“Obstinate”: “…unwilling to change or give up an idea or
attitude…”
This
little entry could be called “In Defense of Obstinacy”… More often than not,
every time the word is uttered as a definition of someone, it takes on a negative
veneer; a connotation of an un-free spirit, tethered to an invisible chain
which only allows limited movement of the mind and body… especially of the mind…
a stubborn fool.
Yet,
most of the truly great achievements of humankind have come through the very
obstinate behavior of a few. A small number of hardy souls who refused to give
up on their dreams and who, eventually and despite many obstacles, made what
many thought a crazy idea into a beautiful reality...
How
about Good Ol’ Col. Sanders… well, yeah… a non-functioning Colonel but one
nonetheless. He brought KFC to life after he was well into his late 60’s… He
was totally convinced that his fried chicken recipe was better’n anything
around back then. And he went door to door until this was established as a
fact. I have no idea of how many millions of chickens have gone to
the Great Chicken Coop in the Sky, so that a bunch of hungry people could chew
on their breasts and legs.
There
are many stories like those above which are used by motivational speakers, when they want to make people feel badly about heir own lack of action and their
passivity in life… about the possibilities they are letting go by. We could
bring forward many other tales, stories of people who succeeded simply
because they outlasted the barriers by refusing to give up. We praise them for
their dedication, their single minded view of their goal(s) and their,
basically, one track mindset.
So
why is “obstinacy” such a negatively connotated (huh??) term? It is more often
linked to the concept of stubbornness than to that of determination.
Personally, I do not agree with this. I firmly believe that a degree of
obstinacy must be had in life, if one is to achieve any of the goals which
he/she has set. This means that, at times, there will be other issues which
will be put “on the back burner” while the main one is pursued. Often, to the
chagrin of those who would prefer this not to be so. It is true, failure is a
real possibility; but then, so it is with anything we endeavor to accomplish in
life. And the higher the goal has been set, the more difficult it will be to
achieve.
Today’s emerging society relishes the concept of
political correctness and others of the same ilk; we seem to run into a rather selfish mantra
that tells us to follow the least efforts highway. The road which will least
tax our abilities and which will present the smallest amount of obstacles and
challenges. Our children learn their rights before being able to
distinguish right from left; teens believe that “blinging” is a way of life,
and not just a life limiting expression for some. These children grow totally
unprepared for the realities of what it means to be “on your own”; they have, however, learned along the way that self indulgence is “good” and that sacrifice is a
fool’s errand.
What was the last goal that truly ignited your
heart and soul with a passion which was difficult to express? Did you follow up
on it? Did it become a lost dream? Did you think that, perhaps it was just a
little too “far fetched” to be possible?
Do not so easily give up on your hopes and dreams,
for they are at the core of your lives; They fuel your very being and they
become a reason for going on, often in the face of the worst challenges that
life will throw at you. In fact, these are the very moments when that inner
core has to be relied on… trusted.
Do you want to go through life as a “spectator” or
as an “actor”? As someone who watches while others try, or as someone who is
not willing to let the days go by and watch them as they become a never ending
number of columns in a limited almanac?
Every day is a choice to do or to let go; every
minute is a beautiful opportunity to show to oneself that one is willing to
fight for what one wants; don’t ever give up, don’t ever let the choices be
made by others because you are afraid or because you “don’t want to go through
the trouble…” You may actually be able to take control of your life and to walk
the path of your choice; more often than not, the more difficult one to follow.
Obstinacy… definitely an underrated quality.
Be
Well … Be Back!!!
Final Notes:
- Pray for those who are fighting an illness which
may take them away from their loved ones… Every request is heard, and
counts!!
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Spanish language Blog… “otracaja.blogspot.com”
… Bienvenidos!!!
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