Motivating Myself One Step at a Time

How do we know we like something? How do we know we don't? We try.

I've been lucky, I get to work with quite a range of nationalities and cultures. As a result I have begun to try, and to learn some interesting new things; some things that I probably wouldn't have on my own. A lot of this is with ethnic cuisines, and it's amazing the amount of culture we can learn and share through the culinary efforts of friends. Some things I've tried I didn't even know could be eaten, let alone possible!

Sea cucumber/urchin (good), salt cured duck eggs (not so much...), spiced dried seaweed, shrimp flavored chip-like snacks, tiny dried fish in oil (not my favorite, nuff said) diced jellied pig's ear (not too bad, if you don't think about it) greenbean flour gelatinous stuff (don't know the real name, but excellent), amazing curries (curry makes everything taste better!), some spiky Indian fruits that I have no idea how to spell, and can barely pronounce, (very good), ghee and nan common in Indian cooking, middle eastern kebabs, steak and chicken-like tofu...

Normally I probably wouldn't have tried very much of the above, but I grew up hearing my dad's "If you won't try it, how do you know you don' t like it?"

So how do we know we can't do something? How can you succeed if you don't begin?

Too, there is often a perception that if something is outside the realm of our experience, it's not something we can do. For example, I've never gone rock climbing.

I tell myself, "You're not strong enough. You'd be ridiculous dangling from a rope. You're afraid of heights." All legitimate excuses, I suppose, to keep me from actually having to make an effort, or to prove myself wrong. But I know it's not something I can't do, it's not something I couldn't learn, if I would just try.

Sometimes we just need a swift kick to get jumpstarted! And instead of setting one major goal to reach at a certain point in time, (and becoming overwhelmed by all the logistics of its accomplishment along the way) I think I need to set a few dozen smaller goals that I can finish off, one at a time, one day at a time, in order to "stairstep" my progress. Maybe then, I'll reach my final goal before I know it.

In the grit and grime of city life
Amongst the smoke and dirt of daily strife
There lies the simple drudge.

In the walking of the weekly mile
Human kind grinds on, not a little while
Barely finding daily bread.

Tho close they walk, they are miles apart
And never knowing where the race to start
Living only for dreams.

The sky is gloomy now and so gray
But for a simple life now, none will stay
Dreaming their life away.
A.E.Eaker 2007

Now I just need to work on my patience...