So I was good, and in keeping with my "new" exercise regimen (to get that Donnie Wahlberg physique- a casting director recently said that I reminded them of him?- I'll take that as a compliment ;) , I went to the gym on my birthday. I usually chat up the people working there when I come in, and this day was no different. We got into a conversation about the quality of this particular gym, and one of the staff pointed to an award hung on the wall and said, in a self-mocking way, "Best Gym in Brookline, 2006". I immediately thought, that was 6 years ago- what's wrong with them, why haven't they been voted 'Best Gym' since- which I think was the staff's point as well...
So this got me thinking... why is it that we often devalue past accomplishments and place judgement on the present based on these accomplishments. Is it that we are so focused on the pinnacle of accomplishment, whether it be the recognition from our peers in terms of an award, or an attained goal that only we, ourselves know about- that we lose sight of the process, the journey? There are countless reasons why this gym hasn't been voted "Best in Brookline" since 2006. Maybe the truth is that it 'has' gone downhill and no longer can compete for that moniker, maybe it's a bullshit award handed out to new businesses to attract customers, or maybe, they just pissed off someone on the Committee that hands out the award.
So what's my point? I guess it's that you can't look back on past accomplishments, and assume that that's the best you will ever do. Or, rest on your laurels basking in your greatness. The same goes for your failures. You can't allow yourself to be knocked down by those individuals, the nay-sayers, who assume the worst. All you can do is focus on the here and now, and continue to strive to achieve a new level of greatness. Take stock of your accomplishments, then forget them! Now's the time to shine...
And if you haven't yet tired of my pretentiousness, here's a little bonus for you from my old friend, RWE:
"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within"
Though others can only see what someone does now, one should not judge a book by its cover. When do we have enough info to reach a conclusion? Does the quickness to judge have anything to do with the simpleness of what is being judged or the simpleness of what is doing the judging?
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