Knowing One's Self
For so many years (and maybe they still are) the Army has chosen to spend taxpayers' money by using the phrase/tagline/brand "Be All That You Can Be" when seeking recruits. These six words seemed to be everywhere -- billboards, newsprint ads, television commercials, radio promos, etc. The jingle was catchy, brilliant, and ubiquitous. The marketing campaign was nothing short of genius. Is there anyone who would be against "being" all that you can be? The incredible, and not subtle at all, word association is that one can be "all you can be" by, yes, you got it, joining the Army.
A contradictious corollary is espoused from the world of psychology and its accompanying counselors that a key component to a healthy sense of self is to "Stop Trying To Be Something/Somebody You Aren't." This camp's proponents advise to acknowledge who you are, admit to strengths and weaknesses, create a baseline for one's gifts ("everyone has a gift" we are assured), set realistic goals and obviate when required. Such camp purrs to find a good support network and proceed to venture into a world waiting to welcome you.
Hmmm. Which is it? "Be All..." or "Stop Trying To Be..."? Are the two mutually exclusive or simply a clever way of saying virtually the same thing, but for different targeted groups? Confusion gestates. The impending showdown will command, indeed demand, addressing the matter of whether or not there is any common ground. Any chance for knowing one's self (and the implication in this post is that such knowledge is good and valuable) requires a foundation of learning what one is capable of being and what is outside the possibility of being.
The enormous need here is to distinguish and demarcate the unique difference between "being" and "doing." Being involves essence. Doing involves action. I, respectfully, suggest the Army is not concerned with who the recruit "is" as much as offering a challenge to "do" what is asked/commanded which may be more than the recruit ever thought possible. Again, with respect, I can only imagine there will be little tolerance given to the soldier who contends the sergeant's commands require action which would somehow require the soldier to be somebody he/she isn't. "Sir! You are asking me to be somebody I am not. Sir! It is not healthy to be somebody I am not! Sir! Please grant permission to not do what is asked because it is just not me.... Sir!" Talk about LOL.
To move this tome-like post along, what to do? Knowing one's self is never easy, because time changes us daily. Who we are today is not who were years ago, and who we are becoming will be different in years to come. What we are capable of doing changes over the years. Our desire to do certain things morphs with time. The key here, and it is only a first key on the keychain to begin this exploratory journey, is to go deep inside oneself and begin to uncover a sense of who you are. Essentially, who you are is bedrock for learning self worth. Potentially, who you are initiates the journey seeking discovery for capabilities (or lack thereof) for appreciating self worth.
The bottom line is that each person has essence, an amazing unique gift to everyone else. What one does with that gift and how it is shared with the gifts of others contributes to a community. What the community does with the cumulative gifts creates a composite for health or dysfunction. So the Army and the world of counseling are closer than appears in your rear image. Of course, a cynic would say this post has absolutely nothing to do with the Army and counseling and is nothing less than the worthless rambling of a blogger. Punk'd and convicted! Essentially, that's all I am. What can I say? In these few minutes every few days it's all I want to be. I don't even try to be anything else. Thanks for reading.
A contradictious corollary is espoused from the world of psychology and its accompanying counselors that a key component to a healthy sense of self is to "Stop Trying To Be Something/Somebody You Aren't." This camp's proponents advise to acknowledge who you are, admit to strengths and weaknesses, create a baseline for one's gifts ("everyone has a gift" we are assured), set realistic goals and obviate when required. Such camp purrs to find a good support network and proceed to venture into a world waiting to welcome you.
Hmmm. Which is it? "Be All..." or "Stop Trying To Be..."? Are the two mutually exclusive or simply a clever way of saying virtually the same thing, but for different targeted groups? Confusion gestates. The impending showdown will command, indeed demand, addressing the matter of whether or not there is any common ground. Any chance for knowing one's self (and the implication in this post is that such knowledge is good and valuable) requires a foundation of learning what one is capable of being and what is outside the possibility of being.
The enormous need here is to distinguish and demarcate the unique difference between "being" and "doing." Being involves essence. Doing involves action. I, respectfully, suggest the Army is not concerned with who the recruit "is" as much as offering a challenge to "do" what is asked/commanded which may be more than the recruit ever thought possible. Again, with respect, I can only imagine there will be little tolerance given to the soldier who contends the sergeant's commands require action which would somehow require the soldier to be somebody he/she isn't. "Sir! You are asking me to be somebody I am not. Sir! It is not healthy to be somebody I am not! Sir! Please grant permission to not do what is asked because it is just not me.... Sir!" Talk about LOL.
To move this tome-like post along, what to do? Knowing one's self is never easy, because time changes us daily. Who we are today is not who were years ago, and who we are becoming will be different in years to come. What we are capable of doing changes over the years. Our desire to do certain things morphs with time. The key here, and it is only a first key on the keychain to begin this exploratory journey, is to go deep inside oneself and begin to uncover a sense of who you are. Essentially, who you are is bedrock for learning self worth. Potentially, who you are initiates the journey seeking discovery for capabilities (or lack thereof) for appreciating self worth.
The bottom line is that each person has essence, an amazing unique gift to everyone else. What one does with that gift and how it is shared with the gifts of others contributes to a community. What the community does with the cumulative gifts creates a composite for health or dysfunction. So the Army and the world of counseling are closer than appears in your rear image. Of course, a cynic would say this post has absolutely nothing to do with the Army and counseling and is nothing less than the worthless rambling of a blogger. Punk'd and convicted! Essentially, that's all I am. What can I say? In these few minutes every few days it's all I want to be. I don't even try to be anything else. Thanks for reading.
posted by Joe Marek | 7:14 AM
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