Big Change is a Work in Progress

“Always remember that the future comes one day at a time.” ~Dean Acheson

Many of the most passionate people are also the least patient. Who can blame them? History paints a picture of big moments. Where a single act spurred an avalanche of change. An entire country created by the acts of a tireless general. An entire civil rights movement spurred by the defiance of one brave woman.  Example after example of monumental change, by one individual at a key moment in history. Upon closer inspection however,  for real change to occur one must recognize that it is not the dramatic acts of valor that lead to success, but a series of well-planned, coordinated actions that occur over the course of months, years, or sometimes even decades.

This is especially true in our professional lives. An average day in the life of a professional involves a number of seemingly insignificant activities and tasks. Be it the creation of pesky training programs to for future advocates of a non-profits work on a cause or the meticulous work of stripping rust and old paint from a bridge needing a face lift, there are a number of activities that while may seem unimportant at the time, are vital to making any last change. The training program is a necessary element to build the groundswell needed to make progress on any issue based advocacy. In order to improve the integrity of the bridge it is vitally important the rust and old paint be removed so that a new layer of protection can be applied. These outcomes are helpful to remember when works seems to be going nowhere.

As many of us are discouraged by the incremental steps it takes to succeed at work, it’s no wonder there is so much impatience in our political discourse. When President Barack Obama was elected in 2008 he inherited the worst economy in decades. Yet after only a couple of years there were many individuals claiming his presidency had failed. This was despite the steady progress the economy was beginning to make, the gains in healthcare accessibility not thought possible in the 8 years prior, and the elimination of the highly discriminatory Don’t Ask Don’t Tell military policy. Fortunately, enough people were willing to give him a chance in 2012 despite this impatience. The biggest problem with the public policy debate however, has less to do with the support of our politicians and more to do with the impatience of the populace to see lasting change.

Something it would be beneficial for people to realize, especially for those on the extreme ends of the spectrum, is political victory and progress takes baby steps. For example, when Social Security was first imagined and passed under Franklin D. Roosevelt it was a shade of what it is today. Furthermore, it was not the most popular of proposals. Thanks to the work of many individuals working together throughout history is has become a program many seniors and other disadvantaged groups rely on to live better, longer lives. The same can be said about today’s policy objectives. Be it expanding healthcare access for all, or moving our country to a sustainable, secure energy future. It important that we allow our elected officials and leaders the time to make these changes and continue to do our part to make these changes possible. One action at a time.

No matter what aspect of life you are looking to make progress in, whether it be your more localized professional life or the larger societal picture, recognizing the slow and steady, incremental nature of life is key. These steps are filled with details and careful planning that many of us forget about when we get fired up and ready to go. Even the most epic of plots involve numerous unexciting elements (e.g. the construction of a lightsaber or a massive orc army). While not every action will inevitably lead to something greater, there is always the possibility. Therefore, we must not allow our impatience to get the best of us, but rather put our energy into building to the great moments that history will ultimately remember.

 

Door Number Nineteen: Reflection

“By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest.” ~Confucius

Our lives are a flurry of non-stop activity. Even in our most inactive states our minds tend to run to and fro. Always looking to the future and what may be waiting around the next corner. Like a young Skywalker we look towards the horizon rarely taking the time to gain a fuller perspective. Affording us little time and focus to analyze past actions and thoughts. However, dedicating a bit of time to reflection provides a number of benefits to our lives.

By reflecting on past actions we are better equipped to deal with future problems.  Life is very similar to history in that it tends to repeat it self. Many of the challenges and conflicts we face are merely a retread of the past. We make the same mistakes, because we fail to analyze the reason these obstacles arise. It’s why the world continues to fight the same wars on different battlefields and why many of us are doomed to a cycle that leads us down the same path over and over again. However, by taking the time each day to reflect on our actions, thoughts and their consequences we can break the cycle.

We can only know where we are going if we understand where we have been. As I previously mentioned, a great deal of our energy is spent planning for the future. However, attempting to determine where we want to be tomorrow is quite difficult if we do not have a better handle on why we want to be there. A feat that is quite impossible if we fail to take the time and think about what we have done and continue to do. It’s why the greatest leaders throughout history have been informed by their past and why reflection on our actions is necessary. Once we have this perspective, only then can we effectively plan for tomorrow.

