How is Aspiration Manifested?
The word aspiration is a homograph, Meaning that it has the exact same spelling for two seperate meanings. a definition is “the drawing of something in, out, up, or through, by or as if by suction, such as the act of breathing and especially of breathing in.”
it’s origin is from the Latin word ‘aspirationem.’
A related definition of breathing on, a blowing upon; rough breathing; stems from the Latin term aspirare , meaning to strive for, seek to reach,” literally “breathe at, blow upon, The development and relationship between these words demonstrate a clear link to the word ‘aspire.’
Goals
My take from this, is that to aspire is to breathe desire and intent into a valued goal. But as the saying goes “The road to hell is paved with good intentions“. Simply suggesting that intention alone will not achieve the objective and so will only produce a disappointing outcome. Pablo Picasso in for example, said that “what one does is what counts. Not what one has the intention of doing. Here, he disregards an aim that lacks an action. Emphasising the necessity of activity/process to bring a goal to fruition.
Such a process establishes context and provides a foundation creating value and meaning from your efforts. Desire, motivation, stamina and guts are fostered as a result.
George Doran recognised the benefits of goal setting and developed the concept of ‘smart goals’ in 1981, coining the acronym ‘SMART’, which has become a very effective conventional approach to achieving desired results and purposeful outcomes. The individual letters represent: Specific , Measurable, Attainable , Relevant andTime- bound. These words all self-explanatory and together form a phrase which equips one in bringing clarity and direction to an otherwise vague objective. Much like when Terri Springer decided to secure and sustain a comfortable home for herself. She set her intention based on a series of particular and practical steps with the necessary timing.
Terri also had other goals. When her father told her that “she would become nothing or no one”, she decided that she was going to “be somebody.” “I was going to make something of my life“ she recalls.
This aspirational goal was inspired by a need to disprove a statement and survival instinct, which gave her purpose. Unlike conventional smart goals, aspirational goals create more of an awesome sense of mystery,encapsulating more aspiring qualities and charm. They tend to be expressed as affirmations. There is not one hundred percent certainty on actual achievability with these goals.
There is no tangible or visible pathway to achieve an aspirational goal when setting it, which goes against any logical system. They cannot be described entirely, and particular points or details towards the destination can’t be clarified.
All that we know for sure is that it is an entity that’s especially significant to us, which we want to establish in our lives at some point in our future! It’s the stuff of our dreams that we think about often but with no clear plan.
Difficulty
Aspiration is not generally associated with tasks typically deemed ‘easy’ to accomplish. It is usually born of a challenging aim. It was Terris aim to “have a better life“. But she was subjected to serious disadvantage, that lead to social exclusion and homelessness. This of course posed challenges to varying extents. Originally from Brighton, Terri Springer spent her early development years in the care system from the age of two years old. Here she was mistreated and physically and almost sexually abused. Unprotected she was exposed to many harsh realities and would continuously runaway. At six years old she spent a brief stint with her father where she was made to feel a nuisance and beaten, then ended up back at the care home where the court had ordered that she must stay as a ward of the court until age eighteen years old,. Terri was determined, and though she was always returned by the police, she never stopped running away. By age 13 rebellious Terri had found her way to the streets of central London, living rough without the basic necessities, Terri whitenessed disruption end disappointment, namely Multiple exclusion homelessness (MEH), which is an extreme form of social exclusion and inequality. It is the visible result of complex issues including homelessness; street culture activities; mental health problems; drug and/or alcohol dependencies and experience of institutions such as prison, hospital or the care system.
Homeless people experience poorer physical and mental health than the general population.
Homeless people have a much higher risk of death from a range of causes than the general population. Common health issues include mental ill health, alcohol abuse, drug use and violence. The average age of death for a homeless male is 47 compared to 77 in the general population and for women is 43 compared to 81.
A health audit of over 2,500 homeless people in 2014 found much higher prevalence of physical and mental health issues were found in in the homeless population compared to the general population. The audit found that 45% of homeless people have diagnosed mental health problems compared to 25% of the general population.41% of homeless people have long term physical health problems compared to 28% of the general population. Homeless children have higher rates of health problems and their development can be damaged.
“I know a lot of people that died“, Terry says.“ she goes on to describe seeing people sniffing glue and shoe polish, dodging being robbed and losing a friend to prostitution.
Arrested many times, Terri was always on the run. “It’s desperation. It’s terrible when your hungry and you have no where to live. It’s sink or survive.” She laments. Surely what Terri saw and experienced provided much insight on failure as an unavoidable part of life. Her survival of such difficulty demonstrated endurance and resilience and the ability to overcome.
In years to come she would demonstrate a clear sense of purpose Though she was unaware, her dreams of a better life were an early indication of her inclination towards improvement. Terri
eventually escaoed the streets and was able to build a comfortable life for herself and her two children. In her youth, she had dreamt of buying a huge mansion “ to put all the homeless people in,”.she recalls. But that wasn’t to be. Terri never forgot her desire to help though, and as a grandmother, though she had trepidation,with the support of her partner she was able to open a charity shop aptly named ‘Street Łódź’ to help young homeless people.
Speculation
Terri‘s journey took courage. Courage in this context ,meaning the ability to manage fear of failure. Which is imperative to succeed in our aspirations. Leaving one’s comfort zone and persevering through vulnerability is also necessary to achieving aspirations. Not exercising courage can be a barrier to achievement, blocking any attempt or possible lessons. One should embrace the possibility of efforts going wrong as part of the process instead of being afraid.
