I am not sure what sent me down this path, maybe I have read too many books or watched too many movies about this kind of thing. But I have always kind of enjoyed the tales in which the protagonist was pitted against himself.
In all of them he/she faced a tough foe. Consider the implications of having to fight yourself. Someone who knows you intimately, knows how you think, what frightens you, is aware of all your weaknesses. It could be a real challenge.
Picking up close to where I left off in the prior post, I think that part of why I would win is that I have answers to the biggest questions that the 20 year-old could think of. And not only do I have those answers, I look at those questions as being somewhat silly and naive.
I guess where I am going with this post is to mental toughness. Life is about how you act and react to what happens around you. I have had success and I have had failure. The questions we face is how do we cope.
And sometimes success means learning how to cope just as failure does.
Mark Twain had a great quote:
All you need in this life is ignorance and confidence, and then Success is sure.
- Notebook, 1887
Anyway, as is my wont I have spent a lot of words saying very little. One of these days I'll learn how to say less in fewer words.
4 comments:
Please-- Name a few of the books.
Ok, now that you put me on the spot I can't think of any of the books. There was an epsiode of Angel that specifically dealt with this.
But if you want a list of books that I enjoy that have played a role in this you can look at Tolkien, Eddings, Terry Brooks, Stephen Donaldson,
Lord Foul's Bane, The Fellowship of the Rings, Pawn of Prophecy, Sword of Shannara, they all fit the bill.
So do the Alex Cross Novels by Patterson, Nelson Demille has done some excellent work, Up Country, The Gold Coast, The Charm School.
Years ago I read a lot of Eric Van Lustbader's books about the White Ninja.
I have read most of Anne Rice's books and many biographies too.
I have a very active imagination.
For a long time I have wanted to read “Sword of Shannara” I have a copy of it that I picked up at a library sale.
I suggest Orson Scott Card's “Enders Game”. The first book is a quick good read. I have not made it past the 3rd book-- But, book 2 and 3 are excellent literature and are NOT quick reads.
I'll have to take a look at it. Thanks for the tip.
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