Is it just ME, or do you,
too,
know
someone who is never happy for the success or happiness of others?
I truly don’t like saying so, but I’ve been around long
enough to say I have known – and still do – a handful of people who just cannot
find it in their hearts to be happy for others if they have nothing to be happy
about at the same time.
Human nature is, well, it is what it is! When Bob Proctor sent me this story; I knew I
had to share it. There is much to be
said about dream-stealers, jealous hearts and those who would rather not even
try than to learn from an experience and to grow.
The letter, below says it all… I’d like to say “enjoy it”;
rather, I say, “learn from it”!
Stand Out In The Crowd
From the files of Bob
Proctor
Many years ago a young lady who was attending a
seminar shared an interesting story with me. Apparently she and two or three of
her girlfriends went and tried out for a place in a stage play. She got the
starring role while her girlfriends were not even picked for the supporting
cast.
Opening night she said she was really excited but afterwards became very
disappointed when her girlfriends never came out and supported her. She was
explaining the situation to an elderly friend of her fathers named Hap. He wrote
her a letter and she gave me a copy with her permission to share it with
others. Read it carefully and think.
Dear Ann,
Once upon a time there was a fellow by the name
of Al Capp who wrote a comic strip called "L'll Abner." Many years
ago he had some characters in his strip who lived in a town near Dogpatch. They
were the town bums, the n'er do wells, the failures whose whole aim in life was
to pass judgement on others. Their criticism and ridicule became so vehement
that in time the rest of the people in the town became acutely conscious of it.
"The boys down at the stable," as they were called because that's
where they spent most of their time, soon set the social standards of the town.
Nobody could do anything without their sanction.
Because they lived within the structure of their
crummy little world, they would laugh and point their fingers at anyone and
everyone who tried to be better than they were. As a result the people feared
the ridicule of the boys down at the stable so much that they stopped trying.
Soon everybody became bums and the town died.
In every social structure, Ann, whether it be
family, town, county or state, there are "The boys down at the
stable." They are the jealous ones. They are too scared to try something
different. They show their ignorance by laughing at those who do. Learn to
recognize them Ann, for what they are. Don't let them hurt you. It takes a
certain amount of toughness to succeed. One has to rise above those who would
tear you down so that they can laugh and say, "I told you so!"
There are too many of us who love you and want
you to make it. I could put myself at the top of the list. You aren't going to
fall flat on your face as they would have you. You are going to do a superb
job. Remember this show is only a small step in the direction of greater things
you will do, many of which are beyond your wildest dreams. All you have to do
is want to. One of the things I like about you best is that you always give it
hell for try.
The show will be a success because of you and
others like you who try. There are only winners in the cast. The losers are
gathered down at the stable laughing and hoping for your failure. If we could
dig down deep inside them, I'm sure we'd find they want to win also, but are
too scared to try, and they attempt to cover up their own failures as human
beings by laughing at others. In a sense I'm sorry for them. Their guilt must
make them very unhappy people.
Much love,
Hap
So, IS it just me,
or do you, too “get” that you don’t need anyone’s permission to try or to succeed. You need heart, you need passion, you need
purpose and a plan. It’s nice, of
course, to have the support of others, but don’t anticipate it, don’t wait for
it and don’t shrink in the absence of it.
Above all, be true to yourself!