Good reflection leads to a greater peace of mind. With so many distractions, mental maladies, and other stressful weights pressing down upon us it is vital we find a way to calm our minds. Fortunately, one of the greatest benefits of reflection is it enables us to sort out much of the busyness in our life. Rather, than let the immense totality of it all overwhelm us, it allows one to break things down into smaller, more manageable pieces. This simplification of things contributes to an overall sense of calm otherwise found lacking.

Reflection improves our lives by better equipping us for the future, helping us understand the past and creating a greater peace of mind. While the benefits of realizing this door in our lives may seem like common sense finding the time and focus to dedicate to reflection is less simple. One must consciously and deliberately make time each day to think back on the events and thoughts of the day taking extra care to recognize the trends and patterns inherent in one’s life. Only then will the reasons for reflection fully reveal themselves.

Lessons from the 2012 Election

“If you give the people enough time, they usually will do the right thing.” ~Frank Wright

Another election season has come and gone. As usual there were losers and winners. This cycle saw a correction from the sweeping conservative wave of the 2010 midterms. President Obama won reelection in what turned out to be a more decisive victory than anyone was predicting. The Democrats made modest gains in Congress. In Minnesota the two discriminatory ballot questions: one that would have limited the potential rights of same-sex couples to marry and the another that would have prevented countless at-risk voters from voting were both rejected by a majority of the electorate. And for the first time since the early nineties the Democratic Farmer Labor party has majority control of all statewide offices. While I could spend the rest of this post, basking in progressive glory, I think I’ll take the more prudent route and discuss a few things this election has taught me.

When turnout is at its highest the United States has a slight progressive bend to it. There’s been a great deal of lamenting by some of the more extreme elements on the Right regarding how this election proves traditional America no longer exists. Mr. O’Reilly’s apocalyptic exaggerations aside, this country has changed in the last ten years. That is it changed from a center right country to a center left nation that believes we need to move forward rather than try to take things back to the “way they were.” The problems the conservatives have is rather than adapt to a changing nation by appealing to the young, women and minority voters making up this new progressive majority, they instead try to limit the rights to vote to those more favorable to their points of view. A strategy that did not pay dividends this time around.

An educated populace usually makes the right decision.When the Voter Identification amendment was first placed on the ballot, many opponents to the bill were talking like its passage was forgone conclusion. And who could blame them? Support for such a measure was polling at 80 percent at the time. Getting that number below 50 seemed almost impossible. However, thanks to the overwhelmingly successful education campaign embarked upon by many of the oppositional groups including the coalition Our Vote Our Future, support began to fade. All it took was simple one-on-one conversations explaining all the potential problems such an amendment could cause for those seeking to exercise their right to vote. By the time Minnesotan’s made their voice heard in November, the amendment was struck down by almost 54 percent of voters. Furthermore thanks to a similar campaign by Minnesotan United for All Families Minnesota became the first state in the country to strike down the discriminatory marriage amendment. Proving, when given all the information, people will usually make the morally sound decision.

The extremes are becoming further out of touch with reality every day. One simply had to tune into Fox News or listen to the more extreme elements on the right to learn this lesson first hand. Be it Karl Rove’s inability to accept that Mitt Romney did indeed lose to Barack Obama or Donald Trump’s inappropriate, borderline treasonous Tweets, those at the extreme ends of the spectrum continue to become more and more out of touch with the average voter. Not to mention the nomination of many unelectable candidates during the primary season due to increasing extremism by the fringe of the Republican party. These candidates, espousing outdated views on women’s reproductive rights and many other social issues while failing to focus on the important economic issues of the day enabled Democrats to make gains on both the state and national level. When faced with this reality, rather than accept the people of America are looking for steady leadership, many of these extremists instead chose to blame the electorate for no longer representing traditional American ideals. To paraphrase Mr. Brian Williams, this type of blind refusal to acknowledge the true nature of things put these extreme elements in danger of passing the exit of relevance into something close to irresponsibility.

