Category: Uncategorized

determination can accomplish

“The heights by great men reached and kept
Were not attained by sudden flight,
But they, while their companions slept,
Were toiling upward in the night.” –Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

”Nothing in the world can take the place of Persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan ‘Press On’ has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.” –Calvin Coolidge

”An invincible determination can accomplish almost anything and in this lies the great distinction between great men and little men.” –Thomas Fuller

”Knowing trees, I understand the meaning of patience. Knowing grass, I can appreciate persistence.” –Hal Borland

“The rewards for those who persevere far exceed the pain that must precede the victory.” –Ted W. Engstrom

”Persistence is to the character of man as carbon is to steel.” –Napoleon Hill

“Enter every activity without giving mental recognition to the possibility of defeat. Concentrate on your strengths, instead of your weaknesses… on your powers, instead of your problems.” –Paul J. Meyer

“The majority of men meet with failure because of their lack of persistence in creating new plans to take the place of those which fail.” –Napoleon Hill

“Success is almost totally dependent upon drive and persistence. The extra energy required to make another effort or try another approach is the secret of winning.” –Dennis Waitley

”Morale is the state of mind. It is steadfastness and courage and hope. It is confidence and zeal and loyalty. It is elan, esprit de corps and determination.” –Gen. George C. Marshall

”We all have dreams. But in order to make dreams come into reality, it takes an awful lot of determination, dedication, self-discipline, and effort.” –Jesse Owens

licking the earth

No longer do I wish to form judgmental opinions of the world. I am as lost as the rest. I speak of ‘the rest’ as if they were somehow outside the sanctums of reality, disillusioned by choice. We are all disillusioned. I am as much a wanderer as anyone. My desires are as unpredictable as an infants first thoughts or an old mans last. Since I came into this world, my intuition has kindly afforded me with a singular constant: the feeling of strangeness. It has successfully weaved its way throughout my pursuits, pervading my heart and jading my innocence, so that I am left feeling alone and alienated in my own world. Whereas I thought understanding would provide a saving clairvoyance and break the shackles holding me back from the true world, it has only doubled the distortion and distanced me farther. Despite how far I run from the pining habits of subjectivism, or however poignant my desperation to shed the all encompassing feelings in relation to ‘me’, I am always straddled the nascent cogitations I’m trying to escape. Who can run from their thoughts? Does this make sense?

Is there any security other than the affirmations I authenticate with my own will? That alone leaves me doubting. Doubt is corrosive. It imbues the heart with malignant motives. It does not fortify a cause but weakens it.

The question is: If I decide reality, how should I decide it to be? Do I adopt another’s philosophical gestalt? or is it subjective? If I want the most accurate representation of whats going on, how should I perceive? What should I perceive? What matters most? Do I gauge reality through my senses? Do senses exact accuracy? Do I render through feelings? Are good feelings trustworthy? Are positive feelings to be trusted? What is good? What is positive? No no no no no no.

Feelings lie. My imagination corrupts the sensual reality. All man sees is a hallucination. Man needs laws and governing principles to construct his reality, and faith that they are workable. Enough faith to test them and find them true. Otherwise man in all his decadence goes on “Licking the earth” as Muggeridge put it. Trifling pursuits of instant gratification, indulging in feelings and pleasures fabricated by mundane impulses, striving to fill the vacuity of a soul meant for a unification with its creator.

Words are powerful. They invoke reality. They color and illustrate the pallid landscapes of the mind.
Would it be too hard to believe that a God revealed himself to the world through those who opened themselves to Him? Who, disenchanted by the things (impulses, satisfactions, feelings, pleasures, pains, etc.) of this world, looked to a metaphysical unification, a relationship, with something greater? Could this something greater have genuinely instilled truth through their pen, despite their flawed human condition?

gotta go..

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“There is something ridiculous and even quite indecent in an individual claiming to be happy. Still more a people or a nation making such a claim. The pursuit of happiness… is without any question the most fatuous which could possibly be undertaken. This lamentable phrase ”the pursuit of happiness” is responsible for a good part of the ills and miseries of the modern world.” Muggeridge

“When I look back on my life nowadays, which I sometimes do, what strikes me most forcibly about it is that what seemed at the time most significant and seductive, seems now most futile and absurd. For instance, success in all of its various guises, being known and praised, ostensible pleasures like acquiring money or seducing women, or traveling, going to and fro in the world and up and down in it like Satan, explaining and experiencing whatever Vanity Fair has to offer. In retrospect, all these exercises in self-gratification seem pure fantasy, what Pascal called, ‘licking the earth’.” Malcolm Muggeridge

