This I Believe - Striving and Satisfaction
The other day I was driving and listening to CBC. I came upon a program that is hosted by Preston Manning (now we know what former political leaders with 'unique' voices do for retirement). It is called This I Believe. It is modelled after a NPR program of the same name. If you want to see what the NPR program is about go to:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4538138
Essentially this program asks people to share their personal philosophies and their guiding values. Everyone is welcome to participate. Perhaps one day that will be the topic of one of these blog entries.
The program I listened to on CBC featured Julie Payette. She is Canada's Chief Astronaut. As you can imagine her philosophy and values centred on striving and accomplishment
You can listen to or read her statement at:
http://www.cbc.ca/thisibelieve/essays/june04_Julie_Payette.html
The paragraph I like the best is:
"Sure, it is easier to let things happen than to force them, easier to wait for opportunities rather than to create them. It is more convenient to blame circumstances than to try to change them, and there is no doubt that it is simpler to settle for the lowest common denominator or for the class average. In some cases, it is probably OK too."
I think that she captures what is wrong with many people - probably most people at one time of their life or another. We feel we can't make things happen or that opportunities don't come to us or that we only need to be 'good enough' (although I do have opinions about being 'good enough' sometimes - not everyone can be above average).
What great advice and what a way to live - make things happen, create opportunities, strive for the best.
The only thing she doesn't speak about is 'self-satisfaction' - there must be a balance between striving, effort and the willingness to look at yourself and what you have done and tell yourself that it is good. Too many are driven by that notion of perfection - nothing is good enough, there can always be improvements made. Those are good ways to prod yourself to doing more and doing it better. But at some point everyone needs to be able to assess themselves and find a level of acceptance and satisfaction
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4538138
Essentially this program asks people to share their personal philosophies and their guiding values. Everyone is welcome to participate. Perhaps one day that will be the topic of one of these blog entries.
The program I listened to on CBC featured Julie Payette. She is Canada's Chief Astronaut. As you can imagine her philosophy and values centred on striving and accomplishment
You can listen to or read her statement at:
http://www.cbc.ca/thisibelieve/essays/june04_Julie_Payette.html
The paragraph I like the best is:
"Sure, it is easier to let things happen than to force them, easier to wait for opportunities rather than to create them. It is more convenient to blame circumstances than to try to change them, and there is no doubt that it is simpler to settle for the lowest common denominator or for the class average. In some cases, it is probably OK too."
I think that she captures what is wrong with many people - probably most people at one time of their life or another. We feel we can't make things happen or that opportunities don't come to us or that we only need to be 'good enough' (although I do have opinions about being 'good enough' sometimes - not everyone can be above average).
What great advice and what a way to live - make things happen, create opportunities, strive for the best.
The only thing she doesn't speak about is 'self-satisfaction' - there must be a balance between striving, effort and the willingness to look at yourself and what you have done and tell yourself that it is good. Too many are driven by that notion of perfection - nothing is good enough, there can always be improvements made. Those are good ways to prod yourself to doing more and doing it better. But at some point everyone needs to be able to assess themselves and find a level of acceptance and satisfaction
Labels: Julie Payette, striving and satisfaction, This I Believe
posted by Cyril Kesten at 6:04 PM
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