275. The elite vs the masses
The fundamental difference between ordinary people and the elite, is that ordinary people desperately want to win -- as soon as possible, right now please! -- whereas the elite calmly PREPARES to win.
Abraham Lincoln put it this way: "If I had 8 hours to chop down a tree, I would spend 7 hours sharpening the ax."
Ordinary people follow their impulse; they do what they feel like doing, at any particular moment. Yet, unbeknownst to them, that "impulse" has been carefully planted in their head or environment by society's advertising machine and its creative people, who are highly skilled in preemptively managing public response.
The elite, on the other hand, thoroughly understands the game that society is playing. They don't pay attention to advertising, television, the news or the movies. However, they pay attention, every day, to developing what it is that makes them special and unique.
They understand that being "elite" means being superior in some important way and, therefore, being favored by society.
In the words of Baltasar Gracian, who wrote The Art of Worldly Wisdom, the elite focuses on being intensive, not extensive.
Being extensive means knowing a little bit about everything. Being intensive means being a true master in your field or profession.
In the global economy of today, where so many tasks and services are being outsourced to developing countries, being a master at what you do will become more and more important, if not critical to your economic survival.
Abraham Lincoln put it this way: "If I had 8 hours to chop down a tree, I would spend 7 hours sharpening the ax."
Ordinary people follow their impulse; they do what they feel like doing, at any particular moment. Yet, unbeknownst to them, that "impulse" has been carefully planted in their head or environment by society's advertising machine and its creative people, who are highly skilled in preemptively managing public response.
The elite, on the other hand, thoroughly understands the game that society is playing. They don't pay attention to advertising, television, the news or the movies. However, they pay attention, every day, to developing what it is that makes them special and unique.
They understand that being "elite" means being superior in some important way and, therefore, being favored by society.
In the words of Baltasar Gracian, who wrote The Art of Worldly Wisdom, the elite focuses on being intensive, not extensive.
Being extensive means knowing a little bit about everything. Being intensive means being a true master in your field or profession.
In the global economy of today, where so many tasks and services are being outsourced to developing countries, being a master at what you do will become more and more important, if not critical to your economic survival.
posted by Super Peter at 10:51 PM
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