Dud verses Ideal

A dud procrastinates. A dud is pessimistic. A dud does not strive for personal excellence. A dud has no faith in themselves, others, or the future.  A dud wants to change but doesn’t know how. They think they’ve been this way so long, there’s no point changing now. If you ask a dud if they’re happy, you might get, “I don’t know. I guess.” They have forgotten what real happiness is. That it is the journey rather than an end point. That feeling that invigorates and brings contentment. Everyone has a dud inside them. That part that asks what’s the point? Unfortunately, hanging out with the dud and listening to it leads to depression and that dreaded disease, “Giving Up”.

Ideals are a pleasure to be around. They are supportive and encouraging. An ideal never procrastinates. They move on. They learn what they need and do what is required at the given moment. They live in the moment and plan for the future. They realize that personal excellence is, exactly that, personal. Their personal excellence may not look like another’s. An ideal is ever the optimist and finds happiness in the journey. They realize that sometimes life sucks, but tomorrow is another day. They deal with what is and get back on track. They get help when they need it. Seeing the best in people and situations, the ideal is vibrant and ready to work, learn, or play. They are creative and synergistic to be around. They are open to new ideas while learning from the past.  They are resilient and courageous.

Just as everyone has a dud within them, so to, do they have an ideal. As in the story of which wolf you feed, which do you want to hang out with? Do you want to be an ideal or a dud? Interestingly, the more one strives for the ideal, the better life is. Ideals naturally find they are surrounded by other ideals. Like attracts like and duds either fall away or they also rise to the occasion. Win – Win.