What are your thoughts on this video?

So I somehow found the worlds most demotivational "motivational" movie last night: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XKxBKfRph_g
(Yes it's one of those 1950s black and white movie things... I have a strange addiction to watching them.)

Now Zen and I both watched it and got different ideas from what it was trying to express to the viewer. It seemed to me like to be saying to work toward goals, just don't expect to reach them the first time and don't get depressed if you fail, and that you are wrong to expect things to go the way you wanted the first time around. Kinda like if you can only be that c student don't expect to be an a student (the example given in the movie) be happy with your b and don't get depressed cause you can't be something you're not; you're wrong to expect that a even if you worked your butt off for it.

Am I missing something here?

The message I got was that goals and expectations should be balanced; while the chase of a very lofty goal can be exciting, the higher and less realistic you set your goals, the less you should count on meeting them.

I got that it's about being balanced in general and typical '50s eggheadedness.

Just one thing....if you at first don't succeed, try try again. Basically that's the message of the video. Don't give up and think you're a failure for not being perfect.

lol I have this problem!

I think it meant like don't think you failed if you don't achieve the exact level of goal you set for yourself but still try to do good by your own standard since there's a learning process for everything.

Do not go "@#%#$%@#$ I DIDN'T GET INTO HARVARD BECOME AN ASTRONAUT AND PRESIDENT" and beat yourself up.

Havonej wrote:It seemed to me like to be saying to work toward goals, just don't expect to reach them the first time and don't get depressed if you fail, and that you are wrong to expect things to go the way you wanted the first time around.

That is good advice. Here's a different way of saying that...

When one tries to solve a new problem, its impossible to know from the start what child-problems he'll be faced with. There might be 1000 child-problems that need solved before the parent-problem can be solved. And, with each attempt at solving the parent-problem, the person might successfully solve one of its child-problems. This is real progress that one should take pride in -- feel good about. Once all of the 1000 child-problems are solved, then the parent-problem is solved.

For example, say the parent-problem is to beat a game that you've never played before. At the start, you have no idea whats entailed in solve this problem. As you play, you find out certain child-problems and solve them. Once you've solved all of the child-problems, you've beaten the game (aka solved the parent-problem).

Havonej wrote:
Kinda like if you can only be that c student don't expect to be an a student (the example given in the movie) be happy with your b and don't get depressed cause you can't be something you're not; you're wrong to expect that a even if you worked your butt off for it.

I don't agree with that explanation because it implies that there is a limit to one's progress. There isn't such a limit. The only limit people have is the laws of physics. This is what is meant by:

"...everything that is not forbidden by laws of nature is achievable, given the right knowledge." _The Beginning of Infinity_, by David Deutsch.

So, the "right knowledge" (in a given context) is the solution to a problem. And there is no law of physics that prevents one from learning that solution.

Zen wrote:
Do not go "@#%#$%@#$ I DIDN'T GET INTO HARVARD BECOME AN ASTRONAUT AND PRESIDENT" and beat yourself up.

Aka don't throw a temper tantrum and break the lamp because it didn't come out right the first time? But it's the lamp's fault!


@everyone else: I dunno why, it just seemed like the video was like don't expect to get what you want the first go round. It surprised me a bit when I got that from it cause I thought it would be a bit more positive. Like hey you can work toward something and maybe you'll get it, instead of a flat out you wont.

Edit:
@rombomb: I'm not even gonna bother reading your post, you'll only take apart anything I say anyway to disagree with me in a way that attempts to make me feel inferior to you.