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The Hard Work of Independent Thinking, Individualism and Courage – by Gary Smolker, Social Commentator, Values Critic
COURAGE
How much courage do you have?
What is courage?
THINKING
Thinking for yourself is courageous.
Thinking for yourself is hard hard work.
HARD WORK
Unless strongly motivated, most people avoid doing hard work.
THE HARD WORK OF BEING PREPARED TO THINK
Most people avoid spending large amounts of their time fully engaged in doing the hard work required to be able to think things through adequately.
Many people do not keep themselves informed by reading a large variety of books; they do not read a variety of magazines; they do not read a variety of reports on studies conducted on a variety of topics of interest to them.
Most people do not read several newspapers each day.
Many people are not constantly reading.
Most people are not constantly looking things up.
Most people do not attend seminars; most people do not attend lectures on topics of interest to them; most people to not take continuing education courses.
Most people are not constantly learning new useful things.
LEARNING NEW THINGS
Most people spend little or no time studying anything.
Although many people are constantly reading, they are not reading to learn things important to independent thinkers.
Instead, they are reading to learn “what society should think according to influence leaders.”
They do not “think” for themselves.
Most people are not constantly learning new useful things of interest to independent thinkers.
Most people do not spend any time doing “experimental research” to learn new things.
Most people spend little or no time analyzing their own ideas or the ideas of other people.
COMING TO CONCLUSIONS
Many people do not come to their own conclusions on matters that are of great concern.
Most people do not come to their own independent conclusions on matters of importance to them.
Instead they rely on other people’s advice and/or they rely on the generally held beliefs of the communities they belong to.
Coming to their own conclusions is too much work for most people.
Coming to their own conclusions would require too much of their time.
Coming to their own conclusions often requires expertise they do not have, expertise they do not wish to gain.
VERY AMBITIOUS PEOPLE
At the opposite extreme is a very small group, but growing group, of very ambitious people who find it difficult to have fun for fun’s sake.
They don’t stop to smell the roses.
They don’t spend time enjoying nature or the outdoors.
They seem to live to work.
They are being who they actually are.
They are driven by a desire to accomplish a clear concrete self-defined well-defined goal.
If they work 12, or 14, or 16, or 18 hours a day, six or seven days a week they are giving up a lot for something.
Some of them eventually learn: “the key to having a successful relationship with another person is to devote a substantial amount of their time to that person.”
They figure out that it is necessary to give their full sincere attention to that other person.
They eventually realize there is more to life than money and prestige.
PROGRESS DEPENDS ON THE UNREASONABLE MAN
“The reasonable man adapts himself to the world.
“The unreasonable man persists in trying to adapt the world to himself.
“Therefore, all progress depends upon the unreasonable man.”
– George Bernard Shaw
THE BENEFITS OF BEING AN INDEPENDENT THINKER
Independent thinkers search for the truth with little concern for what other people think.
Their value and respect for the truth compels them to make their own decisions.
Their judgments are based on the logic and knowledge they have achieved.
Their judgments are not based on another person’s agenda.
The benefit of being an independent thinker to an independent thinker is they learn to trust themselves and the efficacy of their own judgments.
They have tremendous self-esteem and self-confidence.
The only person who can give you self-esteem is yourself.
KOBE BYRANT
Kobe Bryant was an evolved human being.
He was intense.
He had mind bogging drive; he had a relentless drive to be the best at what he did.
He would outwork anyone.
He had an almost superhuman work ethic.
He had determination and persistence.
He had an unyielding will to win.
He was a go-for-broke competitor.
He was fearless.
He displayed a steely toughness; he played through pain.
He never gave up.
He always wanted to grow.
He always wanted to know: What drove excellence?
He was a wonderful exemplary father.
He taught his young daughter how to play basketball.
He went to his young daughter’s ballet class with her.
He coached a girl’s basketball team.
Kolbe Bryant was more than a razzle-dazzle basketball star.
He was a wonderful compelling compassionate man.
He used his celebrity, his star power, and his animal-magnetism for the good.
He was more than a basketball player.
He was a fine, gutsy, highly skilled larger than life icon who always tried to be the best person he could be.
THE KOBE BRYANT GOSPEL OF DEDICATION AND HARD WORK
Kobe Bryant was a work maniac who leveraged his talent with an incredible work ethic that drove him to the top of his profession. He spoke three languages languages, was a brilliant man and a great writer who chose to pursue a career in sports over more erudite occupations.
Kobe was an inspiration to an entire generation of young people who were attracted initially by his prowess as a basketball player, but soon learned of his work ethic and quality as a person.
Kobe made mistakes, did the hard work of learning from his mistakes, and then after much thought, corrected his thinking. Kobe turned the corner, redeemed himself.
Like many males, he had his challenges with his sex drive, but he owned up to his mistakes, learned from them, and grew to be a dedicated father and husband.
Kobe stands shoulder to shoulder with a handful of the very best in his profession and leveraged his fame to spread the gospel of dedication, hard work and being a thoughtful and good person to all whole chose to listen.
Copyright © 2020 by Gary Smolker, All Rights Reserved
Gary S. Smolker 