but that they'll instantly respond with a resounding "Fuck You". No surprise really, people don't like to be called on their stupid behaviour and it causes their hackles to rise up immediately and lash back out rather than examine the error of their ways.
I know these things and still I cannot help myself from attempting to make someone take a look at what they are doing and realize that they are in the objective wrong. Yes, I look at my own actions and try to do the right thing. I'm not perfect, I don't always act perfectly but I have the capacity to examine my actions and try to make adjustments to better myself. I just wish more people gave a damn about their own actions, the world would be a far better place.
From people throwing their trash on the ground when they are less than fifty feet from a trash can to people jaywalking across the street less than twenty feet from a crosswalk. Or the obese mother who not just bumps into you but knocks you back a few feet and then glares at you for having the gall to get in her way.
I should know better than to say something but sometimes I just cannot help myself. I know my words won't be listened to but that they'll instantly respond with a resounding "Fuck You". No surprise really, people don't like to be called on their stupid behaviour and it causes their hackles to rise up immediately and lash back out rather than examine the error of their ways.
I know these things and still I cannot help myself from attempting to make someone take a look at what they are doing and realize that they are in the objective wrong. Yes, I look at my own actions and try to do the right thing. I'm not perfect, I don't always act perfectly but I have the capacity to examine my actions and try to make adjustments to better myself. I just wish more people gave a damn about their own actions, the world would be a far better place.
4.15.2008
Strikes One, Two and Three
Just as I was leaving one of my schools yesterday, a parent parked her over-sized SUV in the lot. Nothing unusual, parents treat the staff and teacher parking lot as their own space. Its annoying but I'm pretty used to it by now.
In fact, the parking situation at all of my schools is almost an afterthought and wasn't terribly well thought out and the problem is exacerbated by thoughtless and/or self-absorbed parents.
Anyway, the parent and her son were headed on to campus when I muttered under my breath about what a great parking job she'd done. And it was noteworthy. She had parked in a handicapped space without a placard and was obviously not handicapped (at least not physically) but she'd done such a bad job of parking that she was halfway blocking the wheelchair access ramp. The same ramp I was about to use to get out of the lot and off campus.
She overheard me, apologized and came back to move her car. I didn't really care to wait and just rode off the curb leaving her to think of me as some kind of asshole. Which I am but that's not the point.
The point is she failed before she'd even turned off her car.
1. The parking lot is for teachers and school faculty. Not parents, not dropoffs, not losers in their Fast & Furious toy cars. Teachers and faculty and there aren't enough spaces for us as it is.
2. Parking in a handicapped space is a pretty clear sign that you're a complete asshole. Presuming you're not handicapped, of course. She wasn't yet still felt empowered to park where she had no right.
3. She parked so far over the line as to block the access way for any real handicapped people who might actually come to the campus (and have to park on the other side of the lot because this parent decided to take the handicapped space).
That's three quick and easy strikes she could have easily avoided by just removing her head from her ass before parking in the staff lot. The problem is that there's no way to effectively enforce the rules about not using the staff parking. Which means that the parents abuse the hell out of the system because there's no real way to stop them. Nor would they listen in the first place anyway. Which is where the kids get it from too, I'm sure.
The mentality of the parent's is galling sometimes. Especially when I hear from a teacher about a kid that's been a discipline issue since Kindergarten and the father decides that its his third grade teacher that is the problem. Um yeah, dude, actually YOU are the problem for not being a more active and participating parent.
In fact, the parking situation at all of my schools is almost an afterthought and wasn't terribly well thought out and the problem is exacerbated by thoughtless and/or self-absorbed parents.
Anyway, the parent and her son were headed on to campus when I muttered under my breath about what a great parking job she'd done. And it was noteworthy. She had parked in a handicapped space without a placard and was obviously not handicapped (at least not physically) but she'd done such a bad job of parking that she was halfway blocking the wheelchair access ramp. The same ramp I was about to use to get out of the lot and off campus.
She overheard me, apologized and came back to move her car. I didn't really care to wait and just rode off the curb leaving her to think of me as some kind of asshole. Which I am but that's not the point.
The point is she failed before she'd even turned off her car.
1. The parking lot is for teachers and school faculty. Not parents, not dropoffs, not losers in their Fast & Furious toy cars. Teachers and faculty and there aren't enough spaces for us as it is.
2. Parking in a handicapped space is a pretty clear sign that you're a complete asshole. Presuming you're not handicapped, of course. She wasn't yet still felt empowered to park where she had no right.
3. She parked so far over the line as to block the access way for any real handicapped people who might actually come to the campus (and have to park on the other side of the lot because this parent decided to take the handicapped space).
That's three quick and easy strikes she could have easily avoided by just removing her head from her ass before parking in the staff lot. The problem is that there's no way to effectively enforce the rules about not using the staff parking. Which means that the parents abuse the hell out of the system because there's no real way to stop them. Nor would they listen in the first place anyway. Which is where the kids get it from too, I'm sure.
The mentality of the parent's is galling sometimes. Especially when I hear from a teacher about a kid that's been a discipline issue since Kindergarten and the father decides that its his third grade teacher that is the problem. Um yeah, dude, actually YOU are the problem for not being a more active and participating parent.
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