Every election cycle offers the opportunity for reflection. Many thing are learned. Some, like the realization that an educated, majority of Americans tend to make the right decision give me hope for the future. While others, show that walking too far towards one ideology causes one to lose touch with the finer points of reality. Some are pointing to the recent election as a sign of a deteriorating America, going as far as circulating petitions of secession. However, I believe this election has the potential to be a historical turning point for this country. Where Republicans and Democrats are finally able to break the gridlock caused by their more extreme elements and move towards solving many of the larger issues at hand. At least until the 2016 presidential election anyways.

Door Number Eighteen: Celebrate

“And, yes, no doubt to others, our ways seem quaint, but, today of all days, it is bought home: It is no bad thing to celebrate the simple life.” ~ Bilbo Baggins

We all take part in celebrations of some kind throughout our lives. Whether it be a birthday, an anniversary, or a holiday it is important we celebrate. It’s easy to forget the importance of celebration amidst a life often focused on buckling down and getting to work. We get so caught up preparing and planning for the future we forget to recognize and appreciate those moments in life when we need to stop working for a while and instead enjoy the leisure and excitement that comes with celebrating. While at first glance it may not seem as important as many of the other doors we travel through, upon further inspection its become clear there are many reasons to incorporate this door into the hall of our lives.

Celebration gives us a much-needed break. Life is busy. No matter what you choose to do there never seems to be enough time to accomplish everything that needs to be done. Even on the weekends, when we are supposed to be able to take a break from the rigors of our professional lives it seems like the time slips away faster than we can come with ideas on how to enjoy it. That is why celebrating events like birthdays and holidays is so important. They offer us an excuse to forget about all the things we need to do and focus on the enjoyment of the current moment. Even if the reason for that celebration involves successfully watching all three Lord of the Rings Extended Editions in one sitting.

Celebration is an easy way to let the people in your life know how much you care about them. One of the most notable forms of celebration (as made apparent by my multiple mentions of it) is the birthday. It is the one day of the year when it is okay to be the center of attention. However, as you get older this day become less and less exciting. It is no longer the cake and present-filled affair it once was. Which is why it is even more important to celebrate the birthdays of the loved ones in your life. It lets them know, that no matter how old they get, or how much things in life change, they deserve a day where they are celebrated. Besides, any excuse for ice cream cake should be exploited at all costs.

Without celebration, life would be an anti-climatic march towards nothing. Hard work is a staple to a fulfilling life. However, if we simply work hard towards our goals and then just move on to the next task without acknowledging our accomplishment it is difficult to appreciate the sacrifice. When the Empire was taken down at the end of Return of the Jedi did the rebellion immediately begin the hard process of building a transitional government for the galaxy? No. They celebrated, because not only would that have required a multitude of boring follow-up movies no one would have watched, in order to truly appreciate the gravity of a moment, you have to celebrate it.

Celebration is an important door because it offers us a break, allows us to let our loved ones know how much we care about them, and makes life worth the struggle. We have a finite amount of time in this life and we should take every opportunity we can to enjoy it. Even if we don’t have the resources to throw a huge party every time there is an event worth celebrating, it is important we utilize the resources we do have to recognize and enjoy the excitement. For those having trouble coming up with things to celebrate about, fortunately there’s an election in a little over a week which, with any luck, will give you plenty to celebrate about.

Fresh Ideas? I Think Not.

“To summarize, then, the true Romney plan is to create an economic boom through the sheer power of Mr. Romney’s personal awesomeness.” ~Paul Krugman

As another presidential election reaches its climax, the polls in the country have tightened up dramatically. Barack Obama and Mitt Romney find themselves in a virtual dead heat in many national polls. This in due in part to what is the dampening of enthusiasm among many former Obama supporters. Add in the tendency by many independents to “throw the bums out” when thing don’t improve quickly and dramatically and it is no wonder Mitt Romney is threatening to end the Obama presidency at one term. However, the idea Romney’s proposed economic policy to reduce tax rates for everyone (including the very rich), reduce the deficit, and eliminate regulations are fresh ideas beyond the failed economic policies of his Republican predecessor just does not add up.