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As to their studies, it would be well if they could be taught everything that is useful and everything that is ornamental: But art is long and their time is short. It is therefore proposed that they learn those things that are the most useful and the most ornamental.
– Benjamin Franklin

Powerful

William Blake, "The Everlasting Gospel" in 1818:

"Humility is only doubt And does the sun and moon blot out, Rooting over with thorns and stems The buried soul and all its gems. This life’s dim windows of the soul Distorts the heavens from pole to pole And leads you to believe a lie When you see with not through the eye."

“The most terrible thing about materialism, even more terrible than its proneness to violence, is its boredom, from which sex, alcohol, drugs, all devices for putting out the accusing light of reason and suppressing the unrealizable aspirations of love, offer a prospect of deliverance.”

Malcolm Muggeridge quote

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Simply AMAZING… Imbibe what you can from this timeless poem. There is much to be gleaned. Give it thought and it will burgeon with idiosyncratic perspicuity and sagacity.

Auguries of Innocence by William Blake

ess

I want to be happy. I want to be free. I want to be an iconoclast, breaking all the social molds. I want to free myself from the propaganda. I want to rise above the petty politics of culture. I want to see the bigger picture in everyone. I want to surmise the means to the ends. I don’t want to impress. I want to express. I want people to lick the flavor of my words with delight. I want to plant endangered seeds of thought in the minds of many. I want to watch their world change and grow unfamiliar before they let go of ideal and accept reality. I want to escape the cliche titles and stigmas. I want to transcend the norms without being labeled postmodern. I want to retain direction without being called rigid or conservative. I want to swim freely in the ideas of men without the fear of losing my own. I want to make a mark that hasn’t been seen before. I want to speak words of wisdom the appeal to everyones need for meaning and familiarity. I want to provide real sense. I want to invoke the need to listen. E pluribus Unum. Out of the many, one. I want to show people the way, the truth and the life that they oft miss.

Even realists are ideal. They expect the world to be predictable. The world is never predictable.

Brit.

“Man is an exception, whatever else he is. If he is not the image of God, then he is a disease of the dust. If it is not true that a divine being fell, then we can only say that one of the animals went entirely off its head.” G.K. Chesterton

Very interesting…
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More recently I’ve fallen in love with British poets, playwrights, and philosophers. G.K Chesterton, Malcolm Muggeridge, George Bernard Shaw, T.S. Eliot and the likes. They have been endowed with a true gift of igniting the imagination of another.

The Strange Music by G. K. Chesterton
Other loves may sink and settle, other loves may loose and slack,
But I wander like a minstrel with a harp upon his back,
Though the harp be on my bosom, though I finger and I fret,
Still, my hope is all before me: for I cannot play it yet.

In your strings is hid a music that no hand hath e’er let fall,
In your soul is sealed a pleasure that you have not known at all;
Pleasure subtle as your spirit, strange and slender as your frame,
Fiercer than the pain that folds you, softer than your sorrow’s name.

Not as mine, my soul’s annointed, not as mine the rude and light
Easy mirth of many faces, swaggering pride of song and fight;
Something stranger, something sweeter, something waiting you afar,
Secret as your stricken senses, magic as your sorrows are.

But on this, God’s harp supernal, stretched but to be stricken once,
Hoary time is a beginner, Life a bungler, Death a dunce.
But I will not fear to match them-no, by God, I will not fear,
I will learn you, I will play you and the stars stand still to hear.

lissome cognition’s

The problem with the world?

People do not know what they want. You ask someone what they want out of life and they don’t know. They might give you a vague, round about answer, but they really don’t know. They have wishes but no dreams. People coast through life, expecting good fortune to come their way. Very few individuals go out and look for favorable circumstances. Those that look know what they’re looking for.

People just drift. The vast majority. They may be ‘good’ people with ‘good’ hearts, but they are totally helpless. How do people think life works? The materialists out there, fueled through the evolutionary framework that bred the notion of determinism, point to outside causality to place the blame and point the finger. People genuinely believe that certain people are born with better lives than others, endowed with better gifts and talents. This is a lie. This is avoiding the responsibility people have with the life they are given and the gifts they do have.

