I need to ask my parents I guess.
Trying to be as unpolitical as I can, let me just say that I think some of the people who claim that either they or their kids have A.D.D. are pulling shenanigans. Granted, there are some cases where kids honestly have an attention problem and those problems are dealt with swiftly upon dispensing of correct medication. However, I believe we live in an over-medicated, over-simplified society where your "pains" are met with "Oh, there's a pill for that".
I dealt with this first hand with the person I dated for 5 years through high school and the first two years of college. Over-medicated and still not satisfied, he had a tough road of emotional problems and overall unhappiness that he would not attempt to solve on his own without medication, thus I chose not to put my own happiness for granted on his behalf. Now I have the wonderful Alex who lives in mental peace and is probably the most easy-going guy I've ever met.
*By the way, let me say that my former boyfriend's dependency on medication drove me crazy simply because I don't even take Ibuprofen unless I feel like my head will fall off. The fact that I have to have an antibiotic right now drives me up the wall...*
With all that said, my commitment levels to certain things are for some reason waaayyy out of whack. I find myself going the bare minimum to make the grade in classes (which has never changed since I was a child so no surprise). The problem with this is, I'M IN COLLEGE. The bare minimum doesn't work like it used to. The bare minimum in Principles of Accounting 1 worked for me last semester. Principles of Accounting 2, not surprisingly, builds on 1 so the bare minimum in this course actually doesn't work now (surprise surprise). Other classes are pretty much the same story, half the work, twice the pain on exam days.
I can't help but think that I have (and have had in the past) motivation/ attention problems. I have the end in sight, May 2010 can't come quick enough. For some reason I can't find meaning to the courses I'm taking other than the old standard "because one day you might need to know this." The only time in my "school life" that I can remember actually putting forth great effort was my senior year in high school when I was trying to get accepted at Belmont University. I felt relieved when I did get accepted, and then lost that feeling when I found out there was no way I could afford to go there. Well, take that back, I could have, but I would be in soo much debt coming out of college there would be no reason to ever try to buy a house or a car because I would giving my paychecks back to my student loans.
Karabeth, here is my blog question for you this week: Is there anywhere in the Bible that mentions motivation and how we motivate ourselves?
Hope everyone else is tying up loose ends in their life, for some reason it just doesn't happen for me.
2 comments:
I completely agree with you on the "over medication" thing that parents do to their children. It really is more of a throw a band aid on it instead of what it should be which is a find the root of the problem and fix it correctly. As for your classes in college, most of the stuff you learn you honestly don't use in real life. Some of it you do, but most of it you really don't. So don't worry about that so much as just doing what you can and doing it to the best of your own ability.
Since you asked me specifically to comment I will oblige. :)
There are some people who might need medication to treat certain problems. However, I - like you - do not think that most people being treated for ADD or ADHD need it. I think of it as more for the convenience of the parents and teachers who don't want to deal with unruly children. Again, this is not a blanket statement. Some people do need medication to deal with problems caused by chemical imbalances in the brain.
As for the question that was addressed to me specifically. Yes, the Bible deals with the subject that you mention. As a matter of fact the whole Bible is written as a means of delivering us from sinful mediocrity that we see as "normal" to the sinless perfection that God tells us is necessary to please Him.
As for specifics, see Ecclesiastes 9:10, Proverbs 10:4 or Romans 12:1-2. There isn't much room for mediocrity in these verses. There are several verses in Proverbs that deal with "slothfulness" (laziness) which is when someone does nothing at all or just enough to get by. This doesn't seem to fit with what Jesus taught his disciples about going the "second mile" which means going above and beyond what is required.
Verses like II Corinthians 5:20 tell us that we are ambassadors for Christ while we're here on earth and Proverbs 13:17 describes what King Solomon thought of his own earthly ambassadors. If Solomon didn't want an unfaithful ambassador I'm not sure why we think God would want one to be representing Him.
Even though I knew you as a child I cannot say how you approached situations. Only you know that. But I can tell you that doing just enough to get by is not good enough and if you really think that is your normal approach to situations then it is time to break the habit. Mediocrity is not something to settle for your whole life.
If "average" is all a person is capable of doing, then that's great. No one can complain if someone does their best. I got the impression from reading your post that you don't think you are doing your best but purposely doing just enough to get through. Not. Good. Enough.
I know you are no longer a teenager, but I would suggest that you obtain a copy of the book "Do Hard Things" by Alex & Brett Harris. The subtitle of the book, "A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations" says it all.
And yes, there are many things you will never use again. But if you choose a certain course of study in a certain university and they require certain classes, then you are obligated to do your best. We don't always do that, however. But you should do your best.
That's the bottom line. Do your best. And remember that as a Christian you are a representative of Christ.
Love and prayers,
"Karabeth"
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