Take the first, and arguably most central tenet to the Romney campaign’s plan for creating jobs: tax cuts. Throughout history, Republican politicians have argued cutting taxes are the key to economic recovery. Furthermore, they have aimed those tax cuts at the higher income earners in some misplaced belief that by reducing taxes on the very rich the economic benefits will trickle down to the rest of society. However, according to a recent study, the increase in GDP from tax cuts on the very rich is statistically insignificant. Furthermore, it was similar economic policy to this that lead the country into the most recent economic recession in the first place. Hardly a fresh idea.

Another cornerstone of the Romney/Ryan proposed economic plan, is the need for deficit reduction. Not only is this not a new idea (deficit reduction has been a part of the federal policy conversation in every election over the past decade or so), the aforementioned tax cuts do nothing to help reduce the deficit. In fact, according to some, these tax cuts could amount to as much as $5 trillion addition to the national debt. While the final number regarding the amount added to the debt is not a certain, no matter how you look at it, cutting taxes will need to be paid for. As one can see, thanks to this handy tool from the New York Times, one can not reduce the deficit significantly through cuts alone without severe ramifications for programs that benefit millions of Americans. Rather than a boon to the economy, this is a merely a recycled proposal to use deficit reduction as a guise to shrink the social safety net. Once again, nothing fresh about that.

The final central, albeit somewhat vague, proposal being put forth by Mitt Romney in order to stimulate the economy is to reduce regulations in order to allow to small business to prosper. There are number of problems with this idea. First, among the regulations he has targeted as needing to be eliminated or reduced are those recently placed on the financial industry by the Dodd-Frank Reform and Consumer Protection Act, a bill meant to prevent another banking crisis. This is a backwards thinking at best and could lead the economy right back to the brink of collapse. Also, treating regulatory agencies as an impediment to economic gain, rather than the protection against irresponsible business practices they are, does our society a disservice and can lead to dire consequences for the environment and health of our communities. Going after regulations, rather than acknowledging their importance in society is hardly a new proposal that will lead to massive benefits to the economy.

While there are many reasons to be dissatisfied with our current president, the reality is things have been getting progressively better. Furthermore, an economic policy focusing on reductions in the tax rate, the deficit and regulations is neither new nor the answer going forward. We must instead invest money in infrastructure, education, and energy. While Obama has not fulfilled all of his promise, I believe he has done enough to deserve another term. One thing is clear, while his vision may not be “fresh” it is the better prescription for what this country needs going forward.

Door Number Seventeen: Pushing Your Limits

“If you always put limit on everything you do, physical or anything else. It will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them.” ~Bruce Lee

Be it Lance Armstrong winning seven consecutive Tour de Frances after a comeback from cancer or Adrian Peterson coming back from a torn ACL in record time there are plenty of examples of people in our society pushing themselves to the limit. It’s easy to go through life always playing it safe. Avoiding pushing one’s self too hard out due to a fear of failure or causing unneeded, self-imposed harm. However, it is important we are not too afraid to attempt to transcend these perceived limitations. By taking the opportunity to test ourselves and opening this door we improve the quality of our lives in a number of important ways.

Every successful attempt at pushing ourselves beyond our limits expands our potential. Anyone who has run a race knows the key is to push towards finishing at all costs. While you may start at a low distance like a 5K, over time stamina and confidence increases and before you know it you may be running a 10K, half-marathon, or even the fabled full marathon. The problem with holding back and staying in one’s comfort zone is it creates an insurmountable ceiling. When we take the risk and succeed, any perceived barrier is pushed back. We realize the bar is not as low as we set it giving us the opportunity to strive higher than ever thought possible.

Failing at reaching beyond our limits makes us more resilient. The obvious reality of pushing ourselves to the edge of the possible is there is a great potential for failure. This lack of success does not have to be a bad thing. Every time we attempt the impossible and fall short we become better at accepting failure. An acceptance that encourages us to continue forward even when it seems unlikely we will succeed. After all, it took losing an arm for Luke Skywalker to achieve the heights of Jedi mastery needed to defeat the Empire.