I watch people, in the store, the mall, the food isles- and I look upon them with disdain. They buy, buy, buy- indulging in simple satisfactions to make up for the major dissatisfaction they call their life. Some people are happy. Those people are ignorant. The ones who settle. The saying “What you don’t know can’t hurt you” is a lie. On the contrary, what you don’t know WILL hurt you. Only, you may not know it. Foolishness. We have unlimited potential. We are the only people who hold ourselves back. Most people fail to think. I suppose they fail to seek the truths and principles that lead to fulfillment. I think most people have bought into the lie that however they decide to live their life is up to them, and no one should tell them otherwise. These people miss out on the larger treasures in life. They display the greatest weakness among men: Pride. Humility reins over knowledge and power and love and goodness. “Every man I meet is my superior in some way, in that, I learn of him.” Can you imagine the positive world we’d live in if people took time to learn from others, either what to do or what not to do?

I wonder if I’m ever apart of the very masses I speak of. If those greater souls, free from being buffeted by external occurrences, all while maintaining a loyal responsibility to themselves, look upon me as a slave as I do others. Am I a slave in my own way? Have I overlooked some greater truths that may enable me to achieve greater happiness and fulfillment? I pray I am not so naive. I pray that my eyes would be open to the ostensible opportunities of life. I am still in the nascent stages of wisdom. I will never stop extending my reach, however weak I may be, however many times I may stumble and fall. I will maintain a stolid resolve toward flawless refinement.

Many people face life’s vicissitudes vehemently trying to reconfigure their external world with no success. They cogitate “If my world will be right, I will be right” but the very opposite is true. “If I am right, my world will be right.” `

Change the way you think about the world, not how the world thinks about you.

-Taphs

Libraries are nothing more than tombs filled with epitaphs and eulogies of great men. The living flock to universities to find some common truths among the confusion that can provide some unifying meaning, e pluribus unum- out of many, one. Men spent their lives entertaining fancies about their ephemeral existence and the ether in which they swim.

I rack my brain thinking about life’s questions. Just when I abandon the pursuit and turn away, I find myself faced with even more vexations. I cannot run. Its as if I am suppose to walk in the darkness and knowingly tread on unfamiliar ground. I want to be sure, but there is no security.

blah blah blah. where are my muses?? inspire me! I can’t wait to start school. I need challenge. I need some social exposure, some stimulation.

I am free. I have to remind myself of the bigger picture. Sometimes I tend to lose sight of why I’m doing what I’m doing. I have to remind myself that I am free and that the actions I’m undertaking are a result of a prior choice made on free will. My continual commitment of that choice, reflected through daily disciplines, is apart of a greater freedom I’m seeking to achieve. I cannot forget the prize. When running a marathon, or any great race with great rewards, I suppose its easy to forget why your running. I must not lose sight of the finish line, even if I cannot see it. I must visualize what it looks like to finish victoriously and strong.

**

I’m always trying to evaluate my strengths and weaknesses. Just when I think I feel that I’ve mastered progress in a particular subject, I’m humbled by the realization that I don’t know anything at all.

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All day long I contemplate what I must do and hesitate to do it. I just want to be. Life is a choice. It’s about the moment. Its about choosing to let go of your past, consider the future, and live in the present. I choose to be content, fulfilled and joyful. I appreciate the current situation. I am grateful for who I am and what I have.
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Why do i consider so much? Why can’t just let go. Forge ahead and blaze new thoughts, relationships, realities.

paradox and reason

Lifes vicissitude’s are the only source of hope. The Heracleitean argues the irrefutable law of non contradiction held by Parmenideans. How can there be no change? As the philosopher of antiquity said “You cannot step into the same river twice”. How can we maintain a rational perspective if the very foundations of logic are undermined by the plain observation of change?

Paraphrasing from Robert Fogelin’s “Walking the Tightrope of Reason”:
The law of noncontradiction states: It is not the case that something is both the case and not the case. Or… to simplify… ‘if we let “~” mean “it is not the case that” and if we let “&” mean, reasonably enough, “and” than:
~(p&~p)
Substitute whatever you like for the proposition, you will still have a true statement- even if the propositional value is false.
This seems so trivial that one asks what is the point? Ofcourse something cannot be and not be at the same time. Yet, if this law is true, the whole world would be static and unchanging. Nietzsche said it best in ‘Will to Power’ #584:
The Law of Noncontradiction [tells us that] the true world… cannot contradict itself, cannot change, cannot become, has no beginning and no end. This is the greatest error that has ever been committed.

