the worse single piece of advice ever.
What’s a word or phrase that annoys you?
Don’t have a paddy* about it. I absolutely get that you should aspire to something. You must envisage an achievable objective.
But this banal idea that you must ‘follow your heart’ is not only misleading but could also bring you into danger.
Somebody once wrote that “The heart is treacherous, who can know it?” It’s worth just thinking about that statement. Recently being a traitor is seen as entertainment. TV shows very rarely are about realities of life but more about driving subscription services – €€€€€’s!
Who wants to be famous as a traitor? Oh yeah, those people on the show. Silly me.
Otherwise, any volunteers? Do you want the reputation as a traitor?
Following your heart is on a similar level. It’s a derivative idea of ‘living the dream’. Both are actually a fantasy and propose the absurd notion that you’ll be completely satisfied if you find a desert island where food grows in abundance, nobody hurts you and you enjoy peace and quiet for the rest of your life. Or similar.
I think the idea is you get something in your head and go hell for leather to obtain it.
Is it me or does anyone see or notice a slight problem with that proposal? Like funding it for example? Actually being able to reach what you desire?
So OK, you manage to fulfill the ambition. You’re still going to die. What did it cost you to get there? Who did you hurt, alienate, offend or otherwise irritate and even injure to get what your heart wanted?
Be aspirational! Have a realistic idea about what you want to achieve! Even go ahead and devise a plan to get there. But just realise that you need to think it through objectively and your heart is the least dependable organ that will reasonably help you achieve your goals.
I see this stupid phrase everywhere and I’m surprised that even sensible (seemingly!) people think this is a wonderful piece of wisdom.
It isn’t. It annoys the bejesus out of me. And I’ve seen people follow the sentiment to their own undoing. Sickening and heartbreaking when it all goes belly up!
By all means have a plan. Prepare for it, work at it but NOT at the expense of your nearest and dearest. Or your personal health.
You may not agree. That’s your prerogative. Don’t ask me, I’ll just be annoyed. DON’T FOLLOW YOUR DREAMS!
Just saying.
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