Furthermore, helplessness is far more difficult than pushing through fear. Ever told yourself‘ I can’t do it‘, ‘I can’t face it’ or ‘it’s too late”? These types of limiting beliefs lead to self sabotage and procrastination or in extreme cases atychiphobia. This affliction is commonly known as fear of failure can be a debilitating disorder, and is
characterized by an unhealthy aversion to risk (or a strong resistance to embracing vulnerability). Some symptoms include anxiety, mental blocks, and perfectionism and scientists ascribe it to genetics, brain chemistry, and life experiences. But can be overcome. I think one can safely say it does not pay to be averse to risk!
Motivation
An early 1990s study by L.M Hough found that there are two types, of conscientiousness, distinguishing achievement from dependability.
Achievement oriented refers to functioning tirelessly to do a good job and complete the task at hand. However dependable oriented refers to functioning ordinary /regular and disciplined.
The study demonstrated achievement oriented individuals possessing a greater degree of skill, expertise, knowledge and understanding than the dependable individual. Using subjective measures, this exercise highlighted a clear division. However, the finding cannot be applied universally, as the identified characteristics in the context of conscientiousness, are nuanced and not necessarily confined to one particular personality trait, and so can be expressed by any individual, in any number of combinations. Furthermore, the outcomes so plainly depends on the setting. Take for example, the moral fable of the tortoise and the hair, which hints that slow and steady wins the race. One could argue that the success of s style of functioning is dependent on the surrounding circumstances. Irrespective of the results, the study group was a set of conscientious individuals whom by definition, all achieve objectives with thoroughness,utmost care, and extremely attentive to detail. One could argue that being conscientious by nature, must ensure a passionate and driven attitude in efforts towards achieving a goal.
Photo: Street kidz charity shop Enfield
Standards
Generally perfection is down to the perception and ideals of the individual.
It can of course be a requisite when establishing high standards such as in brain surgery or aviation.
But it is is pedantic unrelenting and it’s pursuit could resemble chasing a fantasy. Furthermore,‘ perfectionism‘ has been attributed to substance abuse and various mental health conditions.
Excellence, On the other hand, with subtle semantic differences,is more of an attitude than an aim. Excellence is the quality of being outstanding or extremely good. It is associated with virtue and fulfilment of purpose.. it gives allowances for vulnerability,failure and disappointment through the pursuit of progress which is prioritised over perfection.
Atitude
The role that grit plays in success is currently a hot topic, led by Angela Duckworth
Based on her studies,Duckworth adapted the Merriam-Webster dictionary definition of grit, from “firmness of character; indomitable spirit,” to “perseverance and passion for long-term goals.”
This is of course Duckworth‘s field of study, (and the context of success Is subjective), but it would suggest that those pursuing short-term transactional goals possess zero grit! Surely this cannot be the case. Where is the consideration for swift decisiveness in sudden extreme predicaments? Exceptional performance, resilience and fortitude can be demonstrated in any timespan, furthermore it’s extent must vary from moment to moment in relationship to numerous factors. Therefore I would imagine that as oppose to a pursuit, that grit is more of an attitude shaping how one interacts with the world according to how one sees things, boosting one’s accomplishments more so than others.
Perspective
A growth mindset (coined by Carol Dweck) is how we see the world around us. It describes a way of viewing challenges and setbacks. People who have a growth mindset believe that even if they struggle with certain skills, their abilities aren’t limited or set in stone. They think that with work, their skills can improve over time and developed (through hard work, good strategies, and input from others) .
With a growth mindset, one is inclined to put more effort into learning than appearances of accomplishment, and tend to achieve more than those with a more fixed mindset, (those who believe their talents are innate gifts and tend to make efforts to outshine and outperform their counterparts).
A growth mindset is a combination of optimism, confidence and creativity, that gives rise to resilience and hardiness.
A growth mindset provides for the the notion that either way, the outcome will be fine. That you can start again should you stumble.
Individuals with this mindset tend to be positive thinking,self assured ,adaptable, productiveand motivated by self improvement with an inclination to embrace change.
Final thought
Psychology research will carry on, and new studies will continue to emerge. The success of her story can be theorised, but the development of Terri‘s characteristics cannot be quantified. Such competencies are immeasurable.In actual fact though , Terry did not begin with a specific goal. Being a casualty of inequality and poverty, she was operating on pure survival instinct. But at some point it was clear to her that she wanted more from life. She aimed to improve herself and her future. She visualised her own happiness which clarified what she wanted to be do and have. Her thoughts became directional and having Continual goals, (whether smart or aspirational),reinforced her way to betterment. In seeking higher standards, she maintained endurance and did not allow fear to hold her back. She is a paragon for determination. Yes it’s fair to say It takes guts to manifest an aspiration from a deeply meaningful passion, with continuity and impulse control through the difficulties that could spur the inactivity of Hopelessness and denial. It’s not about IQ or intellect to progress to success it’s about immeasurable qualities of an individual that’s culminate who we are and what we can achieve. After achieving an objective, there’s nothing stopping us aciting on what else we’d like to achieve.
Aspiring to our goals is a process with an underlying basis. Aspiration is affected by specific components which influence the outcome.
E To be creative confident optimistic and resilient
Each day is an opportunity to reach a desired destination . Like the ancient Egyptians destined to build the pyramids,we just need the right components for the journey!