Here's What REALLY Makes You Stronger
- Author Andy Kay
- Published April 20, 2017
- Word count 614
Back in the 19th century, there was a profoundly cool, albeit rather eccentric man – (a Ger-man!) – by the name of Friedrich Nietzsche.
While he has since been sadly misunderstood by many, Nietzsche is generally considered one of the all-time greatest Western philosophers.
You might know him by this one catchy little omni-quoted paraphrase:
"That which does not kill us only makes us stronger".
This one quote is all over the place. But most often heard in situations where someone needs to give themselves or someone else a little pepping-up.
One might argue that the saying has been watered down. After all, if Kelly Clarkson AND Kanye West have centered songs about it (presumably after having seen it in one of those "inspirational" internet pictures), perhaps it shouldn’t exactly be considered philosophy anymore.
But more important, the saying is not entirely true.
On the contrary, one might argue that if we got stronger every time something simply didn’t kill us, by far the majority of Earth’s population would be pretty fucking amazing.
… But we’re not.
An alcoholic breaks up his home and his family drinking. He loses his job and his house, and ends up on the streets. And yet, he keeps on drinking. Because his addiction is stronger than his will.
An unemployed person sends out a standardized job application to 200 companies, of which only 10 answer him, all saying that they’re not hiring at the moment. But they’ll "keep his application and let him know if anything becomes available"… Which they don’t. And as he sends out 200 more applications, he keeps wondering why they never write him back.
Ring a bell?
And, of course, aging itself will eventually stop the regeneration of our cells, slowly withering us until our bodies finally quit. Oh, and if someone chopped off my arms and legs or injected me with HIV, I’d be facing Hell, dead or not.
(Happy times!)
Fortunately, we CAN grow stronger. But as with most other things in life, WE have to do the hard work. Meaningful growth simply doesn’t happen unless we
LEARN FROM OUR MISTAKES!
If you don’t learn from your mistakes, how can you expect to improve yourself??
And furthermore: Do you want to be someone who keeps making the same mistakes over and over? Of course not. Nobody does!
However, when most people mess something up, or have something bad happen to them, they pity themselves and blame circumstances rather than prevent their problem from occurring again, – or even prepare for it!
Why is this? I see a couple of possible explanations:
-
Self-pity is a comfortable and convenient source of instant gratification — and possibly attention.
-
People are afraid of the judgment that might come from being the source of their own problems. Playing the blame game is easy and comfortable because it conveniently ignores one’s own responsibility for one’s own life.
-
Both of the above are way easier than to get one’s act together and do some focused, proactive work.
When we learn from our mistakes, something funny happens:
It stops being a mistake!
Not only have you ensured it’ll never happen again, you have also improved yourself. Suddenly, it goes from being a mistake to being an improvement point.
Speaking of quotes, Thomas Edison, (although he was a complete tool who stole most of Nikola Tesla’s ideas) had this one great quote on learning from our mistakes:
"I have not failed. I’ve just found 10.000 ways that don’t work".
Just remember: There’s nobody to do it for you. It’s up to YOU to locate your improvement points, and act upon them.
As a confidence coach, Andy Kay helps people who are held back -- by fear, overwhelm, anxiety, indecisiveness, anything. After years studying confident, successful people, he knows what works and what doesn't. He doesn't tolerate "spiritual" BS about "higher powers" and "purposes". -- We have access to all the power we need to achieve our own purposes; period. Visit https://www.getconfidencecoaching.com and get confidence and empowerment by mail!
Article source: https://articlebiz.comRate article
Article comments
There are no posted comments.
Related articles
- How to prepare for a house clearance, a few tips from experts
- Adapting to Rising Parcel Rates in 2024 with Business Central and Order Ship Express
- Not All LED Lights Are Created Equal
- Zoviz Launches New Solutions Day by Day to Users as An AI Logo Maker
- Campervan Maintenance: All You Need to Know
- Fighting the Silent Epidemic: Safeguard Your Child's Future with Vitamin D Screening at KinderCure | Dr. Garima Mengi
- 5 Inspiring Stories of Women Who Achieved Gorgeous Lashes with Careprost Eye Drops
- Is Your Finance Strategy Ready for ERP Software?
- A Beginner's Guide to Starting a Career in Web3
- The Vital Role Of The Courier Industry: Connecting People, Businesses, And Communities
- Learning From Successes And Setbacks: The Importance Of Post-Bid Analysis In Professional Bid Writing
- Music And Identity: Exploring The Role Of Music In Shaping Culture And Identity
- Demystifying Dental Myths: Separating Fact From Fiction
- Expert and Little Known Tips for Limestone Floor Maintenance
- Explanation of how to improve the quality of low-resolution videos
- Do Compelling Marketing Pictures Unlock Sales Potential?
- Combining Science and Aesthetics: The Practical Benefits of Veneers
- These are my thoughts about the audience, topics, and purpose of my writing.
- Enhancing Child Health with Mindfulness: Insights from KinderCure’s Dr. Garima Mengi
- Blast Off into Adventure: 15 Must-Read Science Fiction Books!
- The Journey to Self-Love: Embracing Your Inner Worth
- Is Laser Eye Surgery A Permanent Fix?
- Gaslighting Tactics Exposed: Strategies for Combatting Psychological Abuse
- The Remarkable Role of Cellulose in Weight Management
- Advanced Rolfing Fort Worth Dallas & Power Yoga
- Advanced Rolfing Fort Worth Dallas Is The New #1 Paradigm Pain Manager
- 5 Powerful Benefits Of Certified Advanced Rolfing In Fort Worth: Discover A New Level Of Well Being
- 7 Life Changing Benefits of Advanced Rolfing Fort Worth Dallas You Need to Experience
- Advanced Rolfing Fort Worth Dallas | 10+ Benefits For Orthopedic Health
- Advanced Rolfing Fort Worth Dallas & Advanced Rolf Movement