Can something be and not be, simaltaneously? Do we not live in an ever changing world? One cannot be rational and reject the law of noncontradiction. You would think in circles and never establish a point. Following any assertion or denial, one must ask if it matters whether we interpret it as an assertion or a denial. Aristotle handled those rejecting the law of noncontradiction in the following way: In interpreting what I say, you may add the phrase ” It is not the case that” to the front of any senence I utter. Do this as you please, for it will in no way alter the significance of my discourse.

This life of ours is lived simply on faith. We use the law of noncontradiction to establish the law of noncontradiction. We have no foundation on which this logic ultimately rests. There is no demonstration or proof which delineates the law- it is taken on faith.

Reality is a paradox. We live life as rational, logical beings, yet we drift among a sea of flux. Some argue on the side of Heracleitus , as Nietzsche, Emerson, Whitman and others did, rejecting the notion that there are absolutes in life. Even modern philosophers, try as they might, and as rediculous as they seem, to reject science as a dialectical illusion-ironically enough as they type on thier computers.

To me, this justifies that there is a God. For such paradoxes to exist, in which my rational and logical processes are found to be hallow and misguided, would cause me to break down. My faith, ultimately, must turn to God. That higher power, the infinite consciousness transcending supermetaphysical contraints, is my only source of guidance. Rejecting him and my world begins to literally fall apart. Placing my faith in Him produces an unparalelled fecundity in life. That is where my faith is planted.

Write more later…

higher

Damn this world. Meaning. All I’ve strive to accomplish and for what? At the end of the day I’m still pitted against the vacuum of emptiness, a void. Where is the meaning? The pursuit of meaning just might be more meaningful than the goal I’m reaching to attain.

Where is my mind? Despite all the philosophers of antiquity, all the poets past and present, no matter how eloquently stated- nothing remains certain. No matter how much is written, no matter how long the debates rage, there is still little evidence that the life of an individual is worth any more now than when he started. Even after examining the assets accumulated, the people touched, the love kindled, one is still forced to face the ultimate reality which nullifies all efforts- death. This is a nihilistic state that I’m literally dying to escape.

So I’m faced with the care of my direction. All my energy has seemed to have left my limbs, the muses departed, leaving me with the reflection of a boy, scared and alone. I once cherished the kindled relationships with other human spirits above any other ideal. Now there seems to be a shallow reality that they are as lost as I. Meaning…

I’m trying to adopt a different tone. This nihilistic feeling leaves me powerless. I’m learning to shun the idea of expecting anything from life, but embrace the expectations that life holds for me. That may be the only escape from this mental torture.

I’ve sabotaged my integrity with illogical optimism. I need to regain footing and stand again with a renewed sense of purpose. I need to be confident in my ability to reach swelling heights of achievement. I am here and, like a tree, I will never question how high I am destined to grow.

write more later.

panegyrical beauty

“Do you know the land where the lemon trees flower,
Golden oranges glow in the dark leaved bower,
Where a gentle wind blows from an azure sky,
Unruffled the myrtle grows and the laurels rise high-
Do you know the land?
There, only there with you, my beloved, I long to go.”

Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe
The Mignon Songs
from the novel “Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre, 1783-1796”

summa

So. I’ve been thinking alot this summer. All sorts of new insights. Still in Houston. It gets hotter every day. Today’s heat index was roughly 106deg. hmm…

Not much to get out at the moment. I like thinking too much. Its not a bad thing as long as it doesn’t interfere with me doing what I need to do. There’s a proverb about acting on knowledge: “there are those examining the roots, while others are gathering the fruits.” I want to gather the harvest. When things need to happen I need to shut my thinking off.

this keyboard is horrible. the keys are so stiff. typing is giving my fingers a workout. its loud too- not good for a library. four more weeks.

Always

There are no ifs ands or buts. I will refuse to barter incentive for a dole. I will not put limits on myself. I will succeed wildly. I will dream wildly. I am starving for achievement. I am a success. It is impossible that I will not succeed. I am positive. I am focused. I am driven. I am totally capable. There is nothing more I need than a firm resolve to actualize dreams. I will sacrifice anything. I will read, listen, watch, imagine, create, work, feel, suffer, and endure anything and everything I need to. I will stake my existence on making my dreams a reality. There is never a dream that is too big. The only limits we face are the ones we set for ourselves. I will succeed. I am a success. I have already begun. I pay no heed to the voices of mediocrity all around me. I am unfamiliar with failure. I am convicted to seeing my dreams through until they are a reality. I only see opportunity. There is no such thing as difficulty. I no longer stake the existence of my chief wants by gauging the difficulty of a task. Progress is the reward. No task is difficult if it leaves me closer to the things I want most.

