Act your age, not your IQ ! I'm sure you have heard that little message at some point in your life. It was used frequently around my house when you did something silly. The underlining message was that you knew better than that. To attempt to do something, and fail at it miserably was unacceptable. The best course of action was to stick to what you know. Don't go acting foolishly. I think it is all a part of that New England stoic demeanor. It is what was taught and practiced. In New England, in the old school tradition, it is an admirable quality. One should remain unflappable in the face of adversity. I'm not certain why this is attributed to the New Englanders as it is practiced all over America. Maybe it is just because that is where the first settlers in this New World landed. The Puritans, due to their religious teachings, were certainly stoic in nature. Foolishness is to be expected in children. Adults acting in that fashion are called, fools. The idea is firmly planted in our consciousness. The strange part in all of this is that adults who act " foolishly " but are successful are given a different name, " eccentric. " Others, considered artists, fall into a category of their own. Often labeled, "geniuses," their actual IQ's could come under serious questioning. In fact, some are actually " mad " by conventional standards. Creativity and intelligence are not necessarily related. At least that is my opinion.
Do you find yourself seeking permission to be creative ? What I mean by that is, do you seek encouragement before trying to do a new task or activity ? Are you concerned with looking foolish ? I wish I could say that I was not, but that would be a lie. I have found the older I get the less I think about it though. Isn't that a bit of irony ? Well it has been said as we age we return to our childhood ways. It is not that I am acting in defiance of convention but rather I am just acting. Like a child, I find myself less inhibited by the opinions of others. Yes there are barriers that still exist, like common sense for instance, but I find myself more willing to take a risk. Acting my age is more like acting the way I feel than the years on a calendar. As far as acting my IQ I find that of lesser importance. Your IQ is not how smart you are, but your ability to learn. You can teach an old dog new tricks ! It isn't very difficult either, if the dog is willing. And that is the key here. You have to give yourself permission. It shouldn't be done as an act of defiance.
Acting in defiance of anything is acknowledging that the action is somehow wrong. Anger is a powerful motivator but comes with baggage. Anger is only justified when the action is changed and accepted by all, falling short of that will leave the person bitter. On the other hand doing something without any expectation of change, or seeking confirmation that the act was just, has no such burden. It is done solely for the pleasure in doing it. We are not concerned with looking the fool.
At what point is it considered initiative ? It seems it is only considered such if the venture was successful. Should you fail you just look foolish. You should have known better. Of course being foolish is better than bring naïve. If you are foolish that doesn't mean you are lacking in experience or wisdom just that you acted like a fool. Hmm, kinda the same thing isn't it ? Still I'd rather be naïve than foolish. You can change naïve but not foolish. If you are naïve twice you're really just being foolish. They also say there is no fool like an old fool. That is because being naïve is associated with the young, they have time to learn. The truth is none of us know how long we have got. We have an expectation of time however. I think perhaps the "old fool" is the wisest one of all. You have years of experience to draw upon and are unencumbered by appearances. All that is necessary is to cling to common sense and give yourself permission. Isn't it Nike that says, " Just do It . " Three words that sum up nicely what I'm talking about. It really isn't that complicated.
y
Do you find yourself seeking permission to be creative ? What I mean by that is, do you seek encouragement before trying to do a new task or activity ? Are you concerned with looking foolish ? I wish I could say that I was not, but that would be a lie. I have found the older I get the less I think about it though. Isn't that a bit of irony ? Well it has been said as we age we return to our childhood ways. It is not that I am acting in defiance of convention but rather I am just acting. Like a child, I find myself less inhibited by the opinions of others. Yes there are barriers that still exist, like common sense for instance, but I find myself more willing to take a risk. Acting my age is more like acting the way I feel than the years on a calendar. As far as acting my IQ I find that of lesser importance. Your IQ is not how smart you are, but your ability to learn. You can teach an old dog new tricks ! It isn't very difficult either, if the dog is willing. And that is the key here. You have to give yourself permission. It shouldn't be done as an act of defiance.
Acting in defiance of anything is acknowledging that the action is somehow wrong. Anger is a powerful motivator but comes with baggage. Anger is only justified when the action is changed and accepted by all, falling short of that will leave the person bitter. On the other hand doing something without any expectation of change, or seeking confirmation that the act was just, has no such burden. It is done solely for the pleasure in doing it. We are not concerned with looking the fool.
At what point is it considered initiative ? It seems it is only considered such if the venture was successful. Should you fail you just look foolish. You should have known better. Of course being foolish is better than bring naïve. If you are foolish that doesn't mean you are lacking in experience or wisdom just that you acted like a fool. Hmm, kinda the same thing isn't it ? Still I'd rather be naïve than foolish. You can change naïve but not foolish. If you are naïve twice you're really just being foolish. They also say there is no fool like an old fool. That is because being naïve is associated with the young, they have time to learn. The truth is none of us know how long we have got. We have an expectation of time however. I think perhaps the "old fool" is the wisest one of all. You have years of experience to draw upon and are unencumbered by appearances. All that is necessary is to cling to common sense and give yourself permission. Isn't it Nike that says, " Just do It . " Three words that sum up nicely what I'm talking about. It really isn't that complicated.
y
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