Then I thought about these videos that make me disagree:
So, I think I disagree that failure will not always leave some lasting physical damage. Sorry if this made you cringe at all.
Instead, I'd like to focus on the quote "All of the significant battles are waged within the self." -- Sheldon Kopp.
I've been starting to learn Tai Chi and was at practice yesterday when the teacher said something very interesting about a particular defense move that allows you to reverse a trap and inflict a lot of pain on someone: You must move yourself, not your enemy. What an interesting concept. It goes along with the quote as well. Failure is a matter of perception, a way of allowing us to see how we can change and improve and grow. With some obstacles, we must not move the obstacle, but ourselves in order to succeed, especially when that obstacle is much stronger than us.
Tai Chi also focuses on using core strength. Our enemy/challenge may be stronger than our limbs, but their limbs will not be stronger than our core, especially not if we develop that. The teacher also said that Tai Chi is like a tree and its leaves...if we simply pick at the leaves (the moves, the outer strength), we may develop some, but it will be difficult. If we grow our trunk (our core), then the leaves will automatically grow.
I think I might have to disagree with the quote that "Handicaps can only disable us if we let them." At least in a physical sense, sometimes there is nothing one can do about a injury. For example, can someone who was paralyzed really ever run a marathon?
ReplyDeleteI think the key to going after your dreams is figuring out what you are good at, or least disabled at, and using that to your advantage. Perhaps, this is not as optimistic as the quote is trying to be, but I think it's a bit more realistic.
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ReplyDeleteWhile I do think that physical and mental handicaps limit people in the traditional sense, I also believe that there are ways around those limitations. There really is always a way if you want it bad enough. To answer the paralyzed marathon runner issue above, what about being pushed through a marathon by a close friend? Granted, they wouldn't be doing so on their own power, but would still be able to see their dreams realized. Yes, the person with no use of their hands will never sew in the traditional sense, but when she trains herself to use her feet to create beaded masterpieces (and you know you all have seen that movie), isn't she overcoming her handicap in a sense? That isn't to say that things are easy or even possible. But alternatives exist for all.
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