There are controllables and there are uncontrollables. I am in control of a single aspect that dictates the success or failures of my life. My thoughts. I will choose only the most worthy. I will see my dreams as though they have already been accomplished. I will be the most successful person who as ever walked the earth, and if I am ever to play the part, I will need to act the part. No longer will I acknowledge the thoughts that don’t contribute to this aim. I will train myself and develop the habits of the person I hold myself to be. I will never let the standards for myself waiver. I have strong faith. I have tested belief. I am succeeding.

win

Just Remember…

There are few winners. There are many losers. Where do you want to be? What are you willing to do? Are you willing to sacrifice? Are you willing to be uncomfortable? In pain & agony? If there is no pain, there is no gain. Winners never quit. Losers quit. Given enough time everything dies. Given enough time, I will always win. Never give up.

heavy air

I’m in Bourdeux Texas at the days inn motel. Room 161.

The air is heavy and still. Laughter echoes in the parking lot. Pillows prop me up against the headboard. The hotel beds are typical of most cheap motels. Abrasive and kitsch. The floral teal and pink design leaves me feeling uneasy. Children laugh in the parking lot. The door is open. I watch boys talk to girls in their second story rooms. Trying their seductive skills.

Why do I hold back? Why am I afraid of failure? Michael… You’re not afraid of failure. KNOW IT. Do not question this. Failure does not reflect who you are until you quit. Quitters are failures. Do not hold back michael. You potential wants to escape. Your curiosity wants to run wild. I want to stretch and reach for the sky with everything in me. I want to throw myself down and sacrifice my ego. Sacrifice everything for a few goals. Define them michael.

You are in control Michael. You. You choose this reality you live in. You can give up control and be a victim, or you can grip yourself and exert your all powerful will on your perceptions and behold a glorious existence. Will it be easy? No. Will it be worth it? Yes. I struggle. NO. Why do I struggle? I struggle with a lack of self confidence. Why michael? I could blame it on my parents or other situational occurrances… but that’s avoiding responsibility and not holding myself accountable. You need to shape up michael.

last day of sales school

Today is the last day of sales school. Tomorrow is the beginning of a long and arduous summer. Probably one of the most challenging and painstakingly difficult experiences I’ve ever chose to do. Sell books to door to door to strangers in 100 deg weather with ungodly humidity for 12 weeks every day, 12 hours a day, 6 days a week.

I’m gonna do amazing. I will make over $20,000 this summer. I am committed to succeeding until the last delivery, the last day, the last hour, the last minute. I leave for Houston 6:30 am.

done with finals

wow. I dont even know what to say. I’m done finals. Feels good to get that outta the way. Went to a few ‘gatherings’ tonight. wishing graduates farewell. My roomates rambling on about all sorts of nonsense.

I’ve got so much to do tomorrow. Buy a car.

people are strange. So many friends. its interesting to here everyones perceptions. I get these people who always tell me ridiculously flattering things. I dont understand it. why?

Why? My firends tell me things that dont make me know how to feel. they’re flattering but i dont understand it. i dont understand how people percieve me., I dont understand that

im waster. wow. sooo burnt out. so tired. 300am. wtff

to satisfy?

I feel stifled. Sometimes I get the feeling that I could be doing do much more. There is something about freedom that makes everything so much more enjoyable and worthwhile. i suppose when you look at college as a free choice, rather than something I have to do, it becomes a different experience.

I always feel like I’m worried about satisfying the professor’s expectations. the last thing I want to do is neglect my voice, my creative opinion. Maybe my experiences led me to perceive things differently. maybe the professor doesn’t understand that. Maybe I want to synthesis the material into something that works for me, rather than the rote understanding.

I hate, DESPISE, professors that mark me wrong not based on my knowledge, not based on my effort, but on my misinterpretation of their expectations. this just makes me wanna write off academics altogether. It makes me think that they want to manufacture drones. Not freethinkers.