Pushing our limits not only improves the quality of our own lives but can serve as inspiration to those around us.  As is illustrated in the previous points, win or lose there is a great deal of personal gain from challenging our limits. What may be forgotten as we attempt to better ourselves is we have the potential to inspire others to similar success. From Luke Skywalker to Rudy, people have been drawn to stories of underdogs becoming more than their meager backgrounds would suggest. When others see us succeed at something once thought beyond our capabilities a sense anything is possible arises. By shooting for the moon, we empower others to do the same.

We must push ourselves to the limit not only to increase our potential through our successes, but to learn the resiliency gained from failure. In addition, by opening this door we have the potential to inspire others to do the same. While it is quite possible we will come up short or become too overwhelmed, its vital we try. And while we should accept our limitations, it is even more important we continue to believe we can overcome them. So while the wisdom of Yoda would dictate we must always do or do not , and that trying is just another word for failure, in this case we should ignore the wise little green muppet and continue our efforts at striving towards the impossible.

 

Election 2012: The Fallacy of the Lesser of Two Evils Principle

“It is a paradox that far too few Americans participate in the wonderful ritual of democracy that we call Election Day.” ~Brad Henry

Often times during the presidential election there is a large number of people who are discouraged from voting because they don’t want to merely pick between the lesser of two evils. The problem with this mentality is it simplifies the difference between the candidates. Furthermore, it fails to give them the true credit they deserve as contenders for the highest office in this country. Not to mention the fact these sentiments carry from election to election, no matter who the candidates are. The upcoming election is not simply a choice between two evils, but a referendum on two very different visions for this country.

One on hand, you have Barack Obama who represents a political philosophy that sees government as a vessel for creating opportunity for all economic classes. Something that can be seen in the signature legislation of his first term as president, Obamacare. Despite what some on the Right will tell you, this law is not an attempt by the government to take over the entire healthcare system and use it to bring on an apocalyptic future where the government decides when you die. Rather it is meant as a safeguard for the millions of citizens who were barred from getting healthcare due to holes in our legal system that allowed health insurance providers to deny coverage to those who needed it the most. In addition, it expands affordable healthcare to many others thanks to a wide variety of other provisions.

The same can be seen in his economic and domestic philosophy. Rather than continue to fund tax cuts for a narrow subsection of society, Obama supports eliminating these unnecessary taxes and using that money to offer tax relief to the much larger middle class. In addition, he favors an economic policy that would spend government money on things like infrastructure and research. Areas that would not only stimulate the economy, but would also go a long way in improving the everyday lives of many Americans. Not to mention the massive amount of benefits the private sector experiences from investment in these key areas. In a nutshell, the philosophy of our current president and Democratic candidate for the office is one that believes government is central to the prosperity of American society.

On the other hand, we have Mitt Romney who believes the role of government is limited and that it should do everything it can to stay out of the economy. We see this most prevalent in his tax philosophy. Barring his etch-a-sketch performance at the first presidential debate, it has been clear throughout the campaign that Romney favors maintaining tax cuts for the richest Americans. This support is a direct result of his belief the government should do all it can to stay out-of-the-way of these “job producers.” Even if this comes at the expense of many social welfare programs.

Another definitive way Romney differs from Obama is his fixation on the deficit and how he thinks it should be dealt with. While Obama believes we should use a balanced combination of tax increases for the wealthiest Americans and responsible cuts, Romney believes in shrinking the size of government as much as possible, while simultaneously cutting taxes for the rich (and the middle class if you believe his pivot at the recent presidential debate). However, he focuses primarily on domestic programs like social security and medicare (see The Path to Prosperity), while simultaneously increasing military expenditures. Unfortunately, many people believe (your neighborhood political ninja included) the math simply does not add up when it comes to many of these proposals. However, if you want a smaller, limited government this discrepancy may not be a problem.

While President Barack Obama an Mitt Romney have starkly different views on the role of president, writing the two off as inadequate is a disservice to America. There is a stark choice being offered this election cycle. One candidate offers a view of government as a force for economic opportunity and a safeguard for society’s more vulnerable. While the other views government as something, that should be limited as much as possible in favor of allowing the market free rein and keeping taxes low. While most people may not agree with all the nuances of these candidates, it is likely if one takes the time to analyze the candidates positions on the many important issues facing the country they will be able to find good reasons for supporting one candidate over the other.

