Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Be Bold


(Okay, so technically this image isn't a "perfect fit" for this post, but COME ON! That's just funny right there...)

"What has influenced my life more than any single thing has been my stammer. Had I not stammered...I would have probably gone to Cambridge as my brothers did, perhaps have become a don and every now and then published a dreary book about French literature."

-W. Somerset Maugham (novelist, playwright and short story writer; notable works: Of Human Bondage, The Razor's Edge, The Letter and Rain)

Much emphasis and broo-ha-ha is given to the pursuit of overcoming personal obstacles; of achieving goals despite one's shortcomings and/or lot in life. Who doesn't love a story of someone overcoming the odds and emerging victorious? I know I do.

But sometimes I think these stories - while certainly inspirational and encouraging - may serve as unintentional road blocks to pursuing our dreams, or we think that once we achieve one desired goal the rest of our lives will fall into place.

Fill in the blank:


If only I could _____________ then _____________.


Once I ___________ then I'll be able to _____________.

Here's my challenge to you. Don't use your limitations as excuses for pursuing your dreams. You may just find the very thing you thought was holding you back wasn't really an issue in the first place.


I know this is a busy week for many of us, so I'll leave you with just a few more quotes to ponder:

"When the resolute young fellow steps up to the great bully, the world, and takes him boldly by the beard, he is often surprised to find it comes off in his hand, and that it was only tied on to scare away the timid adventurers." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

"We cannot put off living until we are ready. The most salient characteristic of life is its coerciveness: it is always urgent, here and now, without any possible postponement. Life is fired at us point blank. - Ortega Y'Gasset

"God always gives us strength enough, and sense enough, for everything He wants us to do." - John Ruskin

"If you wait around for the world to give you what you think you deserve, you are going to be sadly disappointed when you get it." - katdish

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Words I needed today. Emerson has so many wisdoms to offer. Thank you for sharing these.
I've been hedging around a few things lately and this post has inspired me to just do it. Hopefully, God will give me the strength to get through it.

~*Michelle*~ said...

"You may just find the very thing you thought was holding you back wasn't really an issue in the first place."

Love this. So true....and I am slowly learning this now that I am approaching a new chapter in my life.

Not sure how well this fits.....but I love this Erma Bombeck quote:

When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, "I used everything you gave me".

Happy Thanksgiving Katdish!

Janet Oberholtzer said...

Good post!!

Over the past few years, I've learned (slowly, but surely) to fully live life physically, even with limitations.

Guess, I need to learn that with my writing. Because it sounds like you are saying that I shouldn't use the excuse that I don't have a degree in creative writing, to stop me from trying to write. So I think I can, I think I can ...

Thanks for the reminder!

Candy said...

Whoa - stop me in my tracks. Love this. "Say something profound,and you will be tweeted." ~Candy

Billy Coffey said...

Wow, that was awesome. We all have limitations. We all doubt ourselves. I think that's part of the process of becoming who we're meant to be. Sometimes our obstacles are really our biggest blessings in disguise.

Jeff Selph said...

That was great. I actually had a conversation this morning about something very similar, but this was a new angle and probably better way of explaining it. Thanks!

Boy Crazy (@claritychaos) said...

your quote was my favorite.

Anonymous said...

Terrific post! The quotes were great and I agree with Boy Crazy... the best one was the katdish original.

bman said...

Always know how to convict me when I'm feeling unproductive...

Thank you. I need that.

Maureen said...

And that one by Wavy Gravy is worth remembering, too:

"We're all just bozos on the bus."

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving, Kathy.

jasonS said...

Hey, we're on similar wavelengths today! I don't know if that's scary for you or scary for me... :)

Tony C said...

I really needed this today in a major way.

Thanks katdish...and thank you Lord.

Sande said...

Amazing. This theme must be something HE wants me to get.

Perfection can wait til eternity ... just enjoy ME, my Grace and what I have made in the skin your in ...!

S. Etole said...

The photo was quite lovely, too ... )

JML said...

Story of my ridiculous life right now! You couldn't have ended that better! I'm going to start kicking A** and taking names! I'm mostly not kidding. Seriously though, good post!!!!