Do you think you learn more about life from what you watch others mess up or from what you watch others do successfully or an equal amount of both?


I was thinking about all the lessons my parents taught me, and the great examples my elders gave me and all the times I felt complimented when compared to such great people and great examples,,,

but sometimes there are those who I have been compared to and it made me uncomfortable because I didnt wish to be 'like' them

like a nasty or hateful person or an ignorant person or a paranoid person,,,,

I sometimes see similarities between what others do and say and what I do and say and realize that its not something that is a 'good thing',,,,leading me to change my own behavior to something I can feel more proud of...


how often do you get inspired to be better because of others 'bad examples'?

I find more inspiration watching the good examples. I learn to play pool by watching good shooters not bad shooters. I learn to paint better pictures by looking at good paintings not bad paintings.

It is not good to watch bad examples too much because what you place your attention on, you will become. Children learn bad language by hearing it from others. They learn bad behavior by watching it in others.

Always aspire to be better by watching good things and good examples and then visualize yourself doing the same. Good example is the best way to teach others.

I agree its much better learning from good examples. It has been my experience that bad examples often cross our path though, through no fault of our own, which we likewise learn alot from.

Fortunately, I think, most of us have an innate sense of "right" or "wrong" and can recognize bad examples. But, just like that show "jacka$$" has to have warnings on it, there are those without "common sense." And no, I don't watch the show!

I think you can choose to learn from any example. You can learn to be better by watching someone good but you can also learn from the choices or mistakes of others.

right and ultimately we can choose to not be like that but it can take some soul searching. It can be hard to do the right thing, but it is better off to do so, and BTW being the good example, or insisting on a just solution may not always make you the most popular person either

because others may feel that you are somehow highlighting their faults - which of course is not the intention of making the right choice...but when one does not "go along with the crowd or majority" because one feels that the path of the majority is mistaken, it can cause friction

some of the bravest people I know made choices not on popularity but doing the right thing -

at the same time, I think it's important to be understanding as none of us is anything more than human with human foibles - we will all make mistakes, and need to give & receive understanding. A person who thinks they are "above" making a mistake, or is always right has some thinking to do

"Fools learn from his own mistake whereas intelligent people learn from others mistake." (don't remember where I read it)
It seems to me it depends on our own mentality. Some people have got better understanding of -ve things.

I think it depends on the significance of how something has impacted you. For instance, I received really bad counseling at my school which inspired me to consider becoming a counselor.

When I was 17 years old I saw a preschool teacher at a playground talk to a child with such respect and effectively that I wanted to get into teaching and help troubled kids.

It all depends but we can learn from both.

about 50/50 with me, i definately learn from my bad ones.

I laugh as I think about this....

You guys know I talk and I am a bit off the wall. I talk to EVERYONE the same. Lots of humor, some intelligence, and a pretty foul mouth. I talk to kids exactly like I talk to adults. Kids LOVE it! (being treated like an adult)

I used to be the babysitter of choice among my old friends. I taught the kids cooking, art, fighting. Those kids still love me and hug me even as grown adults. Over 2 decades they learned alot from me.

This summer, the Chief of Operations teenage son worked for me. He and his wife were freaking out that I was gonna teach him bad stuff. hehehehehehe (I did) Even the manager came to me all flipping out when he heard that his boss's son was gonna work with me...."Watch your language and for god's sake! NONE OF THIS..." He started trying to do the pelvic thrust dance move I do that makes my keys slap likea tambourine....

I worked with the boss's bosses son. The kid loved it. He is a good worker and a smart kid. I treat him as an equal. His dad...the guy who hired me, was laughing..."I been hearing the stuff you say coming out of my kid's mouth...me and my wife were afraid you were gonna teach hm some fkdup s#!t. He idolizes you" Even his wife stopped in and thanked me for what I was doing for thier son.

My helper's 11 year old daughter comes back and works with me when she ain't in school and she thinks "I am not nice"...but, she loves standing back there and working the label gun and singing and dancing with me.

A few weeks ago, our company engeneer showed up for a week and had his 9 yr old son. Kid was too funny, wicked smart and LOVED working. "I wanna work here in Abilene....this is cool! They don't let me do anything in Lubbock or Amarillo" I then showed him how to pressurize a water bottle to make it act like a single watergun.

I may be a bad example...but,kids learn alot from me.

You ROCK, uncle krupa :-)

I wanna rock you like a hurricane....but, not like the gay German band.