Door Number Sixteen: Doing Nothing

 

     “How beautiful it is to do nothing, and then rest afterward” ~Spanish Proverb

We live in a fast-paced society that promotes constant activity. We work long hours and spend our weekends cramming in all the activities and projects we don’t have time during the week to accomplish. Most of us are so busy when we do find ourselves with some downtime we feel guilty. Now while one of the doors to a successful existence includes having fun hobbies, one should also dedicate some of their life to doing absolutely nothing. This may seem to fly in the face of all conventional wisdom about the value of staying busy and engaging in hard work, but there are a number of reasons why one should consciously make time for inactivity.

Doing nothing allows us to process our thoughts. The problem with being busy is many times we fail to fully register every experience we have. For example, if you ask the average person to tell you what they want out of life you will probably get a myriad of answers ranging anywhere from a successful career to a happy marriage. Many times once those same people achieve those goals they will experience a sense something is still missing. A feeling that may come from the mind not having the time to figure out why it wants the things it does or if it even wants them in the first place. Something easily avoided if we just allow ourselves bit of rest from constant activity.

Doing nothing allows our body and mind a chance to rest.  Being active is great for our mental and physical health. It keeps us sharp and helps us lead a better quality of life. However, if we don’t take a time out every so often, we run the risk of burn out. Be it a physical injury in the case of exercising our body, or a minor mental breakdown in the case of constant mental engagement, too much activity without rest can be counter productive. Just don’t get too carried away and fall asleep in a mountain valley for twenty years.

Doing nothing helps us realize our true priorities. Keeping ourselves busy all of the time without stopping can cause us to lose sight of our priorities. We begin to jump from one activity to the next not because we want to, but because it has become part of the routine and we do not have the energy to break it. By finding a moment each day to reflect and let the mind relax we give ourselves time to think about what we would actually like to be doing. Like a pause button for life, it allows to consider whether we really enjoy what we are doing throughout our day or whether we should shift gears and try something different.

Opening the door of nothingness is important because it allows us to process our thoughts, gives us the rest we need, and makes clear our true priorities. Does this mean we should dedicate our lives to eliminating the things that make us busy? Probably not. Rather, it is important we take brief breaks from life. Even if there seems to be no time available to spend doing nothing, the short-term sacrifice of productivity is well worth the long-term gain. As with most things in life a fair amount of balance is the key when incorporating inactivity into your life. Unless of course you are looking to destroy Fantasia, then feel free to let The Nothing consume you.

Devious Disenfranchisement

” If we don’t believe in freedom of expression for people we despise, we don’t believe in it at all.” ~Noam Chomsky

The American dream is something often touted by both political parties as they craft a vision for the future. The pursuit of happiness is ingrained in this country’s constitution. Idealistic freedom is the core tenet many politicians rely on as they speak out about their plans for moving this country forward if they are elected this November. In order to truly embrace these concepts we must have a population that is enfranchised to engage in upward mobility and engagement in their communities. Sadly, the rights of Americans are under attack on a variety of fronts, that if left unchecked, threaten the core of our Democracy.

The proposed amendment to the Minnesota constitution that would legally define marriage as between one man and one woman undermines the social freedoms that are necessary for a healthy society. Many proponents of this amendment would argue that by allowing same-sex partnerships the government is ignoring their rights to religious freedom. However, this is simply not true. Even if same-sex partners were allowed to receive the legal benefits of marriage, churches could still choose to refuse to officiate and/or recognize said partnerships. On the other hand, if this amendment were to pass it would be singling out a specific demographic of society and denying them fundamental rights that other citizens currently enjoy. A decidedly backward violation of civil liberties that should not be allowed to stand.

