DEVELOPING YOUR POTENTIAL.

[E St. Kruiser50]

As I was growing up, I remember my Dad alway's saying, "WHATEVER YOU DO, DO IT TO THE BEST OF YOUR ABILITY'S.

Somehow, that seemed to trigger in me, something that would stay with me all the rest of my life.

My dad was fairly sucessful, and retired comfortably, and realized several more personal dreams before he passed away.

This topic isn't about beating yourself up for not being as good as someone else, or expecting way more than you could ever achieve for yourself, or try to prove something to someone else, because we're all limited in some area's of our lives, including me.

But in some area's of life we are all gifted.

This isn't just about models either, but about pursuing, achieving and enjoying life.

Confronting life full on, and intentionally choosing to enjoy your interests and to follow your heart and your dreams. WE ALL MUST HAVE DREAMS . That's what make's life fresh, exciting, and worth getting up each day for, to meet the challanges and opportunities life has to offer. Sometimes not alway's the best experiences- sometimes we suffer loss or betrayal, or other problems, but if you have certain positive mind set's about your life, that becomes the foundations of your life, that you always return to, and what help's shape your life. I have choosen to never give up at anything I think I can accomplish, until I am proven wrong.

Not everyone want's to reach the level of building where I am, or where other's on this forum are, because, after all, this is just a hobby, and all these model's are just toy'z.

But by having a mind set of choosing to purposly and intentionally enjoy life and all it has to offer, by pursuing it for all it's worth, and not merely accepting what come's your way, by following your heart and taking

"LIFE BY THE REINS", you can choose to chart a coarse of excellance and perfection in every area of your life including model building.

You'll fail many time's as I have, while engaging life full on, but in the end you will be proud of all the effort you put into being the best you could be just for you, and enjoy the personal integrity you developed just for yourself, by choosing excellance and pursuing perfection, while knowing that neither will ever be totally obtainable.

ALWAYS BELIEVE IN YOURSELF .DON'E BE AFRAID TO TRY NEW THINGS.

Edited March 26, 2009 by Treehugger Dave

[LUKE'57]

Don't know if you were aiming that at anyone in particlure that you thought needed it but everybody needed to hear it. The three most important words I can think of to have a full life is "Go for it". I know I'm not a good modeler, musician. phototgrapher or artist because I spent a lot of time listening to a lot of people who, even though they couldn't do any or much better themselves, made it their goal in life to point out just how substandard and even wrong my efforts were.

Then I started just doing the things I liked my way and guess what? I've made a sub-career in modeling by building stuff for real racers and not the expert modelers, showing my models to real racers and fans and not model car show judges, playing my music for the people in nursing homes and at churches and picnics that seem to be deluded in thinking that I do pretty good. I made a living for a while taking pictures that were everything that some people who had taken classes in photography taught by experts had told me were all wrong but the people that paid real money for pictures of their race cars, children and weddings came back again and again to buy more.

I've finally gotten to put the things in my head in print and one the internet (well, except for the voices )through the programs like PaintShop and I've gotten to be pretty well known and respected with them. I'm even going to try being the announcer at our local dirt track this season (about the only job I haven't had in racing so far)

even though, while most say I'll do well, this one guy (ME) who really thinks he knows that I'll fall flat on my face doesn't think I can.

What I'm trying to echo above is that them that can do and them that can't criticize. If you enjoy doing something then do the heck out of it and enjoy it. If anyone else enjoys it or is impressed by it then that's icing on the cake.

An actor was once told by a talent agent that he would never go anywhere in Hollywood with his chipped tooth and his too large adam's apple so he better find another line of work. Well, it took him a lot of years to heed this guy's advice and I think we can agree that Clint Eastwood finally made a pretty good director.

[Helipilot16]

It's always been my aim to do everything I do to the best of my ability. For that reason, I have vowed to build my '40 Ford convertible as perfectly as possible. I am detailing it to the max and smoothing the body until it's perfect. That means it will take me quite a while to complete it.

My new catchword is patience.

[Draggon]

Ive found that I have that kind of drive with my hobbies. I ended up being pretty good at slot cars, on the commercial tracks, and got to the point where Mura was giving me his motors for free because of my win record. ( And yes, Dave, I used your bodies! ) Ive always tried to improve in my model building-making each one a bit better than the last. I have perfectionist tendencies in my home and garden, and most things I do. Sometimes it isnt to my benefit, however. I'm learning that good enough is good enough. For me I think the difference lies in knowing what I am capable of and striving for that, rather than accepting lousy work. ###### is ###### no matter what the subject.

[FujimiLover]

Patients and perfection is something I'm learning. I've built model cars all my life but none have turned out perfect. The Fujimi Veilside kit's are really going to test my skills, patients, and perfectionism. Thus one reason why I chose this catch phrase as my signature. "Quality Takes Time"

A post office my Dad and I like to go to alot has the best sign ever.

"Good, Fast, Cheap. Pick any two the third ones impossible."

If you want the best, you can't rush it.

Growing up with a heart condition, I've really never learned how to work hard. So it took me ages to learn how to work to my full potential. Still learning how to go full-throttle...........................and how to complete the job!

Edited March 27, 2009 by FujimiLover