Ouch!
Being a Contribution.
That is an interesting concept. The chapter title alone has me riffling through the catalogue in my mind of my life- have I been a contribution?
Occasionally, probably more often than I would like to admit, I am a stranded starfish. I wait, somewhat impatiently, on the beach for the woman to come along and toss me back into the ocean- to save me. At times, I have even been the man filled with mockery asking others "why would you bother to do that- it is silly, useless, stupid, etc.?" I know that I need to be the woman on the beach- set my mind to what I want to accomplish, no matter how small, and not let anyone or anything stand in my way. The question is: how can I transform my thinking from that of the starfish to that of the woman on the beach?
According to Zander, it is as easy as declaring yourself to be so and making it happen with purpose and conviction. Could she be right? Could it be that simple? Perhaps. Although, it now dawns on me that there are steps to follow- much like any self-help program. I cannot dare to declare myself a contribution without first being more positive and then envisioning my future self. Could there me something to this after all?
I really need to adhere to Rule Number Six and remember that there are no other rules. I am quite sure that on some level that that is the secret to limiting stress. Perhaps if I did not take myself so seriously, I would alleviate many issues and problems that I now view as hugely insurmountable. My calculating self is destroying me slowly. Unfortunately, it is a constant reminder of my failures, so much so, that I cannot even glimpse the positive. Whenever I attempt something new, it reminds me of the past failures and then my fear of failure overwhelms me and I get to the point where I don't even want to try anything new for fear of failing at it. If I don't try, I can't fail. Why can't my central self have that much impact on me and my thinking?
Could it really be as easy as following Rule Number 6?
I appreciate your efforts to be real and reflective at the same time. You're right, it isn't easy.
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