achievement / success : page 2.........Talent Development Resources --..home page...site map
achievement / success : page 2........
 |
We
must not, in trying to think about how we can make a big difference,
ignore the small daily differences we can make which, over time, add up
to big differences that we often cannot foresee.
Marian Wright-Edelman / photo from Children's Defense Fund site related book Powerful Words: More Than 200 Years of Extraordinary
Writing by African Americans - |
~ ~ ~ ~
 I
was taught from a young age that many people would treat me as a
second-class citizen because I was African-American and because I was
female.
That's the most hurtful thing for a kid to hear -- that somebody's not going to like you because of your skin color or not give you an opportunity because you're a woman. I thought, What the hell is that? It was a challenge. |
It meant I'm going to have to be twice as good and work twice as hard. ... Maybe I have a different sensibility about success than people who had money all their lives. I think of success as a gift. It can be taken away, so I try not to take it too seriously. |
~ ~ ~ ~
Successful entrepreneurs are not just braggarts. They are highly creative people who quickly generate a tremendous number of ideas -- some clever, others ridiculous.
Their “flight of ideas,” jumping from topic to topic in a rapid energized way, is a sign of hypomania.
Consider Bill Gross [right], CEO of Idealab. Bill Gross’s job was not to build or run companies, but just to think of ideas for them.
Idealab was an “Internet incubator.” On Fortune’s cover, next to a picture of a cheerful Bill Gross, was the caption “I Lost $800 Million in Eight Months. Why Am I Still Smiling?”
The author, Joseph Nocera, Fortune’s managing editor, begins his article with an unusual mea culpa. He apologizes to his readers for his previous Fortune article that hyped Gross and Idealab just before the Nasdaq crash.
He confesses that Gross converted him into a believer:
"I believed him because I was dazzled by him. A small, wiry man, Gross had an infectious boyish enthusiasm that was charming and irresistible.
"He spoke so rapidly -- jumping from topic to topic as if he were hyperlinking -- that it was hard to keep up with him, and had so much energy he seemed constantly on the verge of jumping out of his skin.
"He bubbled over with irrepressible optimism."
excerpt [from book site] -- from the book The Hypomanic Edge : The Link Between (A Little) Craziness and (A Lot of) Success in America - by John D. Gartner, Ph.D. - a clinical assistant professor of psychiatry at Johns Hopkins University Medical School
> see related page hypomania
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moving beyond good enough
I presume.. that you want to move beyond good enough. If you want another edge, one that will pack an unanticipated wallop, and get you moving with unanticipated speed in new directions, practice impact journaling.
By learning a few key points about how to journal you can break through to new levels in your career and relationships, your leisure and your avocations.
You know my rant. If you want bang for your buck -- things that make a difference -- stop using the same old tools.
If you do not keep learning, you instead keep banging away attempting to make the world conform to your existing tools.
> from article Impact journaling
by Kenneth W. Christian, Ph.D.
> author of book Your Own Worst Enemy: Breaking the Habit of Adult Underachievement
~ ~ ~ ~
 .. .. And soon when you go out person to person, talking to people, you will find it to be the most thrilling opportunity in the world. Every person you meet - what could it be? Unlimited! |
Maybe
a friend for life. The next person could be an open door to retiring.
The next person could be a colleague for years to come.
It's big time stuff. And sometimes in the beginning when we are just getting started we don't always see how big it is. So, before you are tempted to give up or get discouraged, remember all success is based on long term commitment, faith, discipline, attitude and a few stepping stones along the way. You might not like the stone you are on right now, but it's sure to be one of the stones that lead to great opportunities in the future. To Your Success, |
~ ~ ~ ~
|
prepared for pursuing achievement
Regardless of the paradigm in which talented females feel most comfortable, and regardless of their professional interests and aspirations, some psychologists believe that women frequently have not been psychologically prepared to deal with the challenges and obstacles that inevitably arise as they pursue these goals ... An area of special vulnerability for gifted females is their fear of being rejected for being gifted and the accompanying tendency to hide, deny, or underdevelop their abilities in order to be accepted by parents, teachers, and friends. But they do not do this in a sociocultural vacuum. One of the most tragic messages that many gifted females receive is that society does not need or want their gifts and abilities, that the real work of the world is accomplished by men, and that any contribution they might make is peripheral or ancillary. |
 Thus,
the majority of gifted females disappear long before they reach high
levels of creative productivity, depriving the world of the public
contributions they could otherwise make.
> from book : Remarkable Women: Perspectives on Female Talent
Development > photo of Gloria Steinem by Joyce Tenneson - more on photography : page 3 |
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..
..
Young girls often believe they can do anything and everything, and, then, they begin to encounter the subtle messages laden with guilt later in their life.Many talented women begin to feel that being ambitious is synonymous with being selfish.
Even those women who have made it to the pinnacle of their field suffer from decisions about priorities.
