In a scene from Sister Act 2, Whoppi Goldberg says “To A Young Poet. Rainer Maria Rilke.He’s a fabulous writer. A fellow used to write to him and say: “I want to be a writer. Please read my stuff.” And Rilke says to this guy: “Don’t ask me about being a writer. lf when you wake up in the morning you can think of nothing but writing…then you’re a writer.”
Is this true?
© 2026 – SoulSequel
21 responses to “If all you think about is X, does that make you X?”
It’s a matter of degrees.
I can think about the cosmos incessantly but that won’t make me an “astronaut”. Maybe a lesser degree of astronaut, but not necessarily the level that others may perceive as one. Thinking may be the start, but if that doesn’t lead to doing, one is a wannabe.
in my opinion, it comes down to whether it is a profession, as in getting paid for it. I am, what I get paid to do, but I also am what I enjoy doing.
My business card says “Idea Guy” That allows me to have the scope to be whatever a client wants me to be, as long as I can deliver ideas that they want to use. If they don’t use them, then the only person I am Idea Guy to is me.
One person’s belief is enough to qualify, but the degree is reinforced by the quantity of those who agree…or the piece of paper in more ways than one) that educational facilities use to designate you as such.
@spitfire3dc
There are more than astronauts in space.
Space Cadets call it home too!
it could if you were already or on your way.
but in reality, declaring yourself an ‘X’ because all you think about is ‘X’, doesn’t make it so.
..but seriously, ‘Sister Act 2’?
@Fletch I’m a fan of musicals, what can i say?
@Jear77
OK I’ll give you a pass. Little quotable gems come from anywhere…..
There’s only one ‘X’.
https://www.punknews.org/images/interviews/xtheband1.jpg
@luftballooneyegouge what type of music do they perform?
@Jear77
rock n’ roll
@luftballooneyegouge you’re god damned right –
To the person who only thinks about hammers, everything starts to look like a nail.
Whatever you do well on becomes your reality.
From the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks and the hands move.
@griz not always. A person who is paralyzed can think plenty, but do little
@Jear77
So are you saying you would have to be paralyzed for this not to apply to you?
Reaching for extremism will not help you avoid this truth.
@griz by that statement, you’re saying paralysis doesn’t exist, couldn’t possibly happen…
@Jear77
Are you saying you would have to be paralyzed for this not to apply?
Or, a step further. Do you think a paralyzed person could obsess on just one thing and it not affect who they are?
@griz not necessarily. Your “hammer” analogy breaks apart in real life. Look at a hammer… it’s not just one thing, but many. A hammer in the hands of a blacksmith can be used to create metal objects by the way of flame and an anvil. A hammer in the hands of a demolitionist (i.e. construction field) can use them to break apart walls, cabinets, etc. Of course a hammer can be used to set and inset nails. A ball-peen hammer can be according to wikipedia “used to make gaskets for mating surfaces. A suitable gasket material is held over the surface where a corresponding gasket is desired, and the operator will lightly tap around the edges of the mating surface to perforate the gasket material.” A hammer can pull nails out. A hammer (enlarged) can be used to play the “ring the bell” game at the circus. Some hammers are made of various other materials to make the hammering softer or more balanced. A hammers could be used as a mining implement or a weapon in wartime. Shall I go on? It’s never the tool, but what you do with it that matters.
@Jear77
If they always obsess on dark things, do you think they will escape darkening their disposition just because they are paralyzed?
@griz no one can “always” obsess over anything. It’s impossible. Why? Because no one is that focused. But if you’re asking if a large portion of a person’s time is spent thinking about dark things, then it’s a lot larger of a possibility than not doing so, however not a guarantee. On the other hand even you have to admit, a positive, happy-go-lucky attitude isn’t going to cure them of their paralysis either. Hard work, new medicine/ medical procedures, and an understanding that no matter what they do might not help regain their mobility, but to be grateful that they’re alive very well might help their outlook on life might improve their outlook.
@jear77
OMG! You are going to hurt yourself trying to reach so far for so many extremes!
For the purpose of this conversation let’s let obsess mean obsess okay.
Given this, I re-submit the same question: do you think paralysis would keep a person from becoming dark in disposition if they obsessed on dark and negative things?
@griz once again, it’s likely, not guaranteed. There are EXACTLY 2 guarantees: death and taxes.
@Jear77
Evasion tactic duly noted!
@griz My thoughts go to the video of the boy beating out a wonderful beat on a washing machine. Thinking he was a drummer was not enough to make him a drummer. However, even though he did not have a drum set, his drumming made him a drummer. The talent spoke for itself.