The war cry of every rebellious teen seems to be THAT’S NOT FAIR! They are missing the point. Fairness ISN’T a principle of truth. It’s a preference or judgment made by man to try to get something he wants when obstacles prevent obtaining a certain goal or desire. Life isn’t fair. It’s a BALANCE of opportunity and challenges that each person has to work his or her way through. To stop in the middle of a game and declare that it isn’t fair doesn’t help you win the game or accomplish your goals. It’s manipulation.Maybe we all need to make a paradigm shift in the way we look at life. It isn’t a COMPETITION, but can be a laboratory of COOPERATION. How can we each maximize our potential with the support of others? There need be no winners OR losers, only striving individuals working within a system that seems at the moment to be broken. Yet, new families are being formed each day with the hope of raising children to achieve their dreams.
In a perfect world, everyone would live the GOLDEN RULE: Do unto others, as you would have them do unto you. Unfortunately, we are all humans struggling to succeed. The only way to succeed is to follow true PRINCIPLES in life as taught in most homes. Values such as: honesty, hard work, diligence, patience, love, etc. It’s not rocket science, but really quite simple. Expect adversity, act don’t react, have a goal, build a support system…families can help here. Life is not a game, but a PROCESS. Compete only with yourself to become the BEST person you can be. Have a purpose or goal for your life. Develop a FAITH in a higher power and use that belief to guide your behavior and make changes as appropriate. FIND YOUR VOICE then help others find theirs.
Here’s my favorite quote from the late author Steven R. Covey: The power to discover your VOICE lies in the potential that was bequeathed you at birth. Latent and undeveloped, the seeds of greatness were planted. You were given magnificent “birth-gifts”-talents, capacities, privileges, intelligences, opportunities that would remain largely unopened except through your own decision and effort. Open these gifts. Learn what taps your talents and fuels your passion-that rises out of a great need in the world that you feel drawn by conscience to meet-therein lies your voice, your calling, your soul’s code. NEXT TIME: Ignoring Problems.