European Union Forums

[euigorwithyou]

What it takes to be wise

How do you appraise yourselves at your work place? Can you be fair in doing this?
Think about the following: the job performance is not only about how wise the person is and how well he speaks, isn’t it? And any person may adopt a wrong mental attitude towards his job without really realizing this. For example, a person may be concerned mainly with how well he presents himself or how well he presents his job results. This tendency is not easy to perceive and control. And of course it leads to self-deception. This happens when people are overly focused on what others think about them, instead of being concerned with how good are the things which they make. The produce of people’s hands and the creation of their mind, - that’s what matters first.

It seems that the correct attitude is to focus on the substance, be consistent and disciplined, and have a structured approach in everything you do. This is difficult to teach and learn. Why? It’s because you achieve good understanding of it only as a result of the work of your mind and heart through honest self-examination and sometimes through many errors. The results and the efficiency of your job will show the kind of personality you have and not reversely. It is because when you put your personality first, than gradually you risk coming to the point, when you demand for people’s respect, instead of deserving it. But if you focus on good results you don’t need to ask anything from people. The Sun does its work of warming up the planet Earth, it is “consistent, disciplined, focused” on the substance of its job and it “doesn’t ask for respect”, but it gets it in abundance.

[Benn]

I appreciate your attitude Igor, but unfortunately today nobody appreciates properly the work you do, that is why, sometimes you are not really motivated to work hard and put your sole and mind in the work you do.

[Steven]

I noticed indeed that if I make a job with pleasure and I do it because I want it to, and not because I'm rewarded it will last longer.
Even when you cook a dish, you should do that not because you are hungry, cooking is pleasure as well as any other activity.

[euigorwithyou]

I undersdand what you mean. And thank you for sharing your thoughts.
Yes, I agre, - people don't show appreciation for what we do. This happens so often.
But the question is:" Should we take their lack of appreciation as a basis for our motivation?"
What is your opinion ?

[euigorwithyou]

I enjoyed your thought: "cooking is pleasure as well as any other activity". It is an excellent example of how we should chose our attitude and motivation. It shouldn't depend on people's lack of appreciation, should it?

[Terry]

Should we take their lack of appreciation as a basis for our motivation?"
What is your opinion ?

Definitely we shouldn't. How can a lack of appreciation be taken as a basis for our motivation? We shouldn't pay attention to others, otherwise it will only bring us down. It will become the opposite of motivation.

[euigorwithyou]

So then you answered the question!
The wise person unmistakenly feels that his motivation determines his personality. That's why he will never give up his motivation whatever the circumstances would be.

[Faw_Peter]

its also a matter of character and temper. One must awake a strong will and personality inside himself. But, it's difficult to change your temper after it has already formed up.

[euigorwithyou]

A few years ago I attended a meeting, where the former Govenor of the Arkanzas' state gave his public talk entitled: " Character is the issue". He told us that he never thought of becoming a Governor of any of the USA states, in the first place. He thought that this was above his head. But the actions he undertook for people in his community propelled him to this position. He summed up the outcome of reaching the top of the Arkanzas' administration in the following way:"Character was the issue".

One of his ideas was:"When I looked back to those actions, I understood that they revealed my hidden potential and my character. I never thought that those actions would awake in me a lot of strength!"

He continued telling us that when he discovered his real potential he took his life under much greater control. And, yes, this incluided, I suppose, and his temper.

So, I presume, that only full involvement in the things we do could show us who we really are in terms of chracter, will, etc., and what character's trait we should take under a greater control: be it temper or something else.
Don't you think so ?

[Steven]

so you're telling that if we behave ourselves as we usually do, our "hidden talent" will come out to the surface and we'll achieve the goals we want?

[euigorwithyou]

The former Governor "jumped in unknown waters". He never thought he can do this.
Undertaking something that presents great challenge to you, something that, appears you can never do it, something that requies a great courage, greater than you experienced before - these kind of activities help you to uncover hidden tallents. Needless to say that you ought to be smart and have good councel from other wise people, under new and challenging circumstances.

[Benn]

but if we "jump in unknown waters" we risk to lose. Failing our success will make us believe less in our powers.

[euigorwithyou]

Yes, you are right.
That's why there are just a few people, who uncovered their hidden talents.
The majority are afraid to lose, and this stops them. That's why just a few can become Govenors.
Take for example Obama, - the first African-American on his way to become the President of
the United States. His story speaks by itself. Yes, he can lose. But the experience itself discovered who he really is as a person. And what he is up to.

[M.Helen]

unfortunately only a very small part of the persons who govern are talented indeed. I would call this mere luck or concurrence of circumstances

[euigorwithyou]

But what if you are talented and you don't know this?
And what if the cause for this is that you didn't apply your mind hard enough? These kind of questions we always must encourage people to ask themselves. Why?
Because many people didn't uncover their talents, not because they didn't have a chance and concurent circumstances didn't "play in their hands", not at all. The real reason was that they didn't believe in themselves!

Well, I admit that chances and concurent circumstances do play a role. But the question is:"Are their role always the decisive one?"

So many people died before they could uncover their talents, don't you think so ?

[Steven]

you are right Igor. But also, these people died because the governors of the countries they lived in were stupid enough to encourage war and things that may cause degradation within the society.

[euigorwithyou]

My point is that wise people are not overly focused on what others think about them, instead they enjoy the things which they create. For example, the overwhelming majority of people didn't recognize Einshtein's theory of relativity for more than thirty years. Morover, they believed that Einstein was crazy.

Or, lets take, as another example, impressionists painters. They didn't stop painting just because many criticised them, stating that they din't know how to paint. If they would stop painting, they would be foolish. Now they have a worldwide recognition. The lesson for us is that we must be careful with where and on what we put emphasis: on impression we make or on creative work we produce.

That's why image trainers and managers must be careful of what kind of people they produce. Don't you think so?

[Terry]

Impresionists were appreciated after their death, just like in the case of many other famous painters. Don't you think that if others don't like what you're dealing with than you should leave that alone, order to avoid conflicts with the society.

[euigorwithyou]

No, because people of the society need to be educated, realise they this or not, apreciate they this or not at the moment. And wise people understand this, that's why they, first, don't abandon their work. And, secondly, they talk about their creative works to people. Why? Because they are aware of their mission to enlighten or to educate other people, even though they face the resitance at a certain period of time in the history. They think ahead.

[Faw_Peter]

you say it quite generally. I understand that people from the society must be changed. But, i am talking about a practical manner, you can't educate them by your own.

[euigorwithyou]

In one school a certain teacher was always prepared for lessons, very polite, even though his salary was very small. His colleagues asked him:"Why do you try so hard? You can't change these kids, can you?" The answer of that teacher sounds clear in my ears till today. He said:"If I can change just one kid, only one, this will make me happy and will make my profession worthwhile".

[M.Helen]

probably the teacher had the feeling he left something useful on this planet - he changed one student's life, who, in turn, can change other people's life.

[euigorwithyou]

Right. Besides there is a saying "You are what you believe". But we can also say "You are what you share with others", meaning not only material things, but teachings, thoughts, ideas etc.

[Faw_Peter]

sure, I agree. Once your words are said, they will, more or less, keep persisting in others' minds.

[euigorwithyou]

At least there is a good opportunity to check or deepen our understanding and thinking. And other folks' opinions could reveal interesting things about the subject.