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Friday, February 11, 2011

Wallow with a purpose

Emily just wrote a great post about choosing to remain positive.  And I have two add-ons:

  1.  If you're going to whine about something, whine with a purpose.  Note what's wrong, provide a potential solution, and move on.
  2. Always do your best, strive to provide others with more than they ask for.
I'm going to be the first to admit, here and now, that I am guilty of failing to do both these things.  All too often it's comforting to sit and whine about things that are bad. Sometimes we need to acknowledge the bad things and just be lazy -- to wallow in a pit of despair. But I find myself frustrated with those who make this their default attitude.

Speaking of a "Pit of Despair", The Princess Bride conveniently provides us examples of both add-ons.
He's only mostly dead

Now when Inigo and Fezzik found Wesley dead in the Albino's lair they could have just stayed laid their heads down, wailed their hearts out,  and given up.  But no, they threw Wesley over their shoulders and hauled ass over the Miracle Max's.

Sure they had no idea if they were going to be successful, but they didn't let defeat and despair get them down. They bemoaned, noted the problem, and acted on a solution.

And over at Max's. Sure, Valerie had to convince Max to take on the commission, but eventually Max took on the job. What did they do at the end? They coated the pill with chocolate because "The chocolate makes it go down easier." Max and Valerie could have just given Fezzik and Inigo the pill and told them to wait 15 minutes, but they took the extra time to coat it with chocolate.  They went above and beyond.  They didn't have to.

Lately, it seems like I've been surrounded by people who purposely do the least possible and bitch and moan their way through life.  I really try not to be that way.  As Emily so eloquently put it, I try to "Buck the F@ck Up." Hopefully others will, too.


Be positive
Find solutions
Add a little extra


I'm just saying.

2 comments:

  1. "Whine with a purpose" has been running through my head since I read that! Perfect.

    ReplyDelete