THOUGHTS ON: Villa Incognito, Gwen Stefani and deaf frogs
While reading Tom Robbins' 2003 book Villa Incognito, one of the many pithy quotes stood out. Like many lightbulb-above-head events we get from fiction that is philosophical, it was illuminating because it resonated with a life experience.
The quote: "Self-importance and self-doubt are usually interchangeable."
I think it's amazing that when you decide to step out and try something new - in effect overcoming fears of failure and the like - that there is a chorus of self-important people ready to fire their negative comments your way. I'm not sure why people spend ANY of their precious life time being negative about others, but I am sure that their own insecurities are integral to their actions. It is easier to criticize others than to step out yourself. For a very small moment, the downcrier feels better than the individual they are firing negativity at, but it is short-lived, self-doubt returns, and the negativity thrower needs to look elsewhere for a self-importance hit.
(Robbins himself must have stepped out at one point - since his unique, very quirky books are not your everyday fiction.)
The Tom Robbins book isn't the only place I got enlightenment from on this issue. I'm not sure why, but often you send out a question or a dilemma to the universe and it delivers on several fronts.
Someone forwarded me one of those light and frothy emails that you usually just bin, but for some reason I read it. Long story short, lots of frogs are climbing a big mountain and lots of people are standing at the bottom saying they'll never make it to the top. One by one the frogs stop climbing the mountain, believing the negativity emanating from the naysayers. Only one frog keeps climbing. He makes it to the top despite the loud unbelievers. Turns out the victorious frog is deaf.
But, well, you don't have to be deaf to step out, pursue your goals, do what you want to do -
And so when I also heard that Gwen Stefani song "What are you Waiting For?" this week, it resonated -
Stuck in a moving car
A scary conversation, shut my eyes, can't find the brake
What if they say that you're a climber
Naturally, I'm worried if I do it alone
Who really cares, cause it's your life
You never know, it could be great
SM
The quote: "Self-importance and self-doubt are usually interchangeable."
I think it's amazing that when you decide to step out and try something new - in effect overcoming fears of failure and the like - that there is a chorus of self-important people ready to fire their negative comments your way. I'm not sure why people spend ANY of their precious life time being negative about others, but I am sure that their own insecurities are integral to their actions. It is easier to criticize others than to step out yourself. For a very small moment, the downcrier feels better than the individual they are firing negativity at, but it is short-lived, self-doubt returns, and the negativity thrower needs to look elsewhere for a self-importance hit.
(Robbins himself must have stepped out at one point - since his unique, very quirky books are not your everyday fiction.)
The Tom Robbins book isn't the only place I got enlightenment from on this issue. I'm not sure why, but often you send out a question or a dilemma to the universe and it delivers on several fronts.
Someone forwarded me one of those light and frothy emails that you usually just bin, but for some reason I read it. Long story short, lots of frogs are climbing a big mountain and lots of people are standing at the bottom saying they'll never make it to the top. One by one the frogs stop climbing the mountain, believing the negativity emanating from the naysayers. Only one frog keeps climbing. He makes it to the top despite the loud unbelievers. Turns out the victorious frog is deaf.
But, well, you don't have to be deaf to step out, pursue your goals, do what you want to do -
And so when I also heard that Gwen Stefani song "What are you Waiting For?" this week, it resonated -
Stuck in a moving car
A scary conversation, shut my eyes, can't find the brake
What if they say that you're a climber
Naturally, I'm worried if I do it alone
Who really cares, cause it's your life
You never know, it could be great
SM
Labels: book review, book thoughts
posted by Smink Works Books @ 11:11 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home