Inspiration can come from unlikely sources. This post was inspired by Henry Marsh's book "Do No Harm" and the 30 Seconds To Mars song "Alibi." My summer reading started with Marsh's book. He is a leading neurosurgeon and has operated on countless brains. His book gives an honest and unfiltered account of the psychological highs and lows experienced by a doctor who, every day, holds another person's life in his hands. He speaks of the tremendous ego and God-like complex needed to take the risks involved with brain surgery, along with the fear, depression, and inner pain that occurs when his decisions or mistakes cause paralysis or death. In order to become a successful brain surgeon, one must be able to emotionally recover from the most horrific failures over and over again.
I interpret the 30 Seconds To Mars song "Alibi" as an exploration of what happens when things don't go according as planned. "Crashing and burning, the inevitable end, and trial by fire" are all expressions for facing adversity and failing. But Jared Leto's chorus is "I fell apart, but got back up again."
The question that stirred in my head while reading this book and listening to this song is "Do you get weaker or stronger when you repeatedly fall down?" Most peple would be unfit to be a brain surgeon. Living with the pain of knowing that your mistake or accident caused someone's death is a psychological burden too great for most people. When describing the psychological make up of a neurosurgeon, Marsh says, "I suspect that you've got to be a bit of a psychopath to carry on, or at least have a pretty thick skin." His failures cause catastrophy at the highest level. However, we've all failed in our respective areas of life: school, friendships, marriages, work, finances, job interviews, personal health, sports... As I question how we respond to failure on a general psychological level, I encourage you to question how you respond to failure on a personal level. Have your failures made you weaker and caused you to become depressed, fearful, and ultimately reluctant to work harder and try again? Or have you your failures made you stronger and caused you to become smarter, a better problem solver, more resilient, and ultimately work harder to try again?
Alibi
No warning sign, no alibi.
Were fading faster than the speed of light.
Took our chance, crashed and burned.
No, we'll never ever learn.
I fell apart, but got back up again,
And then I fell apart, but got back up again, yeah.
We both could see crystal clear
That the inevitable end was near.
Made our choice, a trial by fire,
To battle is the only way we feel alive.
I fell apart, but got back up again,
And then I fell apart, but got back up again,
And then I fell apart, but got back up again.
So here we are, the witching hour,
The quickest t tongue to divide and devour.
Divide and devour.
If I could end the quest for fire,
For truth, for love, and my desire.
My soul.
And I fell apart, but got back up again.
I interpret the 30 Seconds To Mars song "Alibi" as an exploration of what happens when things don't go according as planned. "Crashing and burning, the inevitable end, and trial by fire" are all expressions for facing adversity and failing. But Jared Leto's chorus is "I fell apart, but got back up again."
The question that stirred in my head while reading this book and listening to this song is "Do you get weaker or stronger when you repeatedly fall down?" Most peple would be unfit to be a brain surgeon. Living with the pain of knowing that your mistake or accident caused someone's death is a psychological burden too great for most people. When describing the psychological make up of a neurosurgeon, Marsh says, "I suspect that you've got to be a bit of a psychopath to carry on, or at least have a pretty thick skin." His failures cause catastrophy at the highest level. However, we've all failed in our respective areas of life: school, friendships, marriages, work, finances, job interviews, personal health, sports... As I question how we respond to failure on a general psychological level, I encourage you to question how you respond to failure on a personal level. Have your failures made you weaker and caused you to become depressed, fearful, and ultimately reluctant to work harder and try again? Or have you your failures made you stronger and caused you to become smarter, a better problem solver, more resilient, and ultimately work harder to try again?
Alibi
No warning sign, no alibi.
Were fading faster than the speed of light.
Took our chance, crashed and burned.
No, we'll never ever learn.
I fell apart, but got back up again,
And then I fell apart, but got back up again, yeah.
We both could see crystal clear
That the inevitable end was near.
Made our choice, a trial by fire,
To battle is the only way we feel alive.
I fell apart, but got back up again,
And then I fell apart, but got back up again,
And then I fell apart, but got back up again.
So here we are, the witching hour,
The quickest t tongue to divide and devour.
Divide and devour.
If I could end the quest for fire,
For truth, for love, and my desire.
My soul.
And I fell apart, but got back up again.
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