Jonathots Daily Blog
(2082)
“That stinks.”
Two words normally thrust together when we are in a mood to express our displeasure over some event or individual.
Matter of fact, often we talk about the “smell of success,” so it’s safe to assume that failure has its own distinctive odor. If you think about it, being a human being, you can certainly sniff the whiff of doom, compromise and defeat on another person.
So how do we keep that unpleasant aroma from permeating every pore of our being? There are many schools of thought. The normal diagnosis for such weakness is to express confidence in ourselves and let that exude from our beings as evidence of our pending victory.
But over the years I have learned that confidence leaks and flat-out dumps its load of joy whenever confronted with unexpected difficulty. So some of the more boisterous and bold individuals I have known turned into real chickens–cluckers–in the heat of the frying pan.
Equally as useless is false humility, where we pretend to be modest while secretly storing up a ton of self-assurance to allegedly release at just the right moment when surrounded by trial and tribulation. It’s just another disguise.
There is a path that does remove the stench of inadequacy while also realistically assessing our abilities without either diminishing our capacity or over-reporting our statistics.
“I can’t, yet I do, so I will.”
These are the three ingredients that make us appealing to fellow-travelers, while also keeping balance in our own lives.
1. “I can’t.”
Some folks consider this to be negative, but actually, it’s humility. The gift of knowing your true talents while also being aware of your weaknesses through trial and error is the greatest gift you can give to a comrade–and an endearing one, at that.
Candidly, a truthful person always has the potential of doing more. A liar is stuck with his or her promises.
2. “Yet I do.”
“Even though I have discovered areas of lack, I have taken the time to acquire expertise and am consistently bearing fruit.”
Merely saying “you can’t” without producing something you can do is to be a loser. But knowing what you can’t do while pointing to obvious successes that you’re presently pursuing is balanced human thinking.
3. “So I will.”
I will what? “I will continue to do what I do well, while expressing my energy to humbly try something new.”
This is the trio of emotions that make us appealing to one another–because we say right out loud, “I have a weakness, I have a passion and I have a willingness.”
There is nobody who can counteract, contradict or criticize such candor.
So as you go about your business, especially during this holiday season, don’t be afraid to report your can’t quotient as you give a tally on what you are doing, and also express a desire to pursue more.
This is the sniff of a whiff that lets other human beings know they can draw close … instead of pulling away, repulsed.
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Jonathots Daily Blog 