Islands of Brilliance
“No man is an island, intire of itselfe; every man is a peece of the Continent, a part of the maine…any mans death diminishes me, because I am involved in Mankinde; And therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; It tolls for thee”
John Donne
“Every person, regardless of personality of occupation, has a brain in which their exists some particular area of optimal functioning – an area that, when accessed in the right situation, can provide the person with an experience of enormously fulfilling, competent, joyful activity.
People’s talents vary greatly: Someone like Leonardo da Vinci seems to have had a whole continent of brilliance. Others of us have archipelagos. Some of us have gifts in language, mathematics, science, spatial relationships, or music.
How great or numerous your talents happen to be isn’t the crucial thing. What matters most is that exercising your gifts should feel terrific, provide a vehicle for personal growth, or even form the basis for a career.
Why don’t we always know about these islands?
First, our islands of brilliance or giftedness sometimes come so naturally that we don’t even know we have them or that they make us exceptional.
The second reason we may not be fully conscious of our islands is that we may not have had sufficient time, opportunity or daring to follow our own inclinations.
It’s never too late for you to find new islands of brilliance for yourself or your loved ones. All you need is commitment. Every day, you make many small choices that determine how you spend your time; as soon as the commitment is there, you can begin to exercise your will in a new direction. A first step toward developing that commitment is to confirm and accept that you, like every one else, have islands of brilliance and can find them if you are determined to do so.”
*Mental note:Things to Do –
1. Study for finals
2. Make arrangments to get home after finals week
3. Find ‘island’ of brilliance
ARSONIST FOR THE FIRE OF GOD
AWESOMEZZZ
YOU SOUND LIKE A WOMAN WHO IS UNSURE OF HER TALENTS OR MAYBE EVEN HER INTERESTS. FROM WHAT I’VE BEEN TOLD ABOUT YOU, YOU SEEM LIKE A VERY TALENTED YOUNG WOMAN WHO HAS MANY ISLANDS, SEARCHING FOR ONE TO STAY WITH PERMANENTLY.
OR MAYBE YOU FEAR THAT YOUR INTERESTS AND YOUR TALENTS DO NOT MATCH. MAYBE YOU ARE GOOD AT SOMETHING YOU HATE, OR WORSE, YOU ARE HORRIBLE AT SOMETHING YOU LOVE.
OR MAYBE YOU ARE UNSURE IF YOU HAVE FOUND ALL YOUR ISLANDS. MAYBE YOU FEAR THAT THERE IS SOME ISLAND OUT THERE THAT YOU HAVE NOT YET SEEN AND NOT YET TRIED. MAYBE IT’S ONE OF YOUR INTERESTS THAT YOU’VE NEVER ATTEMPTED. MAYBE YOU HAVE YOUR ISLANDS ALL FIGURED OUT, BUT ARE UNSURE THAT THIS IS ALL LIFE HAS TO OFFER YOU. MAYBE THERE IS JUST ONE MORE HIDDEN ISLAND THAT YOU ARE ALMOST ABOUT FIND. AND IF YOU DO FIND IT, IT WILL BE GREATER THAN ALL THE OTHER ONES COMBINED.
OR MAYBE NOT
BUT MAYBE SO
WHAT DO I KNOW
GOOD LUCK WITH FINALS
UNTIL NEXT TIME
GOODNIGHT AND FAIRWELL
Re: ARSONIST FOR THE FIRE OF GOD
Arsonist,
You are a very intriguing person and I thank you for your encouragement and insight. I apologize for not responding sooner to your previous question. Apologetics is the discipline that deals with a rational defense of the Christian faith. *greek – (apologia)- to give reason or defense.
“The unexamined life is not worth living.” – Socrates
As for my issue with undiscovered islands; that quote came from Ned Herrmann’s book, The Creative Brain. The concept is based on his psychological theory of ‘Islands of Brilliance.’
I apologize once again for not siting my sources. Here is a link explaining the concept: http://members.ozemail.com.au/~caveman/Creative/index2.html
I was fairly tired when I posted the quote…but I am more than happy to explain my interest in it.
You seem like a very perceptive person…and I will admit I am curious as to your sources. Care to share?
