Wednesday, May 18, 2005
One of those Movie Moments
As I look through my world with Steven Spielberg glasses, I see episodes happen in front of me as if in a script. When biking home from work yesterday, I saw a teenager practicing his violin out in the front yard of his house. This was probably because his Mom kicked him out of the house because of the god-awful racket (I could totally relate to this from my own childhood). As I was looking at him try to practice, he stopped in frustration and looked across the yard. There his Dad was mowing the lawn. He gave me this look of "I just can't win".
Sunday, May 15, 2005
Surrogates are Stronger
When you take on a fight that belongs to a friend or co-worker, you have less to lose. Hence, you don't mind going out on a limb, and have fun doing it. None of these things are present when you have your own stressful problem. You feel weak, with a great amount of personal attachment to it. Emotions are harder to control when it's something personal.
When you help someone book airline tickets, or complain to a business, or deal with a legal matter, you champion the cause because you want to help your friend (more than you may want to help yourself).
Ex. Movie Galaxyquest, the surrogate space captain orders full attack on the enemy ship like he was reading a script for a TV show. Since he doesn't have the weight of emotion regarding the consequences of is actions, he has no hesitations.
Of course, most of us have been taught to fight our own battles. But the roadblocks sometimes seem daunting. Someone who can step outside of your view of things can put it in better perspective.
Relating to the example above. Pretend you are merely a character in a movie. When I don my professional attitude for freelance work, for instance, I am in character. When calamities occur with a video feed or microphone, I think of it as a puzzle to solve. Since it doesn't affect me personally, I am more willing to take action, and bravely face the pressure of the situation.
In a metaphorical sense, a surrogate used to solve a problem:
- A program designed to serve one function, can tackle a lower function easily.
- Someone you know who tackled a problem similar to yours can be helpful to you.
- Your expertise in a hobby could provide a different perspective for someone who does the same thing for a living. (Or vice versa).
- Take on your professional attitude when dealing with a personal problem. Step outside your troubles and take on the role of a coach.
When you help someone book airline tickets, or complain to a business, or deal with a legal matter, you champion the cause because you want to help your friend (more than you may want to help yourself).
Ex. Movie Galaxyquest, the surrogate space captain orders full attack on the enemy ship like he was reading a script for a TV show. Since he doesn't have the weight of emotion regarding the consequences of is actions, he has no hesitations.
Of course, most of us have been taught to fight our own battles. But the roadblocks sometimes seem daunting. Someone who can step outside of your view of things can put it in better perspective.
Relating to the example above. Pretend you are merely a character in a movie. When I don my professional attitude for freelance work, for instance, I am in character. When calamities occur with a video feed or microphone, I think of it as a puzzle to solve. Since it doesn't affect me personally, I am more willing to take action, and bravely face the pressure of the situation.
In a metaphorical sense, a surrogate used to solve a problem:
- A program designed to serve one function, can tackle a lower function easily.
- Someone you know who tackled a problem similar to yours can be helpful to you.
- Your expertise in a hobby could provide a different perspective for someone who does the same thing for a living. (Or vice versa).
- Take on your professional attitude when dealing with a personal problem. Step outside your troubles and take on the role of a coach.
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