Mental Floss 001: Greatness Needs No Explaination
New blog series! Who dis?
I’ve tried over and over again to be consistent with this blog page, so in an attempt to do so, this post will hopefully be the first in a series of “Mental Floss” posts that I will try and publish regularly. Most will be written by me, but look forward to hearing from some our box leaders like Colty, Stacey, Caleb, and the like! So without further ado…
Stop worrying about being understood. PERIOD.
Now I am going to take the next few paragraphs to try to get you to understand what I mean by that statement. Shhh…It will all make sense in a little while. Just let me be and continue reading.
If you have ever had a goal different from the people you interact with on a day-to-day basis, then I am sure you have spent tireless amounts of time explaining again and again why you make the choices that you make and how you came to the decision to pursue your goals in the first place. It is really an unnecessary conversation to have overall. Unless you are in need of help or sponsorship in pursuit of your goals, or if the other person is pursuing the same or a similar goal, then you are really just talking to someone that will never understand.
Take for instance the child in the family who is the first to go to college in a long line of day laborers. Dad and his dad before him learned all of the necessary skills for a full career in the trades while they were still in high school and were able to hit the ground running in the factory down the street once they graduated. Or perhaps they even started up a family landscaping business after years of developing their business sense by mowing lawns as a teenager. Whatever the task may be, they didn’t see the need to spend 4 years in college to be successful. Now it’s the next generation’s turn to start a life outside of the home and that’s exactly what they want to do. The world is shifting and businesses are expanding. There are so many other career paths that have caught the young man’s eye. And perhaps one in particular that has set his heart on fire!
How can this young man explain that he has chosen to leave the family business (and perhaps the county and state) to spend the next 6-8 years to learn how to become a healthcare professional, a lawyer, or a scientist to name a few professions? Perhaps he will garner the support of his family and community but they will never understand why “good” just never seemed “good enough.” Trust me! “Good” vs “good enough” was never the issue. We are all unique and not one person on this planet needs to understand every nuance of your character, interests, or why you divide your time the way that you do.
This means that when you set the alarm to get up at 4am to journal, or read, or go to the gym, you have no obligation to explain why you have chosen to do so. When you choose to go to bed at 9pm on a Friday night and not spend your time socializing over a few drinks, its okay! Your goals are different. Not necessarily better. Just different. Others owe you as much of an explanation as you owe them. NONE! Unless there is a concern that someone is endangering themselves or others, GET OUT OF THE WAY!!! It’s what you want for yourself, isn’t it?
Everyone wants to be understood. It’s part of our nature. We are social creatures. Some more than others, but no man is an island. It’s important to find support and to surround yourself with people that have similar interests, but don’t waste your time trying to explain your 1,000 reasons why or why not to someone that is constantly questioning you and not pushing you towards your goals. My wife doesn’t always understand the way that I eat, why I choose to get up earlier than everyone else, why I take baths in epson salt, and visit the chiropractor regularly. She asks why and I tell her and she still doesn’t get why it’s such a “big deal,” but I do. And that’s okay! She supports me and even reminds me of my own standards I’ve set for myself sometimes, so I am not being hypocritical. I need her and she needs me to communicate to her. I need her to understand that my life and pursuits are “strange,” but I don’t need her to get it or even do the same things that I’m doing. You do you and and I’mma do me, so to speak. Get someone in your corner if you can. If not, don’t fret. Keep doing what drives you. Someone is watching and learning.
Bottom line: Get with those that get where you’re going! So long as you know where that is. Even if you don’t, it’s crucial that you at least know your next step. Count the minutes and make each minute count. Don’t waste time wondering if you should or shouldn’t pursue what moves you just because there are people that won’t understand. You do you, and I’mma do me! Do something important. Be someone important. Leave a mark, broad and thick, on this paper thin culture and I’ll be your biggest fan!
P.S. Feel free to quote me on any of this, although I’m sure it’s all been said before. Now let’s get out there and start a revolution!