Susan Brooks was one of those girls who never say anything unless called upon, the ones the teachers always have to ask to speak up, please. A very studious, very serious girl. A rather pretty but not terribly bright girl - the kind who isn't allowed to give up and take the general or the commercial courses, because she had a terribly bright older brother or older sister, and the teachers expect comparable things from her. In fine, one of those girls who are holding the dirty end of the stick with as much good grace and manners as they can muster. Usually they marry truck drivers and move to the West Coast, where they have kitchen nooks with Formica counters - and they write letters to the Folks Back East as seldom as they can get away with. They make quiet, successful lives for themselves and grow prettier as the shadow of the bright older brother or sister falls away from them.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- A quiet, serious girl finds success by outliving the pressure of comparisons.
- In plain terms
- A serious girl works hard and finds happiness when comparisons fade.
- What can you take from it?
- Your worth is not defined by comparisons to others.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What pressures do you face?
- Who do you compare yourself to?
Another view
Success still depends on luck and access more than just quiet effort.
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