Strive

I try to teach my kids wrong from right and I hope someday that they will look back and see the lessons had purpose. My dad was hard on me growing up but you know what, the lessons I learned then have carried me where I am today.

Let’s talk about failure. Failure has changed in our society today. Failure builds character and it also teaches determination. If you try to do something and you can't do it or do it you have failed- plain and simple. At the point of failure is where you make the decision of “that’s it” or “do I try again”. If you're passionate about something or it’s something really really important you try again. You've heard if first you don't secede try try again.

In today's world things have changed. It’s unfair or cruel for someone to fail. Now they start young as well; in sports as young as preschool, everyone gets a trophy, in some sports they don’t keep score. We are training kids to grow into adults who don’t strive to be the best you can be, just be as good as everyone else. There is no incentive to be number one. If you’re number one or you always come out on top you're a showboat or something of that nature. They are trying to teach no one is better than anyone else. In human terms this is true. We are equal. Your race, religion, or political affiliation doesn't make you better or worse than anyone else- your passion does.

So while we should give everyone equal treatment based on those things, it should stop there. We are not all equal. Would you want me doing brain surgery on you? I think not! You’d want the best there was. You want your car fixed by an average guy or the guy who is proud of his work and strives to do a good job? Do you want your food cooked by someone who doesn't care or would you rather have a meal fixed by a chef who has strived to be the best?

The problem here is we have condemned competition and excellence as the root of the problem for discriminating against someone. This couldn't be further from the truth. We are all excellent human beings with things we excel in and things we fail in. We are not designed to all be the same; some people are faster, some are stronger, and some are smarter. It doesn't make you less of a person when someone else succeeds and you don't, it makes them better at that one thing. The problem is that people focus on that one thing. We are not the things we do, or the cars we drive or the places we live. We are intricate beautiful human beings with more facets than the most beautiful diamonds.

So break out of the cookie cutter world and try not to be the same as everyone else. Strive for excellence and follow your passions and if you fail, try try again. You’ll find your niche, that thing you're amazing at then do it  better than anyone else.

Hawk