Some time ago I read a story
Alejandro Jodorowsky that I wanted to share with you. I haven’t found the
original again nor do I remember the title, so the best I can do is retell it
to the best of my ability.
A
father met with his son’s school teacher after the boy brought home his grades.
The child had gotten good marks in art class yet wasn’t doing that great in
math. The teacher looks at the worried parent and asked what he intended to do
about the situation.
“I
plan to find him a math tutor as soon as possible; making him do extra work
till he gets great at math.”
The
professor looked at the parent stunned.
“Instead,
why don’t you find him an art tutor for art and develop the talent your son
obviously has! We all have talents, but we shouldn’t be forced to all have the
same talents.”
We have no problem understanding
that we are all different, that we all have some things we’re each good at and
some things we’re bad at. The funny thing is that we focus more on fixing
“what’s wrong” rather than working on “what’s right.” We’re sold on the idea
that there’s only one way to become successful in life, one single little
formula that has been proven true. Then, as with that peg that just won’t fit,
we try to hammer ourselves into that mold, only to left wondering why we’re
neither successful nor happy.
Instead on trying to “fix” what
we’re not so great at, why not focus on what we’re actually good at. Instead of
pointing at other peoples flaws as reasons why they won’t succeed, why not
point at all their abilities as reasons why they will succeed. Maybe then,
people will stop seeing their failures and start seeing their potential.
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