What the hell. Where can I go and learn? To question? to delve more into a subject than the simple essays they give, the simple research they assign. I want to explore, to engage, to totally submerge my passions in the material and follow them where they lead. NOT prune my creativity to match the expectations of lame professors. LAME. Professors who do nothing more than lecture. They don’t engage. They have their tenure. They have their TA’s. They are all a inane. They are callous to curiosity. They loath the energy of free thought, the wildness of creativity. it cannot be restrained. It cannot be precedented. It is new, fresh, and begging to be understood more. WHY am i told to deny these inclinations? Why am i forced to divert my energy into reading their mind? I CAN do this… WHO CANT! the question is… who wants to??????? WHO WANTS TO?? Its far easier to say and get away with what wants to be heard. It’s familiar and easy to tackle, easy to critique. What’s takes more effort… is to THINK. Thinking is a free experience… it involves letting the passions run free… letting the information assimilate into all the corners of the mind. It’s weird, unfamiliar, wild, ferocious, and often times uncomfortable. BUT it offers the most insight. It requires more energy, more justification, more thought, more trust.

When I write for me, i trust what I write. They are my thoughts, intimate and unique. I LOATHE writing for an audience. Who can tell what they want to hear? What they ask seldom aligns with what they expect. Is it our job to satisfy their understanding? To produce for their satisfaction? If I was told to write for me, I would be more of a person. The soft whispers of my intuition would learn to proclaim a loud and bold tone that resonates within all who hear me. My voice would force itself through the paper into the fallow minds of the readers where it would root and conjure a fruit of understanding. I would know myself and be unafraid of casting my ambitions to light.

Knowledge you say? Who wants to be encumbered by useless knowledge? What is it to gain the world but lose myself?

thinking things

I need to write more. I use to write so much. Just to get it out of my mind. To extrapolate the little whispers and bright ideas I conjure up. I love life. I’ve realized a lot of things recently. Firstly… don’t underestimate the power of a thought or a single word. Secondly, don’t overestimate your understanding.

I should focus and fix my eyes on my desires and never mind the distractions of details that show up all around or on the side.

Something I realized that changed my life tremendously is the idea that I am in control of my thoughts. What that means to me has vastly different impacts than it does on most people. I know that circumstances are temporary. I realize that who I am is a collection of years and years of choices and habits and decisions. I’ve molded myself through my decisions. People let circumstances, opinions, people, feelings, mold them…or they mold their circumstances based on deciding how they choose to perceieve them… aka.. their attitude.

So beautiful today. The gentle rolling zephyr. The pristine blue sky.

I gotta learn not to get ahead of myself. I always try convincing myself of the ideal situation.
I always focus on the positive. I try my best not to use words like ‘always’ and ‘never’. When I do I’m trying to emphasize the firm conviction I have towards the ideal.

I’ve been too busy to think recently. I miss my journal and my books and my philosophers and authors and curiosity and imagination. Everything is rote. Going through the motions. I guess I’m getting good at making habits and staying consistent. I’m good at maximizing my time management and doing what I can to test the limits of my physical and mental capabilities. I miss feelings.

I’ve done what I can to take time for myself and relax and contemplate and reflect. i think its important for the soul. You let the neurons run free. No constructs, expectations, deadlines, goals…. just for a few moments a day I like to stare off into space, watch the sun set over the big burly mountains, listen to the delicate conversations between the birds, watch the blue sky melt into a black landscape strewn with sparkling diamond like stars. I watch the moon take shape and creep towards its apex in the sky. I admire the gold and orange and pink and purple tinge soaking upward on the horizon as the sun sets. I like trees. Big green trees. I lose myself looking at the intricacy of life. When I look at a tree, I imagine its broad and deep root system, its thick trunk sucking up water and nutrients like a straw, feeding its branches and leaves. Bare, the tree looks like its sinewy veins are gasping to reach for sunlight and air.

People. There is a universal condition. I see through the psycho babble we’re brought up to believe. Cultural clashes and genetical abnormalities. I believe there is a universal language in love. No matter who you are, you know and feel love. Whether you are receptive or not is another matter but everyone knows it when they feel it. No matter how broken and bruised. No matter how high the walls protecting their bruised and mishandled heart. People need to trust. They need consistency and stability. They need love that is forever. It hurts to give that up or have it thrown in your face.

interesting lives

Funny the variety of responses generated when asking the definition of success. Funny how the definition of failure is all the same.

People waste their time poking around aimlessly. They poke here and there and never arrive on a definite goal or plan. Their ideals and convictions ebb and flow with the tides of circumstance. They never worry about of the effects of not anchoring to strong foundations. Instead they’re blown about, blaming the oceans and currents for their misfortune. And of course, when they strike something resembling an accomplishment they’re sure to extol their sheer willpower and skill for the win.

