"Andy, be serious. You are not trying. You are whining. What is it that you want me to say to you, huh? Do you want me to say, "Poor you. Miranda's picking on you. Poor you. Poor Andy"? Hmm? Wake up, six. She's just doing her job. Don't you know that you are working at the place that published some of the greatest artists of the century? Halston, Lagerfeld, de la Renta. And what they did, what they created was greater than art because you live your life in it. Well, not you, obviously, but some people. You think this is just a magazine, hmm? This is not just a magazine. This is a shining beacon of hope for... oh, I don't know... let's say a young boy growing up in Rhode Island with six brothers pretending to go to soccer practice when he was really going to sewing class and reading Runway under the covers at night with a flashlight. You have no idea how many legends have walked these halls. And what's worse, you don't care. Because this place, where so many people would die to work you only deign to work. And you want to know why she doesn't kiss you on the forehead and give you a gold star on your homework at the end of the day. Wake up, sweetheart."
The Devil Wears Prada reminds so much of when I first started working after college. So often I wanted that pat on the back or "the gold star". After several hard knocks I realized, whining gets you no where fast! As Tom Hanks exclaimed in the movie, A League of Their Own, "There's no crying in baseball! There's no crying in baseball!"
As a teacher striving for excellence, my whining days are behind me. Even when I feel like whining, I make it a habit to tell myself, "No, Laura! Stop! Change your mindset, now!"
My daily cry is, "How will I strive for excellence today! What will I do to make a difference and contribute!"
My daily cry is, "How will I strive for excellence today! What will I do to make a difference and contribute!"
2 comments:
Thanks for the reminders, Laura! It's easy to forget that only you know when you've really done a good job. A good word from someone else means a lot, and should be given freely, but a pat on the back from yourself means even more because you know the truth. As far as whining goes, it is just so unattractive!
Thank you for commenting, and I would agree. Of course, usually I'm preaching to myself when I write!. I once told my mentor, Mrs. Hudson, that when I got into any kind of leadership roles within the schools, I would do my upmost to support the teachers (like bringing muffins to meetings, encouraging notes, etc.) I hope to do that one day, but also I know that I can do that anyway despite whatever position I am in. Part of excellence is looking for the positive in everyone and supporting one another so that goals can be achieved. I hope that I am currently bringing that out in my students. I want to help them understand their strengths, and the importance of striving for excellence! :-)
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