Comments on: History, Luck, and Intention http://www.productiveflourishing.com/history-luck-and-intention/#utm_source=feed&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=feed The Art of Meaningful Action Thu, 09 Sep 2010 06:29:42 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Charlie http://www.productiveflourishing.com/history-luck-and-intention/#comment-1227 Charlie Sat, 04 Oct 2008 21:06:16 +0000 http://www.productiveflourishing.com/?p=566#comment-1227 @Scott: I somehow missed your comment. And yes, the BB did hurt, and a few inches to the left and it would've made for a crazy story about my infertility. You're also onto something about the difference in siblings, and our brothers carry out those stories. It's interesting to think about how our parent's divorces affected each of us differently merely because we were at such completely different levels of maturity than our brothers. I'll have to chew on this one for a while. @Scott: I somehow missed your comment. And yes, the BB did hurt, and a few inches to the left and it would’ve made for a crazy story about my infertility.

You’re also onto something about the difference in siblings, and our brothers carry out those stories. It’s interesting to think about how our parent’s divorces affected each of us differently merely because we were at such completely different levels of maturity than our brothers. I’ll have to chew on this one for a while.

]]> By: Charlie http://www.productiveflourishing.com/history-luck-and-intention/#comment-1225 Charlie Sat, 04 Oct 2008 20:59:39 +0000 http://www.productiveflourishing.com/?p=566#comment-1225 JoVe: I'm with you here, and the irony is that we often don't can't tell the difference between good luck and bad luck. Hence Aristotle's suggestion: "Never count a man happy until the end of his days." There's always possibilities for things to go different ways that we never see in the moment. JoVe: I’m with you here, and the irony is that we often don’t can’t tell the difference between good luck and bad luck. Hence Aristotle’s suggestion: “Never count a man happy until the end of his days.” There’s always possibilities for things to go different ways that we never see in the moment.

]]> By: JoVE http://www.productiveflourishing.com/history-luck-and-intention/#comment-1208 JoVE Tue, 30 Sep 2008 21:52:31 +0000 http://www.productiveflourishing.com/?p=566#comment-1208 What an excellent way to conceptualize this. And I think bad luck, like bad history, sometimes lead to good places. JoVEs last blog post..<a href="http://jove.homeschooljournal.net/2008/09/30/coming-out-of-my-knitting-funk/" rel="nofollow">Coming out of my knitting funk</a> What an excellent way to conceptualize this. And I think bad luck, like bad history, sometimes lead to good places.

JoVEs last blog post..Coming out of my knitting funk

]]> By: Scott B. http://www.productiveflourishing.com/history-luck-and-intention/#comment-1191 Scott B. Mon, 29 Sep 2008 15:46:53 +0000 http://www.productiveflourishing.com/?p=566#comment-1191 Great post. How many times do I have to apologize! How bad could it have really hurt...just kidding, I don't want to find out. I have thought many times over the years how our paths crossing have influenced my life in so many ways. I know I would not be who I am today, if not for you and your family's influence. Of course, I also wouldn't have been tied to a tree in the middle of the woods by your brother. You talk about people being born into different environments and what influence that has on who they become. Interestingly enough, I just had a similar discussion this weekend about how even two siblings can have such different paths when raised under the same roof. I hope the family you helped while hiking learns from their experience. They were on the way to an alarming situation....wonder how that will change them and their future outdoor activities. Great post. How many times do I have to apologize! How bad could it have really hurt…just kidding, I don’t want to find out.

I have thought many times over the years how our paths crossing have influenced my life in so many ways. I know I would not be who I am today, if not for you and your family’s influence. Of course, I also wouldn’t have been tied to a tree in the middle of the woods by your brother.

You talk about people being born into different environments and what influence that has on who they become. Interestingly enough, I just had a similar discussion this weekend about how even two siblings can have such different paths when raised under the same roof.

I hope the family you helped while hiking learns from their experience. They were on the way to an alarming situation….wonder how that will change them and their future outdoor activities.