In an article about elite female Olympic athletes, Martha Ludwig painted a poignant portrait : "Many female Olympic athletes attempt to juggle the pressures of competition along with a career, a romantic relationship, and parenthood....
"High-performance female athletes continue to encounter the obstacles of traditional gender roles."
> from article Internal barriers, personal issues, and decisions faced by gifted and talented females - by Sally M. Reis, Ph.D.
< photo: 2004 Olympic gymnast Mohini Bhardwaj
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Throughout the world's history, it's taken desire, not safe, predictable, acceptable, and impenetrable thinking, to spark cures, breakthroughs, shifts in consciousness, revolutions, and renaissances.
..
..Discoveries dawned on the minds of the ardent and engaged, the jubilant and enraged, not merely the employed.
The worship of convention has never yet led to astonishment and a joyous leap in human potential. Only enthusiasm plants wild gardens in the mind and harvests inspired fruits and flowers. Only enthusiasm, born of light, conceives of brighter worlds to walk in.
We live in a world of infinite possibility waiting to unfold. We all have so much to give, so much secret richness encoded in the passion of our dreams. Love transforms us into healers and leaders, lights and fountains, and movers of mountains.
When each of us pours our life-energy into the art, service, or industry that enlarges our existence, we will, at last, avail ourselves of the most untapped and unsung resource on the planet: creative inspiration.
Tama J. Kieves - from her book This Time I Dance: Trusting the Journey of Creating the Work You Love
> her site : Awakening Artistry
~ ~ ~ ~
I think there's something in striving for more and that's why I really like what I do [as an actor]. As much as people think you're in a good place, and you get a lot of great offers, I constantly feel like I'm striving to do better or striving to get a better job or work harder or find a greater challenge.
In this business, you can always do that. You can be "made" but the opportunities are always there for you to push yourself.
Reese Witherspoon / Cinema Confidential
cinecon.com interview by Thomas Chau 08/31/04"I had thought her a mere social climber.
I see now she's a mountaineer."So says one of her fascinated observers as Becky Sharp transforms herself from the impoverished orphan of an alcoholic painter into an adornment of the middle, if not the upper, reaches of the British aristocracy.
> from Roger Ebert's review of Vanity Fair
< photo [Focus Features] as Becky Sharp
in Vanity Fair (2004) [DVD]
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Sometimes I worry about being a success in a mediocre world.
Lily Tomlin ... [brainyquote.com]
~ ~ ~ ~"The discomfort women express with achievement may not be a result of impostor feelings
as much as a desire to equalize relationships and disassociate from the male model
of achievement.... women tend to define competence as perfection and are often guided
by standards that are unnecessarily high."Lee Anne Bell - from article : Gifted Women: Identity and Expression - by Douglas Eby
~ ~ ~
In her book "Remarkable Women - Perspectives on Female Talent Development", Kathleen Noble writes "The male model of achievement and and success... can leave one exhausted in body and spirit, alienated, and disconnected from oneself and others. Mastering this challenge [to balance work, relationships and time alone] is not a simple matter of saying 'I cannot do it all'; more significantly, it demands that we say 'I will not.'"
> from page Q & A - questions on career choices, emotional aspects of being gifted etc. - by Douglas Eby
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 .. .. A business that can teach us - by Barbara Winter One of the best things we can do to build our entrepreneurial spirit is to study enterprise that we admire. I have long been a fan of Cirque du Soleil and find them tremendously inspiring. What began as a scruffy band of Canadian street performers has evolved into the breathtakingly sophisticated Cirque du Soleil. Millions of people around the world have been dazzled by their special brand of circus and they are rapidly becoming the performing darlings of Las Vegas. ... Founder Guy Laliberte explains their partnership with Las Vegas by saying, 'This is the best place in the world for creative experimentation.' [ You should definitely come to Las Vegas with us at the end of the month for our workshop and also see Cirque while you're there. ] And experimentation is part of what makes for their success. Cirque performers are chosen not simply for their talent, but also for their presence and willingness to participate in the experiment -- along their willingness to be uncomfortable. Most members of the troupe say they almost jump out of bed in the morning fueled by their glee to be doing what they love. |
 .. .. Their mission statement reads, 'Cirque du Soleil is an international organization dedicated to the creation, production and performance of artistic works whose mission is to invoke, provoke and evoke the imagination, the senses and the emotions of people around the world.' Their company mantra is 'You must evolve!' and eveyone involved with Cirque is encouraged to develop their creativity. Corporate headquarters displays the artwork of any employee who wants to showcase their work. Employees are also offered tickets to cultural events and are encouraged to immerse themselves in creativity in all forms. > quotes from Joyfully Jobless News for November 3, 2004 > workshop - Being an Inspired Entrepreneur - Creating
and Running BarbaraWinter.com |
~ ~ ~ ~
 Focusing on wealth can eat up all your time
and all your creative energy as well.
