Thursday, September 8, 2011

Whether you believe you can do a thing or not, you are right. -Henry Ford

I'm not sure I like this quote. I understand what the honorable Henry Ford was getting at, but I don't think I like his stance.

I get that:

If you believe you can do it, you can. And you will. It's like what we talked about in my leadership class the other day. Our professor asked us a question about if we thought that women have a harder time getting and doing well in leadership positions. We had to either agree or disagree and be able to support our belief. Since my class just so happens to be primarily women, it was additionally interesting. What kind of floored me is the number of young women who said that it is hard.

I get that we, as a sex, have a pre-determined notion against us that we should sit at home, make sandwiches and let the men do the hard work. I also wouldn't necessarily consider myself a feminist,but I do think that we have a lot more to give than people, or even ourselves give us credit for.

Maybe it's the fact that in this day and age, where people have all the options to do whatever they want, that people still think that women are still discrimnated against. Take a look at history everyone. I hate to break the bubble but everyone is discriminated against, at some point or another. It doesn't matter whether you're black, white, male, female or who you want to sleep with; discrimination happens.

But I think there is a way to break out of it; to change it. Rather then determine yourself as a person in comparison against what others have predetermined you as, make your own choice. So you have a different skin tone. Why should you sit back and hope maybe someday someone will think your can do what you want? You like boys...why wait for someone to tell you its OK to like whoever you want, boy or girl. That its what you want that matters.

I know, same old age ripened empowerment speech. But does anyone actually listen to the hundreds they hear in their life? I was raised by a strong woman, who said I could do whatever I want and then some. I was raised by a strong father who said that just because its hard doesn't mean I shouldn't do it. I was raised, as I am sure many are, in one life long empowerment speech.

The question is where do you take the speech and when do actually do something with it? I read my door deck the other day from my RA, which was as follows:

 Bro Tip #935 The good news is that one person has what it takes to change the world. The bad news is you have yet to realize that person is you.

I had a slight epiphany not gonna lie. Because there is that point, where you have to take what you've heard countless times before and actually do something with it. To take that self righteous song that you can make a difference and actually make it into something good.

Look at the others who came before and decide that you can follow them. Every fearless leader had something to overcome, a discrimination either from themselves or imposed from those around them. But rather then sit back and wait for someone else to pave the way they took charge.  So where do you draw the line? The line that makes you want to cross it and succeed? I can't tell you that. But I can tell you that its there. And you should test it.

Because honestly, lets face it.
Lines are meant to be broken. 

To wrap it up...

As much as I 'Look Up' to Mr. Henry Ford, I think he's wrong. Because unless you believe you can do it, you are wrong.

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