The Importance of Being Practical

Being practical is kind of the same vibes as thinking "inside" the box and just staying with the "real" way. Most people look at it as having a very clear set of goals and inside that goals are specific ideas to be able to achieve them. It's like having a recipe where it says to heat oil in the pan but instead, you write it down as heat oil in medium heat for at least a minute before you put on the garlic and onions. I actually prefer this second one over the first statement since, for someone like me who doesn't really like cooking that much, it is very helpful and can bring a lot of knowledge.

I actually admire those people who have a clear idea of a situation. It's hard for me to be that type of person since I look at things in a general manner which is not supposed to be done. It's like when I'm doing a presentation, I tend to outline the things I have to say from the introduction up to the point that I have to pass the mic to my teammate. Instead of having a sort of "script" on what I will say in case I went to this idea before the first one, I write things down in general. For example, if I have to discuss cybersecurity in front of everyone, I present the idea where I say the definition first then I explain what I think the definition meant then I will give either an experience or an article that I read on the internet that talks about cybersecurity. Although it may sound like a good thing, I see it as not. I think when you write down specific lines and understand them at the same time, it's easier to present an idea in a vocal manner instead of thinking in a spontaneous manner. This is when being practical goes in. When you prepare for a lot of questions that can be said during the presentation, you will have a set of specific answers as well. It may sound and look like you wrote a script but it's called being well prepared. I have seen a lot of my classmates have a script but just write things down for the sake of saying something. Unfortunately, it's their loss since I think even when having a script, one needs to understand it as well.

I usually hear this "thinking outside the box" comment whenever I watch a reality cooking show. Those Gordon Ramsay cooking competitions where contestants must present a dish that either may sound ridiculous or mind-blowing but still taste amazing. The Western side dishes that the contestants make seem to be a difficult one for me, even when the judges say that it's simple since I grew up in a home where practical dishes are being served every day. And by that, it's hard for one to understand a concept that seems to not go together but you get surprised when the judges actually liked the taste of it.

Creativity is what everybody wants and likes and for someone who has been inside their comfort zone, their time to shine is to do something unfamiliar to them. This is why I prefer indie films much more than mainstream movies. I love the simplicity of the cinematography and acting that every scene gives and the fact that everything is considered "raw" is what makes the film so fun to watch. Although most indie films are not advisable to be seen by many audiences since it talks about everyday living where people are not "aware" that younger audience are watching, those movies send a message to the movie watchers. Like those movies that are featured in Cannes, I love them. And it actually hit me just now since I always wonder why I barely see kids go on the red carpet is because the scenes in most films will be disturbing to them and very inappropriate.

I know that one of the ingredients in order for one to become successful is to do something creative and not stay in that "normal" tone. I have been in tons of seminars where speakers say that for one to be as "rich" as they are, people have to do stuff that is not quite what everyone expects them to do, in a positive aspect. The last seminar I attended, before the pandemic, is led by two foreign women where they opened their "branch" to Filipino people for them to achieve the better life they want. I like the idea since it's like a call center-based job but instead of just being paid to sell stuff to other people, you can also get paid from recruiting other people. It's a pyramid type of job but not really a scam since I can tell by the looks of it, they are admired and professionally acclaimed because it's an international company. I never went to the preceding seminars since the advantage of having money already is "no go" since you will see a lot of people who buy like a "position" wherein if you pay a certain amount, you will already have someone below you so when they earn, you will earn as well. I know that I shouldn't be jealous but it's not my passion and I do think that I have to do what I love and not just get carried away with the money.

Being different is good but being different for the sake of "being different" is not. It doesn't apply to most situations since people have different tastes and yours is probably not what they like. By the way, I heard that statement from Hell's Kitchen so kudos to the female chef that became a judge there. Well, being different in a group of people can be a good sign that you're either doing good in life or you're not up to their standards. If you're doing good in life, people will look up to you or get jealous of you. It's not always a positive thing since you will have a set of people who will do everything to bring you down because they get insecure about what you can do and what you are now. If you're not up to their standards, people will make fun of you. In any way, it's considered bullying. We all want everyone to succeed but when they do, it hurts their ego.

I have to say that I had a lot of experiences were looking back at now, I could have done a better job and could have said something way different. But like I said, I really want to stay in the zone since it's hard for me to fail. Not everyone wants to fail but it's part of growing. I do have failures but a failure that will greatly affect my life is not a good thing.