There is an Eastern proverb that says, “Strong men create easy times and easy times create weak men, but weak men create difficult times and hard times create strong men.”
These are phases that complement each other, each with its own particularity, thus completing a cycle.
I am of the “Baby Boomers” generation, those born shortly after the second world war. That's why I believe I contributed to the first phase of: “Strong men who created easy times”.
Today we have a generation resulting from the easy times. They took everything ready and still complain about everything. The “mi mi mi” generation.
Everything that is said or written runs the risk of being considered discrimination, prejudice and even “bullying”, always depending on the other side's point of view.
I miss my childhood time when there was no such concern. Having a nickname was part of getting along with friends. Calling someone Gordo, Varetão, Negão, Quatro Zóios, among many others. This was routine and did not cause any inconvenience.
I had it myself, or better yet I have mine: “Ratinho”. Even today some friends affectionately call me that. Inherited from the days of the right winger in the children's soccer team in my city, the centenary Esporte Clube Operários Araritaguaba.
The nickname was given due to my small stature and also for the lightness and dexterity in the dribbles, difficult to be marked by the opponents.
In fact, it was hard to find a football team that didn't have players known by their nicknames. Before it was Frangão, Vermeio, Zóio, Coró, Ventania, Boneca, Maciste, among many others. Not including the famous Pele, Garrincha and Tostão.
Currently players have to be called by name and usually composed, like Cristiano Ronaldo, Leonel Messi, Neymar Junior. These are some examples.
Nicknames were not exclusive to the sports world, people in my city were known by them. There was Tonhão Queijo, Luiz Égua, João Bocó, João Faz Tudo and Samsão Se Deus Querer.
The latter was a carpenter who hardly met the deadline for delivering orders. When charged, he responded promptly: God willing, tomorrow it's ready! Hence the nickname.
They say that there was a Mané Preguiça, who didn't like to do anything in life. A born lazybones. It is said that he ended up dying of hunger because of laziness to eat.
On the day following the funeral, two compadres talk about the reason for the death, when one of them said that, if he had been informed beforehand, he would have donated a bag of rice to the deceased.
At that moment they say that the deceased got up in the coffin and asked:
- Is the rice clean or is it with husk?
With the donor's affirmation that the rice still had the husk, the lazy deceased concluded:
- Follow the funeral!!!
Joking aside, in the background the nickname reflects on the personality of the owner.
We are what we do, not what we think!
This leads me to ask: Who are you?
In my lectures, to help people find this answer, I address the three ways in which we can be seen, for this I use the example of the manioc.
Although it is known as mandioquinha, this vegetable in some regions of Brazil is also called potato-baroa or carrot-white. Three names to identify a single vegetable.
When it comes to knowing who you are, there are three ways we can be defined:
1) Who do you think you are?
2) Who others think you are.
3) Who you really are.
Regardless of everything and everyone option 3 is what matters.
It doesn't matter what you or other people think or even label you, because what defines you is not what you say, but what you do.
It is what truly defines you.
We will always be remembered for our actions. Jesus and Pilate were protagonists in the same story. Jesus is remembered for his attitudes of love and Pilate for his attitude of omission.
Your attitudes will define you. This is how you will be remembered, even when you are not part of this world.
Keep this truth: There is no one like you and as precious as you.
So who are you?
In a universe of more than 7.8 billion people, you are someone that God created, unique and special, to make a difference in this world.
Make it happen. Now it's up to you. Attitude is everything.
Think about it and live it!
Eduardo Martinez | Dr. Motivação, is CEO of TOP Training - Training and Lectures, Motivational speaker, writer, Specialist in People Management and columnist for the Gente Mais portal.
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