Some people have more internal fire than others. I myself don't have all that much. Reading Michael Merzenich's "Soft-Wired: How the New Science of Brain Plasticity Can Change Your Life", I find explanations that basically boil down to the need to challenge my body and brain. The good thing about some of the modern software and other tools is that they offer a potential of delivering the right level of challenge of the right sort. But just like exercise and participating in the lottery, you have to buy a ticket. I have to engage in activity to benefit or improve myself.
I feel good when I think I have tried, put forth a good effort, but I know that all effort is eventually in vain. Still, I guess, as long as I want to accomplish something and am able to try, I should.
I realize that the strength of my determination to do something is related to what I am thinking of doing. I have little determination to be a supermodel so it doesn't matter much to me that I seem to have zero chance of a life on the models' runway.
I am suspicious of exhortations to try harder since I see so many of them in the world around me. Besides, the first thing that people try is to exhort, admonish, urge, threaten or otherwise try to challenge and stimulate.
A friend of mine once said that she disliked the idea that each of us can do and be whatever we want. Why? Because if I want to be chairman of the board and I am not, it must be my fault for not trying hard enough. When you admonish me to try harder to play for the Milwaukee Bucks basketball team, you and I both may be underestimating the barriers of age, height and athletic ability. Possibly all my prayers and striving and self-punishment will still not get me a place on the team.
On the other hand, effort does matter. I know that it does. Merzenich makes very clear that vigilance and effort can be used to improve the functioning of my brain. I know that "practice makes perfect" or at least a whole lot better. I have seen the result of exercise on myself many times.
All this brings to mind the "serenity prayer":
God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,
The courage to change the things I can,
And wisdom to know the difference.
This is not so easy since I find myself in a world of constant change, where I can do today what I could not do yesterday while being unable to do some of the things I just did a week ago.
--
Bill
Main blog: Fear, Fun and Filoz
Main web site: Kirbyvariety
