"Take care to get what you want; Or...

George Bernard Shaw - The famous quote by Bernard Shaw that we must take care to get what we want or we may be forced to love what we get, seems profound
India
December 8, 2011 10:23pm CST
you will be forced to like what you get". This is the famous George Bernard Shaw quote. Sounds quite profoundly true for every one of us. Be it the job we do, the life partner we get or the place we live in. No one else can get it for us. We have to work to make it happen. Without being cynical or complacent. If we don't ensure we get what we love, then we are forced to love whatever we get. And love we must; otherwise it can get quite frustrating. But the question sometimes that comes to mind is-whether our efforts ensure we get what we want always? If we do whatever we are required to do that is, with no stone unturned? This is a dilemma I want to discuss. May be we would have consolation of doing our best yet not being able to get. Then, the best course is to live to love what we get. We'll discuss all aspects of this issue.
6 responses
@thesids (22180)
• Bhubaneswar, India
9 Dec 11
First, I disagree with we are forced to love whatever we get. Love can NEVER be forced upon. If it could, many people would not be divorcing at 50s, there wouldnt have been resignations from work and many more to prove my point right. As for whether our efforts ensure we get what we want... hmmm... that is tricky and most of the time NO if they got us all that we wanted, a sure come situation when there is nothing more to get ... and what then about the something called - "Destiny?"
@thesids (22180)
• Bhubaneswar, India
9 Dec 11
With the 3rd Option opening up....I dont see any reasons to get Flummoxed... AGIAN
• India
9 Dec 11
sids: this one flummoxes me a bit.. OK, let me collect myself back again to put it in perspective: being forced to love is the second best alternative to failing to succeed in getting what is intently desired; but refusing to love what is bestowed leads to a third option which is the result of refusal to accept the second best. And as I see, divorce or resignation from job are outcomes of denial to reconcile. Regarding effort: when it is required to maximize or go all out to succeed, if we either fail or are failed by circumstances. We don't envisage a win every time or a loss either, efforts having been made to the fullest extent in all cases. So, the wisdom of Bernard Shaw kicks in if we fail, what. Flummoxed again?
@vandana7 (98826)
• India
23 Dec 11
I developed liking for somethings when I was young. So my targets were formed back then. I always wanted something like that. Am I there? Of course. But then, there is some reason I cannot live my life in that manner. Was it difficult to achieve what I wanted? Yes. Initially, it was too difficult to even think about it. I never thought I would reach my goals by 50 or so. But now I can only foresee a safer passage going forward, if I survive 2012. Do I have anything more to achieve? Yeah, now I have new goals and this time it is bigger. God knows he will make me slog for it. :) But it would be worth the effort, I assure you.
• India
23 Dec 11
It gives you such a sense of fulfillment. Doesn't it? Well, going by your past credentials , you seem determined & set to get there! Here's wishing every success with future endeavors!
@dorannmwin (36392)
• United States
13 Dec 11
I've come to the conclusion that the vast majority of our lives are spent just settling for what we get in life. The reason that I tend to think that this is the case is because of the fact that the majority are passive when it really comes down to it. With that said, when it comes to partners, I think that the majority of people don't find what they really want because of the fact that I believe there is just one person that is meant to be the perfect match for each person and the majority of us are not lucky enough to ever meet that person.
• India
23 Dec 11
That's true dorann as you say. First of all apologies for getting back to this one sooo late! Its true, life is a matter of reconciliation with reality when it comes to life partner. Even if were to chase something that's not destined to happen, we may not be sure in matters of who the partner can be. But for everything else, the thrust on persisting appears to be valid.
@Lhenni (1242)
• Philippines
9 Dec 11
... "force to like what you get"... Well, that's the least we can do. To love and accept what we get knowing that it's not the best thing we aimed for. It maybe not the best but we can make it better if not good. Just a little mind-setting and we can liked it for sure. Anyway, all that happened to us can get a practical, positive explanations why it has to be that or this way. We should have a broad mind to sort things out positively. In my case, I dreamt of having a mature husband at age. But I ended up to have a 3 years old younger husband than me. At first I was just to like him. He's likable anyway *LOL. But so far, the like been loved. And we've been inlove for almost 11 years now.
• India
9 Dec 11
People can be good at great efforts or some can be very good at winning love-you prove you are good at the latter. I did have a liking for a girl very early on in life. But I failed to work on developing it to the point of ensuring I made her my life partner. Much later in life, I married a qualified girl with a pragmatic approach to life. We are happily married. .
@ravisivan (14079)
• India
9 Dec 11
Yes. You are correct. Human mind expects many things in life. But ultimately when the human mind understands that we may not get a particulars, it learn to accept what is given. Jocularly, when I was young every man getting married wants to have a girl resembling....H.I as wife otherwise accept the girl got as H.I. (I am sure you would have guessed the name of the actress who was very famous when we were young) good day
• India
9 Dec 11
Were you referring to the Dream Girl as she was/is popularly called? . Obviously many dreamed of her but there was only one who would get her!. The essence of Bernard Shaw's quote is that when it is the time to work for a desire, one must give his best shot if he/she is intent on getting that. He cautions, sort of, that if the effort is inadequate, then we better live with what is bestowed on us.
@Bluedoll (16774)
• Canada
9 Dec 11
[i]Take care to get what you like or you will be forced to like what you get... If you can’t justify your existence, if you’re not pulling your weight in the social boat, if you’re not producing as much as you consume or perhaps a little more, then, clearly, we cannot use the organizations of our society for the purpose of keeping you alive, because your life does not benefit us and it can’t be of very much use to yourself.[/i] Shaw was a hard assessor. He assessed the dilemma of the working class from a social democratic view. Let’s rewrite Shaw for our own satisfaction. You will always reach conclusions in life, where your life will be what it is like, and you can not change this. Before conclusions happen, be serious enough to establish your goals, so you always know what you want out of life. You need to be able to look in the mirror. Life is about giving and considering other people. If you do this, you will be much happier. If instead, all you do is take, you will feel useless. There will always be exceptions in life, for as well as you giving to others, others will want to give to you, and help you, if you find yourself in a position to be not able.