People are funny. They’re so lost. I say this with the most humble of hearts. I know the severity of being lost, lying to oneself on a daily basis. I speak knowing the confusion and blindness that wraps its way into the recesses of the mind. I’ve been there too often. Fortunately I’m not too good at lying, whether it be to myself or others. Self deception is the worst of lies. Its the only lie that covers its own tracks. It’s easy to get lost. Working hard doesn’t designate progress. People spend their whole lives convinced they’ve got it figured out. They refuse to be real with themselves and admit that progress should be measured by accomplishments, by reaching and overcoming goals, not through the simple act of motion. Accomplishment should have purpose and meaning and passionate desire.

So they go about their lives, continuing the habits that have brought them exactly where they are today. And if asked how content they were they would reply with a sour response. Or they would lie. And their life would speak the sadness for them.

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I try wondering what it is people live for. Is it material gain? Is it for themselves? Is it for the sake of futile accomplishment? Is it for the glory, the attention, the fleeting moments of instant gratification, the precious glimpse of self worth?

People go through the motions. They are horrible creatures of habit. Usually bad habits. They squander in filth and hapless destruction, trying in vain to wring some satisfaction out of the dry life they live.

People need meaning. I’d offer them God, but they’d reject it in the same notion that god has no place in their life. Sad. They want tangible assurance yet nothing they offer themselves seems to quench their longing.

 

Internship

1)       Why do you want to participate in the program?

     I want to acquire experience. If there is one thing I value over any other ideal, it is the acquisition of experience. Experience fosters wisdom and wisdom breeds success.  Knowledge is useless if it is not properly applied. What I cherish and seek out most often is the opportunity to learn from my experiences.  I’ve come to understand the importance of choosing my experiences wisely and have committed myself to only seeking out the best.  The opportunities I look for allow me to learn more about myself and my capabilities while simultaneously shedding light on my deficiencies. No longer do I see failures as a burden, but rather a blessing. Every challenge I undertake I am tested. When a time comes that I don’t succeed I’m given a unique opportunity to recalibrate my approach, develop myself into a better person, and try again. Without the challenges these experiences bring I’d be unable to gain the proper perspective to refine myself.
            Since being introduced to Southwestern I’ve come to learn of the abundant opportunities for interns to learn by being provided the unique experiences that foster personal growth. In regards to my aspirations for a career in business, Southwestern’s internship comes off as one of the best there is. The idea of putting yourself around other self-disciplined, success-oriented individuals and managing a small business in which your energy input equals the reward output is amazing. Aside from the logistics of accounting and financing and managing your little business, you’re faced with the same personal challenges you’d face in any career.

 2)       Why do you feel like you should be accepted?

         I have a burning passion to seek excellence in all things. This keeps me intrinsically motivated and determined to accomplish my goals despite the many challenging external factors that arise.  My willingness and openness to gain positive experiences allows me to learn and adapt quickly to new situations.
        My resolve to become successful will never be undermined. While opportunities may come and go and people may pass me by, I will never stop pursuing my desire to succeed. My strong will and familiarity with overcoming tremendously discouraging situations in the past puts me at a unique advantage. I know where I’ve been and I know where I want to be. Nothing will prevent me from getting there.  Whoever’s worked with me knows that I put my best efforts and energies forth all the time.                          
        Aside from how and why Southwestern would serve me, I feel that I have a lot to offer the people I’ll be working with.  Sticking to my convictions and setting an example, I’ve made a commitment to being a leader in all things. A leader knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way. I’m passionate about knowing how to be successful, being successful, and most importantly, helping others achieve success.  Knowing Southwestern provides all the necessary tools and support to succeed, I’m confident that I’m can bring all the motivation and discipline needed to effectively and efficiently use those tools and support to achieve success.  

 3)       What does commitment mean to you and why do you think it is important in an internship like this?             

