Monthly Archives: August 2008
My Reach Always Exceeds My Grasp
Legend has it that author Ernest Hemingway was once challenged to write a story in only six words. His response? “For sale: baby shoes, never worn.” Two years ago, SMITH online magazine re-ignited the idea and started a reader contest: Your life story in six words. The magazine was soon flooded with thousands of entries from readers submitting their own six word memoirs; some bittersweet and inspirational and others funny, thought provoking and hilarious.
The idea flourished and became the premise of a new book recently published by the editors of Smith magazine entitled “Not Quite What I Was Planning – Six word Memoirs by Famous and Obscure Writers”.
In an age where micro-blogging and text messaging has become the norm; six words can indeed tell a story.
Not Quite What I was Planning: Six Word Memoirs from Writers Famous and Obscure collects almost 1,000 six-word memoirs, including additions from many celebrities including Stephen Colbert, Amy Sedaris, Dave Eggers, Richard Ford, Deepak Chopra, Moby, and more. A New York Times bestseller and subject of hundreds of stories from The New Yorker to NPR and hailed as “American haiku,” SMITH’s book of six-word memoirs is both a moving peek at the minutia of humanity and the most inspirational toilet reading you’ll ever find.
I discovered earlier this year that out of over ten thousand submissions, my six word memoir was chosen to be a part of the book. ‘My reach always exceeds my grasp‘ – is my contribution to this valuable effort. Of course there is a huge story underlying my chosen six words and that will be the subject of another blog post in the near future. For now, I’m enjoying the inspiration I’ve derived from this exciting achievement and I will use it as motivation to pursue other goals as I reach beyond my grasp towards future possibilities.
Update: My memoir is also included in this You Tube Video of Editor’s picks. Look for my six at 0.55.
The idea of good character
The latest issue of Prospect magazine features a thought-provoking article by Richard Reeves on the old-fashioned concept of “good character” and its importance for a successful society.
Reeves says good character is made up of three parts: “a sense of personal agency or self-direction; an acceptance of personal responsibility; and effective regulation of one’s own emotions, in particular the ability to resist temptation or at least defer gratification.”
Reeves discusses whether good characters are harder to come by these days and if so why? The author also identifies the family and good parenting as one of the most important sources of good characters.
Change the rules
The timing is never right: You cannot wait for the optimum time. Waiting for “someday” is a long wait and a waste of time.
Ask for Forgiveness, Not Permission: It is easier to stop a horse at the starting line than in mid-course. Don’t give people a chance to stop you. Do it, then justify your actions.
Emphasize strengths, don’t fix weaknesses: If you spend the majority of your time trying to perfect the things you are lousy at, your overall achievement will be mediocre. Do what you are good at and perfect that strength—delegate the rest.
Money alone is not the solution: Money can, and does, help you pursue those things or activities that make you happy but it is not an end unto itself.
Relative income is more important than absolute income: Absolute income is statistically based on the dollar. Relative income is based on the dollar AND time. The more time it takes you to earn that dollar, the less value that dollar has.
Distress is bad, Eustress is good: Distress is harmful, it makes you weaker, less confident, and less able; It is usually created through destructive criticism. Eustress is healthy stress, contributing to personal growth and is created through constructive criticism. The trick is in learning (and recognizing) the difference between the two.
