What do you live for and what keeps you going

[20yrsinBranson]

Originally Posted by Escort Rider

To think we are supposed to rise to that level is to set ourselves up for major disappointment.

Seriously? What if Thomas Edison or Albert Einstein or Jonas Salk had thought that way? We are infinitely capable of achiving remarkably great things. You have to set a goal and work tirelessly toward it. Most people find that concept to taxing, so they take the easy way out. To each his own.

But never, ever presume that you know what other people are capable of. You probably don't even have the slightest idea what you are capable of.

20yrsinBranson

[Escort Rider]

Originally Posted by 20yrsinBranson

Seriously? What if Thomas Edison or Albert Einstein or Jonas Salk had thought that way? We are infinitely capable of achiving remarkably great things. You have to set a goal and work tirelessly toward it. Most people find that concept to taxing, so they take the easy way out. To each his own.

But never, ever presume that you know what other people are capable of. You probably don't even have the slightest idea what you are capable of.

20yrsinBranson

Oh yes I do have a fairly accurate idea what I am capable of. If I didn't at age 70 I would be totally lacking in self-awareness.

First, people's talents run in various directions, and very few people are talented in EVERYTHING. Some have a natural ear for music, others excel in math, others in picking up foreign languages, while still others have natural aptitude for working with their hands. (And that list does not exhaust the various areas in which people can excel, of course).

Very few people can be Einstein's, no matter how much they "work tirelessly toward it". To teach children that they "are infinitely capable of achieving remarkably great things" is to set the majority of them up for failure and frustration. You are deluding yourself.

[Saritaschihuahua]

Originally Posted by Escort Rider

To teach children that they "are infinitely capable of achieving remarkably great things" is to set the majority of them up for failure and frustration. You are deluding yourself.

Very true. I'm currently reading a very, very funny book of fiction titled, May Contain Nuts, by a British writer, John O'Farrell. Apparently the trend of over-parenting is no longer isolated to the U.S. The infection has spread to the Brits as well, and they are beginning to engage in helicopter parenting and over-parenting. Very sad.