        I believe in integrity. Integrity requires a certain transparency of character so that what you say and what you do are in line no matter who’s looking or what the circumstances. Commitment is maintaining a sense of integrity with each endeavor I set out to fulfill.
         As it pertains to my life, my commitments directly relate to my highest ideals. Who I strive to be and where I strive to go insist that my actions consistently reflect these ideals.  Aristotle once said “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit.”  What I do is who I am. My desire is to declare the integrity and resilience of my character through my commitment to excellence in all things.  When I make commitment, I am pledging my actions to uphold that cause. I choose my commitments wisely to ensure that everything I do resonates with who I am and where I want to be.
        In an internship like Southwestern much is invested into each student. Many people are active in the process to see each person succeed and achieve. In a business internship, and maybe more specifically in sales, it’s vitally important that the student maintains a vision of success for himself. He must be committed to accomplishing that vision no matter what the rejections, no matter what the pressures, no matter what the personal battles he faces. The student must look past the temporary set backs and see himself as the person he’s striving to be. The people who succeed are not victims to their circumstances; they achieve success by making their circumstances. Instead of looking at what is and asking why, they see what isn’t and ask why not. They create themselves into the person to overcome any obstacle.
         In regards to commitment, no one can succeed if they are not committed to succeeding. Calvin Coolidge said “Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence…. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.”  Success is the result of seeing commitments through till the end.

Sample Resume

) Why do you want to participate in the program?
I want to acquire experience. If there is one thing I value over any other ideal, it is the
acquisition of experience. Experience fosters wisdom and wisdom breeds success. Knowledge is useless if it is not properly applied. What I cherish and seek out most often is the opportunity to learn from my experiences. I have come to understand the importance of choosing my experiences wisely and have committed myself to only seeking out the best. The opportunities I look for allow me to learn more about myself and my capabilities and shed light on my deficiencies. No longer do I see failures as a burden, but rather a blessing. Every challenge I undertake I am tested. When a time comes that I don’t succeed I’m given a unique opportunity to recalibrate my approach, develop myself into a better person, and try again. Without these experiences we’d be unable to gain the proper perspective to refine myself. Since being introduced to you company I have come to learn of the abundant opportunities available for students to glean these experiences.

In regards to my aspirations for a career in business, ***** internship comes off
as one of the best there is. The idea of putting yourself around other self-disciplined, success- oriented individuals and managing a small business in which your energy input equals the reward output is amazing. Aside from the logistics of accounting and financing and managing your business, you’re faced with the same personal challenges you’d face in any career.

2) Why do you feel like you should be accepted?
I have a burning passion to seek excellence in all things. This keeps me intrinsically
motivated and determined to accomplish my goals despite the many challenging external factors that arise. My willingness and openness to gain positive experiences allows me to learn and adapt quickly to new situations.

My resolve to become successful will never be undermined. While opportunities may come and go and people may pass me by, I will never stop pursuing my desire to succeed. My strong will and familiarity with overcoming tremendously discouraging situations in the past puts me at a unique advantage. I know where I’ve been and I know where I want to be. Nothing will prevent me from getting there. The people that work with me know that I put my best efforts and energies forth all the time.

Aside from how and why ***** would serve me, I feel that I have a lot to offer the people working around me. Sticking to my convictions and setting an example, I have made a commitment to being a leader in all things. A leader knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way. I am passionate about knowing how to be successful, being successful, and most importantly, helping others achieve success. Knowing **** provides all the necessary tools and support to succeed, I’m confident that I’m can bring all the motivation and discipline needed to effectively and efficiently use those tools and support to achieve success.

3) What does commitment mean to you and why do you think it is important in an internship like this?
I believe in integrity. Integrity requires a certain transparency of character so that what
you say and what you do are in line no matter who’s looking or what the circumstances. Commitment is maintaining a sense of integrity with each endeavor I set out to fulfill.

As it pertains to my life, my commitments directly relate to my highest ideals. Who I strive to be and where I strive to go insist that my actions reflect these ideals on a daily basis. Aristotle once said “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit.” What I do is who I am. My desire is to declare the integrity and resilience of my character through my commitment to excellence in all things. When I make commitment, I am pledging my actions to uphold that cause. I choose my commitments wisely to ensure that everything I do resonates with who I am and where I want to be.

In an internship program like ****** much is invested into each student. Many people are active in the process to see each person succeed and achieve. In a business internship, specifically in sales, it is vital that the student maintains a vision of success for himself. He must be committed to accomplishing that vision no matter what the rejections, no matter what the pressures, no matter what the personal battles he faces. The student must look past the temporary set backs and envision himself as the person he’s striving to be. The people who succeed in this world are not the victims of circumstance; they achieve success by making their circumstances. Instead of looking at what is and asking why, they see what isn’t and ask why not. Through a positive mental attitude they go and look for the circumstances they need to succeed, and if they cannot find them, they make them.

In regards to commitment, no one can succeed if they are not committed to succeeding. Calvin Coolidge said “Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence…. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.” Success is the result of seeing commitments through till the end.