Today's deep thoughts: Weaknesses as Strengths

From the "Understand Yourself" chapter of Sun Tzu for Women by Becky Sheetz-Runkle:

International martial arts legend an film star Bruce Lee is an impeccable illustration of how to understand yourself and conquer weakness. Lee is often taken to be the picture of exceptional health, stamina, precision, and power. He's romanticized as perfection. But he wasn't, of course. His limitations included his size--he was short--his nearsightedness, and having one leg a full inch shorter than the other. He also suffered a serious injury as a young man that threatened to cripple him for life.

Confronting Limitations
Instead of avoiding his weaknesses, Lee acknowledged and reconciled them. He then dedicated his training to compensating for these shortcomings, while still maximizing his strengths. Lee understood that, like you, he wouldn't get far if he didn't reconcile himself to his limitations. They're a starting point.

He said his shorter left leg drove him to discover that the best fighting stance for him was with a right lead. This provided an advantage with some kicks and a uneven stomp that enabled greater momentum. His nearsightedness dictated he'd have to study a close-quarter combat system, so he began with the Chinese infighting style wing chun. "I accepted my limitations for what they were and capitalized on them. And that's what you must learn to do," he said.

One of my weaknesses is buying books. I heart books. Over my lifetime as a committed bibliophile, I have amassed hundreds of tomes, in various shapes, sizes, colors, and themes, and I have read most of them. I could borrow them from a library like other frugal people, but I don't. I like writing in my books, revisiting them later, and recommending them to my family and friends. So I keep buying them, and they keep taking over my room.

My love of books--though it may consume my time, space, and funds--has been a source of strength for me. When I have questions about my life and its direction, I often find a book that can help me find the answers I need. And sometimes, if I'm lucky, I can pass along my newfound wisdom along to readers like you. :)

Readers, what is one of your weaknesses that you can turn into a strength?

Today's deep thoughts: Setting a goal

From the "What's Your Mission?" chapter of Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazzi and Tahl Raz:

Every successful person I've met shared, in varying degrees, a zeal for goal setting. Successful athletes, CEOs, charismatic leaders, rainmaking salespeople, and accomplished managers all know what they want in life, and they go after it.

As my dad used to say, no one becomes an astronaut by accident.

If only someone could. That would be amusing. :)

Do you readers have a goal? What is one thing you could do today to move closer to that goal?

Please leave comments, thank you!

Wisdom from a pig-owning beauty queen

From Designing Women, Season 3, Episode 21, "The Last Humorously-Dressed Bellboy in America":

Julia Sugarbaker: Suzanne, what's wrong?

Suzanne Sugarbaker: Nothing. I guess I'm just a little depressed. I went out with Eli Cunningham last night, and his bossy nurse who tried to make me get the veal cutlet just 'cause it was a special. I thought to myself, "Is this what my life has come to? Arguing with old men's nurses over the price of dinner?"

Julia: Suzanne, you just get this way every spring. All you need's a change. You ought to just get out of town.

Suzanne: Why? It's just like here. It has been my experience, Julia, that no matter where you go, there you are.

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Today's deep thoughts: Lessons from Inception

Don't let reality limit your happiness.

(For shallower thoughts on Inception, look over here.)

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If 18-year-old me could see 28-year-old me,

she would be proud.

What would your 18-year-old self say about you?

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Today's deep thoughts: Less is more.

From On Writing by Stephen King:

In the spring of my senior year at Lisbon High--1966, this would've been--I got a scribbled comment that changed the way I rewrote my fiction once and forever. Jotted below the machine-generated signature of the editor was this mot: "Not bad, but PUFFY. You need to revise for length. Formula: 2nd Draft = 1st Draft - 10%. Good luck."

Of course, for me, sometimes more is more. I often overcompensate by only verbalizing 50% of what I should say, because I'm afraid of being too verbose. Then the person listening to me has no idea what I'm talking about, because they can't read my mind. Oh well.

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Today's deep thoughts: Know the enemy and know yourself.

From the "Attack by Stratagem" chapter of The Art of War by Sun Tzu:

17. . . . There are five essentials for victory:

1. He will win who know when to fight and when not to fight.
2. He will win who knows how to handle both superior and inferior forces.
3. He will win whose army is animated by the same spirit throughout all its ranks.
4. He will win who, prepared himself, waits to take the enemy unprepared.
5. He will win who has military capacity and is not interfered with by the sovereign.

Victory lies in the knowledge of these five points.

18. Hence the saying: If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.

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