Sadly the marriage amendment is not the only disenfranchising attack being put into our constitution under false pretenses. The Voter Identification amendment (or perhaps more appropriately the Voter Restriction amendment) would require anyone interested in exercising their basic right to vote to show a government issued photo identification in order to vote. The supporters of such a requirement argue that anyone can easily get a government identification and the integrity of our election system necessitates such a law. What is ignored by such oversimplification of this proposal is many American’s do not have a photo ID and would have a great deal of difficulty obtaining one. For the millions of impoverished and homeless workers obtaining such an ID will either be impossible (homeless people have no address) or not important enough to justify the time and resources such an extra step would take. Not to mention the many college students and other young voters who are still learning the importance of electing their representatives that may be turned off from the process if they are turned away from voting where they live. Creating barriers to voting that unfairly target at-risk demographics under the guise of preserving voting integrity is simply unacceptable to a functioning democracy.

Perhaps the greatest danger to the future prosperity of America and health of the world at large is the continued disenfranchisement of the millennial generation. Graduating college with over $25,000 in debt on average, according to study by the Project on Student Debt, they are starting their professional lives at a disadvantage. Many state budgets look to higher education funding to deal with budget deficits, further increasing the burden placed on this generation. In addition, efforts at slashing programs meant to prepare this generation to compete in an ever-competitive world economy to reduce the national debt while ignoring those programs that are far more costly (e.g. medicare, social security) show a bias towards the older versus the young. Leaving many of this emerging generation to question whether their elected officials care about their future.

Between the efforts to prohibit same-sex couples from experiencing the same legal rights as their opposite-sex counterparts, making it more difficult to exercise one’s right to vote by requiring a government issued identification, and budget solutions placed on the back of younger generations so many groups in our society are falling victim to policies that are leaving them feeling disenfranchised. Unfortunately, many of these efforts seem to be by design. Both overtly, in the case of the marriage amendment, and covertly, in the case of the Voter ID amendment. It is vital, we do not allow these efforts to succeed if we truly believe in the principles that govern a prosperous democratic society.

 

Door Number Fifteen: A Healthy Sense of Competition

“Live daringly, boldly, fearlessly. Taste the relish to be found in competition – in having put forth the best within you.” ~Henry J. Kaiser

Competition permeates all levels of our society. From the day we are born we are put in situations that put us in direct opposition to others. When we’re young we battle for the best toy. As we go through the rigors of the education system we strive to get the best grades to get us into the best schools. The job hunt puts us in direct conflict with others who we must beat out for the job. We even spend our free time and money engaged in activities centered around the clash of opposing forces. While there are plenty of dangers inherent with being overly competitive (just talk to any Minnesota Vikings fan), there are a number of reasons maintaining a health dose of competitive fervor in one’s life is a door that should be opened.

Competition is a motivating force. While in a perfect world we would all be inspired to do great things simply based on our ideals and values, sometimes we need a little push. Knowing there is someone else trying to do what we are doing either before or better than we do it creates a sense of urgency that pushes us to work harder and faster than we might otherwise. Take out the contest, and Scott Pilgrim vs. The World is just about an aimless teen who dates a couple of girls and then goes back to being directionless. In fact, take out the sense of battle and most heroes (both fictional and real) would probably have settled for the safer path of mediocrity.

Competition teaches us how to work with a diverse amount of people: especially those we disagree with. The thing about opposing others is it puts us in situations where we are forced to deal with people we want to fail and often don’t agree with. The key to these situations is learning how to remain on positive terms with these individuals when the area of conflict is over. By learning to leave our feelings of rivalry in whatever arena it resides we are able to work with people we may otherwise have conflict with. Giving us the edge needed to survive in an increasingly dog-eat-dog world.

Competition teaches us how to deal with disappointment. Ideally, we would emerge victorious from every challenge that comes our way. Unfortunately, a great deal of the time we instead suffer at the hands of defeat. However, just like Luke Skywalker at the end of Empire Strikes Back, only by tasting the bitter medicine of a crushing loss do we learn how to cope with the inevitability of disappointment. Which is why we must seek out competition from time-to-time. By learning this coping mechanism we are able to bounce back and return to the game when it really matters.

Opening the door of competition is an important stop on our journey to finding our 50 doors because it serves as a motivating force, teaches us how to work with those we disagree with, and gives us the coping mechanisms necessary to deal with the disappointment found in life. While becoming obsessed with winning is not a good idea, its important to have the drive to succeed. We must go into every situation with the desire to come out on top. That way, even if we come up short there will be no doubt we gave it everything we had.