“Everybody wants to be somebody; nobody wants to grow.” – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Everybody wants to be somebody; nobody wants to grow.
I think it’s interesting that we all aspire to be something we are not, to be someone else entirely instead of who we are. Of course I’m not innocent, I’ve been envious, jealous; bitter at the body I have, the habits I’ve developed, the life I live. Who doesn’t have those days where you sit at home, wallowing in the sad existance that is your life, watching TV and eating all the marshmellows out of a box of Lucky Charms. Tyra comes on and of course, everyone on the show is gorgeous. There is just no escaping the media’s portrayal of “beauty” and a meaningful life. So when I found this quote from Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, it really struck me. Lately I’ve been all about the love, respect, truth, and growth. That’s what I want to aspire to, not this fake image of what I “should” be…because really, does a tummy tuck, face lift, movie star husband, six kids (some of which are adopted), house in France, London and NY make you a better person, or somehow inhibit true personal growth? I think not.
The only way to really grow, and I mean really truly grow, is to wade through the tough times, picking up wisdom, experience and life tools as you go. Robert Cushing said,
The fact is, that to do anything in the world worth doing, we must not stand back shivering and thinking of the cold and danger, but jump in and scramble through as well as we can.
How else do we learn but by doing what we are most afraid of doing.
Growth is something I think we all push to the side, and don’t put enough emphasis on. These days everyone wants to be like a celebrity, or have possessions that someone else has, they want each others’ men, jobs, cars, houses, etc. Where does all that stuff go? What does it mean? And can you take it with you when you die? These are the real questions we need to ask ourselves.
Lately I’ve been asking myself this question when I come to a problem, argument, or some inner turmoil; will it matter in 10 years time, or when you are on your death bed? If the answer to that is no, then I let it go, grow up, and move on. Lately there have been a lot of things that really won’t matter when my life comes to an end and it really won’t have an effect on what really matters in life. Small arguments are ridiculous. I mean, does it really matter in 10 years time who put the dishes in the dishwasher today? No. So seriously, if its sitting there and you can spare 30seconds, just put it away.
What really matters to you?