HipTip
“Arsonist for the fire of God”
oooooh, now where have I heard that before……
Man…..
It sounds soo familiar…..I can’t remember though
-HipTip (still thinking)
ARSONIST FOR THE FIRE OF GOD
AWESOMEZZ
THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THE MEANING OF APOLOGETICS. SOMEHOW I FOOLISHLY THOUGHT IT HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH BEING SORRY.
AS FOR YOUR POST, EVEN THOUGH IT WAS NOT YOUR OWN WORDS, YOU OBVIOUSLY CHOSE TO PUT THAT QUOTE UP FOR A REASON. I’M SURE EVEN YOU WOULD SAY THAT YOU POSTED IT FOR THE MEANING YOU FELT IT HAD IN YOUR LIFE CURRENTLY. SO EVEN THOUGH THOSE WEREN’T YOUR WORDS, I STILL BELIEVE IN WHAT I SAID ABOUT YOU PREVIOUSLY. I ONLY HOPE THAT I WAS EVEN REMOTELY CORRECT ABOUT WHAT I SAID, OR AT LEAST GOT YOU THINKING ABOUT ASPECTS OF YOURSELF THAT YOU HADN’T CONSIDERED ALREADY.
I KNOW YOU’RE USED TO HEARING EVERYTHING ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE, WHILE THEY KNOW LITTLE TO NOTHING ABOUT YOU. I REALIZE THE IRONY IN AN ANONYMOUS PERSON WHOM YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT TELLING YOU ALL THESE OPINIONS ABOUT YOURSELF. I HOPE THAT I DO NOT FRIGHTEN YOU, AND I WISH YOU THE MOST OF COMFORT.
NOW ABOUT MYSELF. TO BE PERFECTLY HONEST, IN MY OPINION, I DO NOT KNOW IF ALTOIDS HAVE AN EXPIRATION DATE 🙂
HOPE YOUR FINALS GO WELL
FAIRWELL AND GOODNIGHT
jru
I think the only way to find your island is to jump on your raft and start paddling. Right now, you’re paddling through the swamp of progress… AKA school. It may seem slow and treacherous but ultimately you are persuing a goal. You cannot change the will of God, therefore you can only continue your persuit in the direction He has given you. You shall reach your island, wether it is a direct route or a 40 year journey through the desert remains to be seen. All you(we) can do is keep paddling…
wow…
i feel the need to comment not on the post, but on the fact that there are so many anonymous comment responses.
this is re-diculous,
a) because it keeps happening, and
2) because it shows a lack of a certain anatomical extremity(ies) to have an opinion about a person or something that they have shared, and then not tell them who you are or at least have a user name to stand by.
it kind of freaks girls out…if you are all boys… it lends itself to the “stalker” catigory of obsession and/or mental illness.
all im saying with this is be a man! even if you are a girl. if you are going to say something then have the maturity to stand by it with your name attached.
jru
Actually, I am anonymous because I am unable to create an account. Sarah knows who I am, and my name is in the subject.
HipTip
Yeah, getting an acount is actually pretty hard unless you wanna pay for it (which i don’t). I’d rather start my own journal on my own website. Sarah knows who I am cuz I always write HipTip on my posts.
-HipTip
ARSONIST FOR THE FIRE OF GOD
AS WITH THEM, THE SAME WITH ME.
I HAVE NEVER FOUND IT NECESSARY TO DEDICATE MYSELF TO A PARTICULAR SERVICE SUCH AS THIS, NOT TO DEGRADE THOSE OF YOU WHO DO, IT IS SIMPLY THAT I ALSO DO NOT WISH TO COMMIT TO A PAID LIVEJOURNAL ACCOUNT.
I AM TRULY SORRY IF I HAVE FRIGHTENED ANYONE, OR COME ACROSS AS MENTALLY ILL AND I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT MY ANATOMICAL EXTREMITY (SINGULAR, AT LEAST FOR ME) IS NOT LACKING.
I TOO KNOW THE USER POLUOWAU THROUGH THE USER HIPTIP
FAIRWELL AND GOODNIGHT
good for ya’ll
Re: ARSONIST FOR THE FIRE OF GOD
Arsonist,
Have I met you before? Because although you may know me through Pete…I do not know you.