The truth is, deep dpwn, not everyone wants a million dollars. The fantasy of wealth is just a shiny piece of magic that promises we can have any dream at all. Money is hightly valued, and few people would criticize you for going after it. But
dreams are as individual as people, and they're not easy for other
people to understand. That's why we often get pushed to value what they
value. |
When
you're the culprit, when the only one pushing you toward dreams of your
family or friends or culture is you, stop and think for a moment.
Maybe
you're just dodging the complex and scary issues of discovering who you
really are, and what you really love to do with your life. The price for going after other
people's dreams is high. In the rush for success and security, our real
dreams get lost > book : I Could Do Anything If Only I Knew What It Was: > also see Making Dreams Happen - a CD program |
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 .. .. A second characteristic of eminent adults is a lack of concern with conventionality, particularly social conventions and conventional paths to achievement (Albert, 1994). Historically, many eminent adults came from families that were of high social standing and "well-to-do." These families had the financial means to support their child's interests and strivings, even if they were in unconventional fields or areas. |
They were less likely to press children to enter
traditionally upwardly mobile professions (such as law or medicine in
today's society).
Earning a living was less of a concern and career choice could be made on the basis of interest and one's "fit" to the profession. Parents had more time, energy and financial resources to devote to developing their child's interests and creative pursuits. Parents of eminent individuals were also less vigilant about monitoring school achievement and holding children to achievement standards (Albert, 1994). from article: Psychological Factors in the Development of Adulthood Giftedness from Childhood Talent by Paula Olszewski-Kubilius, PhD, director of the Center for Talent Development at Northwestern University Albert, R. "The contribution of early family history to the achievement of eminence" in the book : Talent Development. Proceedings from the 1993 Henry B. and Jocelyn Wallace National Research Symposium on Talent Development. Eds. N. Colangelo, S.G. Assouline and D.L. Ambroson, 1994, pp. 311-360. Picasso self portrait from book |
~ ~ ~ ~
| When she was 15, Christine was asked to
share her views on what it means to be a gifted adolescent.
"The thought did cross my mind," she said, to write profoundly on the topic, but I quickly dismissed it. I'm trying to cut down on the number of deep and meaningful thoughts I have before breakfast." Instead, Christine talked about herself and her giftedness by posing a series of questions, including: "Why is giftedness linked to achievement -- that is, what I can or cannot do -- instead of what and how I feel?" "Why do teachers act as counselors if they can't listen or stand not having a quick solution?" "Who says that growing up gifted necessarily means wanting to get high grades, going to college, getting a good job?" "Have you noticed that adults expect kids to wear the label 'gifted' when they won't?" ~ ~ ~ Mark
is not an underachiever, despite grades that indicate otherwise. He is
a selective consumer: a student very much in touch with both himself
and the world of learning but unwilling to do much of his assigned work
because he sees little purpose in doing so. |
 .. .. Passion vs. Achievement - by Jason, 14 To some teachers, passions are as important as achievements. Thank heavens! Some of us just don't seem to be able to make high grades like we should be able to -- for whatever reasons -- but we still have passions. ... If you have an IQ of 160 and if learning every bit of knowledge and going to college at age 12 and making straight A's is your passion, then go for it. But if you are like me and find that being with people, playing video games, reading about stuff that is interesting, having fun, and laughing a lot is your passion, then I think we should be allowed to do that without feeling guilty that we are letting society down. ..quotes from When
Gifted Kids Don't Have All the Answers: photo: Edward Furlong at a video game inTerminator 2 [dvd] |
*related page:**self-limiting behavior~ ~ ~ ~
Often in our society, we are bombarded with the lives of celebrities. We can end up feeling that if we are not part of the rich and famous, our lives are insignificant. Our society also sends a message of competition and achievement. ... We are taught to see how well we are doing, in terms of how pretty we are, how bright we are, what kind of house we have, how well we do in sports, what rewards we receive.
However, in reality, these are external measures. Each of us needs to develop a sense of self-worth, a capacity for positive self-regard that comes from within.
from article Practical Steps to Enchantment - Improving Your Self Esteem
By Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein..site :....The Enchanted Self
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I recognize that I've had a very interesting career and that I get to do amazing things and work with amazing people and travel and learn languages - things that most people don't get the opportunity to do. ... I've no ambition left in that arena. But I also recognize that I'm an artist, and the need to get inside myself and be creative and be other people is a part of who I am...
It feels like a giant relief [to have achieved my career goals].
I was mistaken in thinking that a lot of my perceived identity was based on being an actor and how I was viewed in the world.
That's just ego-based and wrong. Starting out, you make a list: It would be so great if I could support myself acting, if I could be in a real movie, if I worked with someone I really looked up to.
And as you start to tick off the boxes, you realize that none of those things bring happiness or insight... you have a family and you think, "Well, this is it. This is really what I was looking for all along."
..
..Gwyneth Paltrow / Interview mag., Dec/Jan 2005
> photo from Sylvia (2003) [dvd] - related page Sylvia Plath
> achievement / success: page 1........> also see articles: achievement
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