Foolishness and growth; oil and water aren’t they? They almost sound opposites, which can never be together. Then how can a will or daring to be a fool be a step towards growth? Let’s find out diving in cogently!
Firstly, let’s understand the context of being a fool. Traditional wisdom says that if you do what has worked for others and don’t do what has devastated them, throughout the centuries, then you are more likely to end up on the winning side than not. And fair enough, the stats don’t lie.
If you invest your time in activities towards your goal; be it studying through the recommended books, doing the advised financial investments, not ignoring the general red flags when doing business or even building relationships; then the law of averages are likely to be in your favour.
To ignore these is not a wise move. To rebel against them only to try to stand out is even worse. Is this the foolishness we are talking about? NO!
Daring to take action even though you don’t know where you stand is the foolishness we are talking about. Doesn’t sound foolish enough? Or do you think you aren’t embarrassed to look like a fool?
Let’s run through some incidents. You never played table tennis before and now you have the paddle in your hand. The rest of the players you are playing with have played the game for a while now. It’s only you who can’t even hit the ball on the table. The other guys’ pity you saying, “Ah… Never mind…it’s your first time!” But deep inside, with every shot you put wildly outside the table, a voice inside you says, “This is just not meant for me. I look like a fool here. I should quit before embarrassing myself further!”
Been there? Now table tennis might feel like only a game or a distant activity. To quit playing table tennis probably doesn’t make you lose a lot in life. But don’t we also do the same with many other incidents in life that deeply matter?
The first few investments in the stock market that badly crashed and wiped out not just your money but also your will to invest again?
You gave away too much information within the first few meets with a person you were interested in without realizing that you were never on the same page. And then felt embarrassed and hurt for being such a ‘fool.’
You prepared in your manner for a subject and then were run over during the examination, failing it badly twice. Then deciding to quit the program because you are a bit too ‘stupid’ for it?
Now did these examples hit a bit too close to your comfort zone? If yes, then we are very close to decoding the mystery of the “fool’s journey” and its impact on our lives.
And what is the mystery here? The fool is closer to the truth.
Closer than he/she was before becoming ‘a fool.’ Only after you hit the first shot with your paddle, did you realize the level of your play. Similarly only when you revealed a bit too much about yourself or failed the exam did you realize that there are some amendments to be made while dealing with people or in the approach of studying.
That was your truth. But you are not a fool yet.
It’s only after knowing your skill levels in table tennis and yet wanting to take the second and the third shot, you qualify for being a ‘fool’. You’ve been betrayed or burnt in your past experiences dealing with people and yet you decide to confide once more, you’ve failed at an exam twice and yet you decide to continue; that’s the fool we are talking about.
It is in the journey of this foolishness that the fool would encounter the truth. And if the fool is observant enough, they would discover the things about themselves that would not have been revealed if they hadn’t chosen to be a fool.
Needless to say, that’s how the opportunity for growth presents itself. To know what you don’t know or lack and then to overcome it. But hey! You need to be a fool to see the truth!
Think about it. What are those few things you stopped doing because it was embarrassing? And now you don’t want to talk about it? You don’t want ‘to risk’ anymore or you don’t want to hurt yourself anymore. In all of these instances, you’ve discovered your truth and it is unsettling. But the truth has also set up the criterion for your success!
They were always there in the fog. And now you have the choice and the opportunity, to get back in the game, by being a fool.
If you are willing to pay attention to the information available, make and stick to a plan, have an intention and then just carry out the action without worrying a lot about how much you missed the mark; then there’s wisdom to be found in your foolishness.
Being a fool is an important phase in the journey to success!
A blog after so many days. Was waiting for your motivational blog to start a project. Yes I do not know what to do or how to do it. I will still start my project and go in with it learning and improving myself.
All the best for your next blog.