According to Merriam-Webster’s
online dictionary the word tru·ism - noun
\ˈtrü-ˌi-zəm\ is defined as an undoubted or self-evident truth; especially:
one too obvious for mention.
I am sure from this
definition you can already begin to recall certain truisms you have heard over
and over again that they have now taken a life of their own to become
self-fulfilling prophecy. However, please pardon me for what I am about to do here
and that is to disabuse conventional wisdom. Isn’t it amazing that just because
we hear something being repeated over and over again on a massive scale by
people who don’t know any better, we let it go unchallenged? In some cases
even, these blatant lies pass for the truth because they sound so reasonable enough
that people rarely do sit back to think through them. But mind you popular
opinion is seldom always the right opinion. So what are some of these truisms
that I dare say aren’t true? I list 6 of them here for you. You can later on
sit back and try to recall the ones you know I haven’t mentioned and try to
access them in the light of your own understanding. Let’s go…
A
Bird in hand is worth two in the bush
Pitfall- An idea that
is based on “Playing it safe”
If Bill Gates had
thought this way, he doubtless wouldn’t have quit Harvard to go found Microsoft.
The greatest inventions and contributions in our world have been made by men
and women who defied the odds and left the birds in their hands to go chase
after the “uncertain” two in the bush and yes they came back with more than
just two birds!
When we get to that bridge we will cross it
Pitfall- Hinged
on “Short-sightedness”
The people who
have turned their world around are people who crossed bridges in their minds
even before they got there. People who say things like this are the very ones who
refuse to make plans for their lives believing that fate and destiny will help
plan for them. They lack a sense of purpose and vision.
Life begins at 40
Pitfall-
Laziness and Excuses for under achievement
This one is very
funny. Why would I wait to begin life at 40 when I can be begin to enjoy
everyday life today if I choose to? Life doesn’t begin at 40 rather by 40 hate
it or love it, you’re approximately half way gone through life’s journey. So
you better start enjoying life today before you become filled with regrets.
Love is blind
Pitfall- Self-will
and infatuation
Do you really
think so? Someone was quipped that, “If you think that love is blind, marriage
will open your eyes”. Funny yet very true. I have seen people profess love,
love, and more love. Then they get married and after a couple of years, they
want out. That’s because their love was blind to begin with. Your love should better
have eyes from the start so you don’t make the wrong choice.
It takes money to make money
Pitfall- Lack of
initiative
People have started
and grown profitable businesses without having a single penny. I can
confidently tell you two areas in which you can make money without requiring
you to pump in more money; Web development and Teaching. All it takes is your
brain and skills. Those are your real assets not cash.
The
end justifies the means
Pitfall- False judgment
So what we are saying
here is that if I rob and kill a rich man in order to feed suffering children
in Sudan then automatically the fact that I am helping alleviate poverty in
Sudan (the end) justifies the fact that I robbed and killed a rich man (the
means). Nothing could be further from the truth. The means therefore justifies
the end.
I shared just 6 of
these truisms here that aren’t true. Can you remember some more? Please share with
us in a comment. Cheers!
No comments:
Post a Comment