I’ve always been scoffed at for being a realist. No, not saying I’m a realist but actually being/living a life as a realist. I told my children when they were growing up to live within what is real for them and never expect to be anything you want to be but to work at being the best you can be. And work hard, not expecting handouts. I recall one day a conversation with my son in which I said, “Set your goals to be realistic and at the same time challenging. Don’t expect lofty rewards. When reality exceeds any expectations, it’s a good thing.”
I recall this being laughed at often especially during the 90s when all of society, and in particular our schools, began playing the mind control game of “building self esteem.” The problem, in my opinion at that time and still is, is that you don’t build a person’s self esteem by repeatedly telling them they are special, can be anything they want to be and just think good thoughts.
Last week an article appeared at Huffington Post explaining, from this person’s perspective, why Generation Y, as they are called today, are so unhappy. Worth the read I think.
