That line of "reasoning" is flawed in many dimensions. First and foremost, difficulties in life spare no one. You are not alone! And the kicker: one's intelligent, conscious interaction with difficulties is precisely what creates a mature evolved person. In fact, truly successful well-rounded people typically have had a surprisingly challenging life - see Kenneth R. Pelletier's remarkable 1994 book: "Sound Mind, Sound Body: A New Model for Lifelong Health." Simon & Schuster. https://drpelletier.com/
So sticking it out, be it in a marathon or a job, may be the polar opposite of martyrdom and self-abuse - it may well be exactly what you need to grow as a human being. Accepting the inevitability of loosing many battles along the way helps us win the war - and emerge as an evolved wise person.
This kind of reminds me of this article I read yesterday by a Gen Y'er... basically saying that the Gen Y's obsession with "follow your heart" needs a caveat... http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2012/09/solving_gen_ys_passion_problem.html
ReplyDeleteThanks Mandy - good article you mentioned by Cal Newport.
ReplyDeleteHe's made some good points. Nevertheless, I think Joseph Campbell's "follow your bliss" advice is a solid guiding principle, rather than a formula for rapid material success (wealth & fame). IMHO following Campbell's advice does GRADUALLY lead to what Parker Palmer calls an "undivided life".