'Most Likely to Succeed' Burden

Anyone that lets the results of a high school popularity poll, good or bad, affect their life in any way has some deep seated psychological deficiencies.

Just my 2 cents.

Financially is only one way to succeed, perhaps not even the best.

 

Can you say glass half empty? Sheesh! Your socialist indoctrination ( for lack of a better word) has really warped you. The vote taken that pronounced you "most likely to succeed" was about a vote of confidence in you. Not about imposing a set of values on you. It was a compliment not an attempt to get you to do something. Your classmates thought well of you and you turn it into a political agenda.

 

I was voted "most likely to succeed" in high school but never thought of it as something I had to prove throughout life. Success, for me, is being a good Christian, wife, and mother. It has nothing to do with career, money, or power. Besides, I doubt my old classmates even remember who they voted for!

 

This thread almost made me laugh if it wasn't so sad. So sad that we have become so self-absorbed as a people that we now have to worry about giving someone an award or congratulatory title in fear that it might screw up their psyche. We are a weak people, indeed.

 

This thread DID make me laugh. Seeing only the title and author, I knew that Paul was going to tell us that he was voted most likely to succeed. Remember, Paul was at the top of his middle school gifted class as well!

 

This topic was part of an NPR story about a month ago. In my bemusement I listened to the stories and realized it is something worth talking about.

Senior superlatives (its what we called them) are some of the most arbitrary, foolish, and down right prejudiced things that can happen for a young adult at a crucial moment in their lives. But so is the college application process. So is getting a job. So is...well life.

I wasn't voted anything in my senior class of 378 people. I didn't care to be voted anything. The two who were voted "most likely to succeed" in our senior class have had mixed results. The guy, who was headed to the premed program at Johns Hopkins, is a doctor now. The girl dropped out of college and hasn't been doing well since. Just like anything its a mixed bag.

At some point we have to leave the intentions and expectations of others behind us and press forward. Some people can't do that. That is why we are to be graceful towards each other.

There is validity to the notion that "most likely to succeed" can be a difficult moniker, but it can also be a motivator. Or it can just be something that happened that was a result of life.

 

I'm glad you haven't let you Hispanic race hold you down! Being Hispanic I would have expected you to be a car thief or working in the orange groves down south. Hopefully one day you can be a lawyer and open up a racially diverse law firm that caters to those of the Hispanic race.

 

I just wondering how your going to be a true Christian & a lawyer:laugh:

 

When I was in 5th grade, we had to say what our favorite TV show was, and I said it was a tie between "Monday Night Football" and "Little House on the Prairie." The whole class busted a gut. The expectations from those laughs still haunt me today.

 

Be careful... a large amount of arm injuries occur when we pat ourselves on the back too vigorously.

 

What is success? Is a woman who stays at home, never draws a paycheck of any kind, raises decent Christian children and provides a loving home for her husband a success? How about a school janitor who does his job with pride, teaches a SS class each week and is a deacon at his church? Is an atheist man who graduates law school and is the lead lawyer for a federal judge more successful than these?

Sucess is measured in many different ways. I believe we should measure success by what is done for God's Kingdom rather than view it through financial or earthly ideas.

BTW, for me....the woman and janitor are far more successful than that lawyer any day of the week. These three people...real people I know.

 

In fact I believe that you are at a much larger disadvantage then the rest of us, given that you are racially Hispanic but no one would believe you are! You are truly a minority that needs government help to succeed in life. Most people would think you are simply a well-to-do white man that has been afforded every luxury in life. We all, now, know better and understand that you are actually a Hispanic that has constantly been pushed down in life and misunderstood. I feel for you Paul, you have a rough life ahead of you!

You may consider having your uncle pursue litigation against everyone in your past that has misclassified you. I think you might find success and wealth through our great legal system.