Why is it that two people can read the exact same book, grow up in the same household, take the same classes, yet one get life changing advice from it while another thought it was a waste of time? Even if both their prior level of knowledge and goals were the same? What makes the difference? It amazes me sometimes how people who have so little can accomplish so much while others who have so much can accomplish so little.
There are many factors to why this is but I want to take a moment to highlight one, and that is being a sponge. I’ve lately been reading more about accomplish artists and their life stories. This probably isn’t a surprise but most were trained in the great art schools, had famous artists as parents, or really had anything that would indicate that they had a future in art. Most had surroundings that were pretty “normal” they might have lived in a working class part of the city or been out working on a farm. Few came from “artistic” circles.
Now this could be chalked up to desire and those who have everything given to them can’t be appreciative of it and that’s certainly a factor. But I think there’s more here I don’t think that’s the whole story. Those that are born into privilege can still become great. And by great I don’t mean wealthy or powerful, but rather great in the sense we think of as accomplished.
They Have Eyes, But Do Not See
In my research on great artists something else that has come up is people asking them “Where do you get your ideas from.” which usually results in a chuckle from the artists. The bullshitters that want to sound “artistic” instead of being real will say things like the must just comes to them or something equally obnoxious. But the honest ones will say “everywhere.” the inspirations are everything they come into contact with. The world around them is rich with ideas.
A snippet from a show they saw here, a book read they read in childhood there, a dash of an old B movie here, a drop of what their father said when they were young here, and so on and so forth. Everything is an inspiration and contributes to making their stories. However there are others that can be exposed to all of this and come up with nothing from it, and it has nothing to do with innate talent or genetics, but rather from a state of mind.
We all have eyes but we all do not see. Some have the mindset for vision while others will be blind to the clearest picture possible. It’s a choice. Vision is a choice, having the materials you need to get what you want from life is a choice. Its a choice that most do not realize they have. They think that the only way to get something is to either be born with it or to have it given to them. Not realizing they can go out and get it if they want.
The Problem With Most People
Here’s a problem with most people. They think they’re stuck, when they’re not. Humans are adaptable, they can change who they are. However they look at one thing and think that they have to be like it to succeed (rich, powerful, smart, good looking, etc.) when they don’t. Some people are evergreens and some people are cacti, not by birth, but rather by adapting to circumstances. Adapt, become better, learn, and thrive.
Be the sponge that soaks up all it can around it, take what little knowledge and advantage you can from everything around you. Get all that you can out of it. Don’t be like the rock that just sits there and strews, only taken away by outside forces. Soak in everything around you, make use of it. Once you realize how rich the world around you is you can start to make use of it and start to get on the path to achieving the things that you want in life.
Take what is useful and discard what is not, but don’t forget to take. Learn from everything resource, from everything around you. From your own life, from others lives, from books, from nature, from everything. You have eyes you just have to start using them. You’re not as stuck as you think you are. There is a way forward and its often staring you right in your face. You just have to open your eyes and see it, then do what needs to be done. And remember be a sponge, soak it all up, and make the most of every opportunity.
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-Charles Sledge
