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March 07, 2007 |
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Personal Legend
FOUND by Becky Bob-Waksberg
in Oberlin, Ohio
I found this post-it note a few months ago and I have been carrying it around in my bag ever since. Every once in a while I re-find it and I am so excited for the encouraging message!
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We collect FOUND stuff: love letters, birthday cards, kids' homework,
to-do lists, ticket stubs, poetry on napkins, telephone bills, doodles -
anything that gives a glimpse into someone
else's life. Anything goes...
it's very encouraging. however, fear of failure absolutely runs my life. i wish i could just be like, eff everything, and everyone, this is what i will do, for myself, no matter what. i envy people like that.
Ah, the optimism of youth! Hopefully, this person's dream is writing for a fortune cookie company.
Oh Becky - thank you for keeping that and most of all for SHARING it w/us here!
I loooove this. I am going to keep this too and re-read it often and heed it's message.
This is a great message.
I love the terminology... "personal legend." Terribly awe-inspiring.
Hot find!
...words of wisdom.
Know what you mean about 'losing' things inside your bag. Congrats on this great 're-find'.
sounds like that mumbo jumbo on Oprah lately
Ooh la la! I like it!
Well, fear of failure, and possibly death.
Sorry to lower the tone, I actually like the message of this; it's amazing just how far confidence can get you.
OMG what a great find...this is something I will keep in mind for the future!
"Personal Legend" comes from Paul Cohelo's translation of The Alchemist, a fable about finding your purpose.
It's a good read.
I'm pretty sure I've seen this on those posters that bosses like to frame and hang in their offices to show their underlings how they made it to the top through hard work and perserverence, blah blah blah...
Sarah, I've read The Alchemist, and it is a great book. This little snippet on its own, however, doesn't hold much water.
It's nice to see some other Paulo Coelho fans out there. Great book.
This is so appropriate! I graduated from Oberlin College (where the note was found) a few years ago. While I got a degree and everything, the most significant thing I took away from my 4 years there was exactly what this note says. After graduation I didn't do what everyone expected of me, but instead followed my dreams. I absolutely love what I do now and I every day I try not to be afraid.
i love paulo coelho!
i love "at the river piedra i sat down annd wept."
but i concure with the find. its always nice to see encouraging words from a random/unknown source.
Yeah, I don't really know about this. I think that those without fear of failure might be stopped by other things like lack of ability. Case in point: American Idol auditions. The most confident auditioners are usually the ones with zero chance of fulfilling their dreams.
Just dropping some hopelessness on this affirmation party.
The whole point of the note is that "lack of ability" shouldn't stop you. If you don't have the ability, you should work hard to learn it. Don't let the lack of ability stop you! Don't be afraid of the failure! Keep working on improving yourself until you do hit your dreams.
Of course, you do have to also take realistic stock of yourself so that you know what to improve on.
Yeah, I don't really know about this. I think that those without fear of failure might be stopped by other things like lack of ability. Case in point: American Idol auditions. The most confident auditioners are usually the ones with zero chance of fulfilling their dreams.
Just dropping some hopelessness on this affirmation party.
I can't believe anyone would bring American Idol into this. We should all follow our dreams...but not on a "reality" TV show.
"it's only fear"
I read The Alchemist right before I walked the Camino, an endeavor which Coelho himself has undertaken. It was wonderful timing and part of the reason I think I find this find so poignant.
PELERIN have you checked The Diamond Cutter?coz I don't think Alchemists still exist.Ask your adrenal glands why they are not releasing enough adrenalin!
I read these every morning and this one is a classic & a keeper!
And to those hating! I wish you a luvly day and remember. God Luvs all his children :-)
Many get stopped by their fear of failure; so many more by their fear of success.
Coco Chanel once said, "Success is often achieved by those who don't know that failure is inevitable."
While the message is beautiful and we should all encourage one another- fear of failure is not the only thing that will stop you- Dumbass graduate school prof who only see their views will inevitably crush you to your core. There is something to be said about a good two years of being blugeoned . . . have a nice day.
Flargy: sooo agreed. I love(!) the Alchemist, but out of context, this quote can sound a bit cheesy, doesn't do the book justice. Or maybe the book is just, simply, That Good.
And to 'me in the south,' just throwing some grad school empathy your way. I wanted to write earlier that the other thing that can stop someone is actual failure, that the fear is legit sometimes. It can sure feel that way . . .
haha such the oberlin spirit.
FEARLESS!!!
I like this find, but would perhaps refine it by saying that we shouldn't lose our fear of the real possiblity of failure, but instead have the courage to pursue our dreams in spite of it.
Or something like that...
American Idle has a point, mere optimism can only get you so far, sheer talent can take you farther, but "following your dreams" to me means 10% inspiration, 90% perspiration, baby!
this is amazing
I think I must have sent this in like 11 months ago - it just keeps getting refound!
The actual post-it note spent the summer in a jacket pocketand ended up on my dorm room wall, next to a circus camp certificate and a picture of me and my second-grade crush.
There's something about the handwriting that makes it look like the person who wrote it knew Russian before English. Somehow that makes it about three hundred times more appealing to me.
Wise words.
Becky- I was thinking something similar about the handwriting- it struck me as eastern European somehow. I have a friend from Lithuania who's writing looks similar- especially the f's. I've also seen German people's handwriting look somewhat like that. :)
"Personal Legend" sounds like a translation from a Paulo Coelho novel. He's always talking about it.
Thanks for this find!! I needed it!! It is very encouraging.
I swear this is a quote from The Alchemist.
Mohamed ali (i think that was him) said something like: Fear is like fire, if control it, it can cook for you and heat up your house, but if you dont, it will burn everything around you.
About that american idol think, I believe that nobody is fearless. Those who are fearless are those who have no chance of success... If you fear then it means that you can succeed.
My personal legend is Spamalot.