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Houdini
Topic Started: Apr 23 2014, 10:42 PM (119 Views)
Cat's Pyjamas
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I watched a documentary about Houdini the other night. I've always rather admired him, but after watching the documentary my admiration of him grew considerably.
Houdini had great physical,emotional and mental toughness. He was a man with exceptional drive and an unshakable self belief.

I on the other hand am the laziest, weakest, give up at the first hurdle emotional and psychological weakest person you're ever likely to know. I don't know myself or appear to have any talent for anything. I wouldn't mind if I had a great natural talent for something largely useless like playing bridge, tap dancing or badminton, but nothing I attempt comes all that easily to me. I've outlined the reasons above, so I know that I'm a mental and physical weakling. How does a person with almost zero discipline and a Homer Simpson mind go about developing drive,determination and an iron will?

They say that poverty really sharpens the intelligence. Houdini's family were very poor even by the standards of 19th century New York. He left school at 8 to sell newspapers, and he had a tough life well into his 20s. I am too comfortable, too protected from the degradation of poverty and the workplace.
That is why over 2 years after studying programming I am still at an intermediate level. The fact that I'm at this middle level in a number of languages speaks for itself. In all honesty I don't really care for programming. Had I Houdini's drive and determination I would have mastered Java, C, Python and PHP to near expert level within 6 months.

The narrator of the documentary kept saying such things as: "Houdini saw difficulties, obstacles as something to conquer. The tougher the obstacles the more determined Houdini was to surmount them." And "For Houdini failure was NEVER an option!"

I'm going to have to slowly but surely develop mental toughness or I'll get absolutely nowhere in life.
Edited by Cat's Pyjamas, Apr 24 2014, 03:09 AM.
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Cat's Pyjamas
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"If you want to travel the Way of Buddhas and Zen masters, then expect nothing, seek nothing, and grasp nothing."
Dogen

"I am the vine,ye are the branches: He that abideth in me and I in him,the same bringeth forth
much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing."

John 15:5

“Here is the test of truth: anything that makes you weak, physically, intellectually and spiritually, reject it as poison, there is no life in it – it cannot be true.”
- Swami Vivekananda

"God plus mind is you. You minus mind is God."
Swami Satchitananda

"Do not follow the ideas of others, but learn to listen to the voice within yourself. Your body and mind will become clear and you will realize the unity of all things."
Dogen




















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Cat's Pyjamas
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Degree
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One Among the Fence
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His brother was actually more interesting, because he was always overshadowed and overcompensating.
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