]]> By: Charlie http://www.productiveflourishing.com/history-luck-and-intention/#comment-1184 Charlie Sun, 28 Sep 2008 16:29:19 +0000 http://www.productiveflourishing.com/?p=566#comment-1184 @ Andre: One of my favorite quotes is by Oliver Wendell Holmes: "The great thing in the world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving." It's my personal mantra when I get stuck and am feeling in a funk about where I'm not - and usually I can push myself to get at least some productive motion going. @ Ali: I appreciate you commenting about the use of the personal stories. I often worry about using such examples because I worry about boring people - but I usually yield because I find stories like that really interesting and helpful. That said, I have way too many stories...I may need to start another blog just to tell stories. Between childhood stories, war stories, and the other random stories that have popped up over my lifetime, I could fill a few books. But I digress... Thanks again for the feedback! @ Andre: One of my favorite quotes is by Oliver Wendell Holmes: “The great thing in the world is not so much where we stand, as in what direction we are moving.” It’s my personal mantra when I get stuck and am feeling in a funk about where I’m not – and usually I can push myself to get at least some productive motion going.

@ Ali: I appreciate you commenting about the use of the personal stories. I often worry about using such examples because I worry about boring people – but I usually yield because I find stories like that really interesting and helpful.

That said, I have way too many stories…I may need to start another blog just to tell stories. Between childhood stories, war stories, and the other random stories that have popped up over my lifetime, I could fill a few books. But I digress…

Thanks again for the feedback!

]]> By: Ali Hale http://www.productiveflourishing.com/history-luck-and-intention/#comment-1181 Ali Hale Sun, 28 Sep 2008 12:45:30 +0000 http://www.productiveflourishing.com/?p=566#comment-1181 Thanks for sharing some of your personal experience here, Charlie, it really helped to put what you said into context. (As an aside, I'm now intrigued about the story of the friend saving you from drowning -- and about how he managed to shoot you in the groin!) I've had a good "history" and a bit of "luck" in my life, but I believe that most people can overcome a lot through the sheer power of intention. I agree that it's very inspiring to read about couragous people in very difficult circumstances, and I too get discouraged when people blame all their problems on their "history". Ali Ali Hales last blog post..<a href="http://www.theofficediet.com/2008/09/26/motivational-exercise-quotes/" rel="nofollow">Motivational exercise quotes</a> Thanks for sharing some of your personal experience here, Charlie, it really helped to put what you said into context. (As an aside, I’m now intrigued about the story of the friend saving you from drowning — and about how he managed to shoot you in the groin!)

I’ve had a good “history” and a bit of “luck” in my life, but I believe that most people can overcome a lot through the sheer power of intention. I agree that it’s very inspiring to read about couragous people in very difficult circumstances, and I too get discouraged when people blame all their problems on their “history”.

Ali

Ali Hales last blog post..Motivational exercise quotes

]]> By: Andre Kibbe http://www.productiveflourishing.com/history-luck-and-intention/#comment-1174 Andre Kibbe Fri, 26 Sep 2008 23:11:07 +0000 http://www.productiveflourishing.com/?p=566#comment-1174 Great points. The role of luck makes me think of games of chance, like poker. When I play poker, I feel almost entirely at the mercy of luck. When a championship player gets into the game, his luck is the same (in the sense of the odds he faces) but his experience (history) and attitude (intention) are completely different. Life unfairly deals us different hands. Unfortunately, some of us have to exert far more effort and learn/unlearn a great deal more to flourish, but progress at <i>some</i> speed is always possible with the right mindset. Andre Kibbes last blog post..<a href="http://tools-for-thought.com/2008/09/26/why-i-went-back-to-a-digital-organizer/?&owa_from=feed&owa_sid=" rel="nofollow">Why I Went Back to a Digital Organizer</a> Great points. The role of luck makes me think of games of chance, like poker. When I play poker, I feel almost entirely at the mercy of luck. When a championship player gets into the game, his luck is the same (in the sense of the odds he faces) but his experience (history) and attitude (intention) are completely different.

Life unfairly deals us different hands. Unfortunately, some of us have to exert far more effort and learn/unlearn a great deal more to flourish, but progress at some speed is always possible with the right mindset.

Andre Kibbes last blog post..Why I Went Back to a Digital Organizer

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