Dear Ashby,
'Knowing vs. Doing' has been a recurring theme in the last few weeks, so I thought I should write to you about it. There was an article at work about it, a friend posted about it on Facebook and I've been doing some work on myself to determine what prevents me from reaching my full potential as well.
You watch a show called Ninjago (a shameless Lego promotion in show form) about 4 young Ninjas who are training and fighting the bad Snake people along the way. We play Ninjago and in battle when your character "reaches his full potential," you pull your clenched fists into your chest and act as if you are getting power from a big beam of streaming light from the sky and then outstretch your arms and the scene always ends with you falling to the ground drained. Obviously, the 'reaching your full potential' phrase was thrown around in the show and I was curious about your interpretation of it. I should mention that Lego also sells Ninjago cards that assign points to characters and their different types of moves. As the Ninja's practice and develop their skills, they get new outfits and their card point value goes up (props to Lego for their marketing genius with the PC parents of today).
I asked you what does it mean to 'reach your full potential' and you said it meant to get stronger. I asked how that happened and you said it came with practice. I asked why reaching your full potential makes you fall to the ground and you became annoyed because you weren't sure. Eventually you said it was because it wears you out to get that power.
You're spot on, Ash. Even thinking about it is pretty scary. If you know or even suspect what your full potential is, what comes next? Doing? Yeah, that's definitely scary. Is your full potential a place? Or is it an infinite amount of stairs to run up? A fabulous garden just doesn't get that way, it has to be given constant attention.
It's way less intimidating to ignore our stored greatness and avoid the scary road less traveled. If I don't plant the garden, I won't have to take care of it. If I don't plant the garden, then when I fall short and don't take care of it, I won't feel bad. Fear of success and failure don't seem so different to me. The outcome is the same, the garden doesn't get planted.
But you know, I want to eat some fresh veggies and smell flowers that I've grown. And what is fear? I despise fear, just ask Nana! She thinks I'm too brave for my own good. Shortly after realizing that fear has stopped me from enjoying everything I want to be, have and achieve, I've decided that's just not going to work for me anymore. I'm going on a grand adventure down the road less traveled. And by the way, I'm taking you with me. We will see and do amazing things and it won't be tomorrow, or when the weather is better, or when I'm not so tired. It starts now.
I love you and I love our life,
Mom
'Knowing vs. Doing' has been a recurring theme in the last few weeks, so I thought I should write to you about it. There was an article at work about it, a friend posted about it on Facebook and I've been doing some work on myself to determine what prevents me from reaching my full potential as well.
You watch a show called Ninjago (a shameless Lego promotion in show form) about 4 young Ninjas who are training and fighting the bad Snake people along the way. We play Ninjago and in battle when your character "reaches his full potential," you pull your clenched fists into your chest and act as if you are getting power from a big beam of streaming light from the sky and then outstretch your arms and the scene always ends with you falling to the ground drained. Obviously, the 'reaching your full potential' phrase was thrown around in the show and I was curious about your interpretation of it. I should mention that Lego also sells Ninjago cards that assign points to characters and their different types of moves. As the Ninja's practice and develop their skills, they get new outfits and their card point value goes up (props to Lego for their marketing genius with the PC parents of today).
I asked you what does it mean to 'reach your full potential' and you said it meant to get stronger. I asked how that happened and you said it came with practice. I asked why reaching your full potential makes you fall to the ground and you became annoyed because you weren't sure. Eventually you said it was because it wears you out to get that power.
You're spot on, Ash. Even thinking about it is pretty scary. If you know or even suspect what your full potential is, what comes next? Doing? Yeah, that's definitely scary. Is your full potential a place? Or is it an infinite amount of stairs to run up? A fabulous garden just doesn't get that way, it has to be given constant attention.
But you know, I want to eat some fresh veggies and smell flowers that I've grown. And what is fear? I despise fear, just ask Nana! She thinks I'm too brave for my own good. Shortly after realizing that fear has stopped me from enjoying everything I want to be, have and achieve, I've decided that's just not going to work for me anymore. I'm going on a grand adventure down the road less traveled. And by the way, I'm taking you with me. We will see and do amazing things and it won't be tomorrow, or when the weather is better, or when I'm not so tired. It starts now.
I love you and I love our life,
Mom
'Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You're off to Great Places!
You're off and away!
You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes
You can steer yourself
any direction you choose.
You're on your own. And you know what you know.
And YOU are the guy who'll decide where to go.'
~from Dr. Suess' 'Oh the Places You'll Go.'
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