Pragmatism

This entry might seem like it negates everything from the previous one but when looking at it, it's important to understand that there is a difference between having an understanding of our limitations and simply giving up. Pragmatism is the philosophy of taking a practical approach to things. It's aiming for the goals you know you can achieve while accepting that there are some you can't and focusing your efforts elsewhere. I think it's healthy to have an understanding of our own shortcomings and disadvantages. It doesn't mean that we don't believe we can accomplish things, rather it means that we have a better idea of what we can and can't do. Nobody is superman, there are some things that we just aren't capable of doing, there are some endeavors that are a lost cause, and understanding that is important because it means that we know that our efforts can best be spent elsewhere. A practical approach is often times more prudent for everyday tasks because, more often than not, it's better for efficiency's sake. For one of my jobs, I often have to choose among a variety of tasks to accomplish throughout the day. I don't have to finish everything, but it's expected of me that I finish as much as I can. The approach I take to this is that I focus my efforts on the tasks that I know I can finish and finish well and after that I'm not afraid to ask for help from someone whom I know can handle the remainders better than I can. We all have our strong suits and our weaker traits, this is why it's important to recognize that and utilize the talents of others in fields that you may be laking in order to accomplish something that might have been otherwise a more difficult task. Being realistic allows us to fully maximize our potential while at the same time having a clear and concise knowledge of our limitations. Some people, including myself at times, like to have a romantic view of the world and of their own lives. They like to think that they can accomplish anything and enjoy daydreaming about the feats they want to conquer. There's nothing wrong with that but when it comes to actually putting our nose to the grindstone and getting down to work, having a pragmatic approach is more prudent. Being pragmatic and being pessimistic are two entirely different things. Being realistic means knowing what can and can't be done and acting based on that knowledge in order to do what can be done and recognize what can't. Sometimes that world view is best to have depending on the situation.