You're more than a Working Class Hero

"It isn't the mountains ahead to climb that wear you out; it's the pebble in your shoe." - Muhammad Ali

Being part of a society is an important thing. It provides the needed cooperation and order to ensure the progress and advancement of a people. However, for something to be orderly, it must be predictable. As such, society has measures, both consciously and unconsciously, to ensure this. It's known by many names..."The System" "The Man" "The Establishment" whatever suits your fancy.

The greatest flaw of "The System" is that you are never taught how to provide for yourself. Every single one of us have had a teacher or a few say "Well, when you get a job..." or something to that extent. I want to be clear, there is nothing wrong with working at a job, as long as you learn everything you can to provide for yourself and then move on.

Don't let "The System" sell you "the ladder". The tool shed is right over there, build one yourself and go as high as you want. Don't let the pebble in your shoe (your doubts) stop you from conquering the mountains.

I want to leave you with a song from the late, great John Lennon titled "Working Class Hero" It is definitely one of his darker works, but it is very true.



As soon as you're born they make you feel small
By giving you no time instead of it all
Till the pain is so big you feel nothing at all

A working class hero is something to be
A working class hero is something to be

They hurt you at home and they hit you at school
They hate you if you're clever and they despise a fool
Till you're so f'ing crazy you can't follow their rules

A working class hero is something to be
A working class hero is something to be

When they've tortured and scared you for twenty odd years
Then they expect you to pick a career
When you can't really function you're so full of fear

A working class hero is something to be
A working class hero is something to be

Keep you doped with religion and sex and TV
And you think you're so clever and class less and free
But you're still f'ing peasants as far as I can see

A working class hero is something to be
A working class hero is something to be

There's room at the top they are telling you still
But first you must learn how to smile as you kill
If you want to be like the folks on the hill

A working class hero is something to be
A working class hero is something to be

If you want to be a hero well just follow me
If you want to be a hero well just follow me

The big fish in a fish bowl...

There was once a tale of a fish who swam the great seas with his school. The fish had a wild imagination, and the wonders of the ocean never ceased to amaze him. He would ask "Why?" everywhere he went. He pictured being a great fish one day. He imagined exploring foreign lands beyond the ocean, he imagined other fish cheering for him and he imagined a life where happiness would never end.

The fish grew stronger and more mature as time passed, and he went from one school of fish to another, until suddenly, a fish came to him and said, "You are indeed a great swimmer, you're very smart, and I could use a bright fish like yourself to help me!" And so the older, bigger fish tested him, he asked him many questions and finally said, "You will be a great fish someday! Come with me."

The fish followed the big fish for a short while, and then saw a beautiful bowl of glass. It shined as bright as the crystal sunlight above. "Inside..." the big fish said "if you do a good job, you will never worry about going hungry...I'll even let you go outside the bowl once or twice every now and then!" The bright young fish agreed. After all, never going hungry? That was generous of the big fish!

As the years passed, the bright young fish became an older, bigger fish...just like the one that approached him so long ago. He went from bowl to bowl...gazing upon the rest of the ocean but never venturing outside. He didn't want to go hungry... Eventually he took in many bright young fish like himself. He would test them, and ask them many questions.

When the fish became old, he decided to retire to the vast oceans once more. Alas, he was too old to swim and explore. As he floated in the middle of the vast ocean, ignored and weary...he looked upon the happy fish that swam freely.

With a heavy heart and a frown on his face, he asked himself a question he used to ask all the time as a young fish:

"....Why?"

Life absorbs the positive energy you put into it

If life was a box of chocolates, then you'd end up with cavities and diabetes.

Huh? RUH ROH! This is a post on positivity ;)

I like to think of all of our lives as plants. Plants need light and water to grow (for the most part - for you "technical" people). If we assume that "water" is our actions, then the "sunlight" must be our positive thinking. Since the dawn of civilized man, a negative attitude has always been associated with darkness and death. When you think negatively, you are suffocating your own life. A plant withers and dies without light.

What you have to remember is that everything in life is based on your perception. A life worth living is forged through the fires of adversity. You simply can't afford to be negative, because there is no way to avoid challenges and obstacles. We can't avoid, we can only overcome.

Often times, you'll find that bad things might actually be good in the long run. If you look at the success stories of famous entrepreneurs, they all had some sort of negative event happen to them that sparked their entrepreneurial flame. What did they all have in common? A relentless optimism that kept them going. They did not let the fires of adversity consume them. Through their positive thinking, they allowed the fires of adversity to forge them.

Whenever adversity hits you, just remember...it could have been worse. Adversity is a time to learn valuable lessons. It always makes you stronger. It is a fundamental truth of our existence that our life is a manifestation of our mental attitude. Life is what you make of it. Don't turn out the light.

And remember...there is no greater wall than the wall in our minds. Tear it down and let your light shine into your life. Nourish your life with positive energy, and it will grow tall and strong.

Ok, I'm going to go and have some chocolate now.