Some of the exceptionals.

I would like to identify a few of the exceptionals and what I envy. But for the sake of anonymity, I'll be using pseudonyms. Let's start with Karl Keenthorn and James Betaluceae. These men share the ability to make you feel valuable and still be encouraging. I also saw them as successful in their fields, which they surely are. You wanted to be in their club. And even when you fell flat on your face, you were never rejected.

Why is that remarkable? Well, for most people it is easy to come across as critical, rude or superior when we offer advice intended to improve others. And maybe partially, that is in our heart to some degree. We want to be superior, and in some strange way, flattering others seems to lift us up. But these two are examples of that very valuable, and often unsought-after social skill of building others up without guile. Praise was either very cleverly veiled flattery or it it was genuine appreciation. Either way, the result was positive and constructive. 

Why bring these up? Well, in order to adopt the traits that we value, we should consciously identify them first. 

No guile.

Build up others.

Rarely showed loss of temper.

Skilled and intellectually bright.

Respectful.

What I mean.

As long as I can remember, there have been people around me that I looked up to, that I considered exceptional. I saw these people as the examples of what great/good people are. I also thought of them as the best at something. The best violin player, the fastest runner, the most artistic, wise, strong, kind, witty, intelligent, and so on. Basically everything that I valued, when I saw it in someone else, I was in awe. This then morphed into jealousy. I envy those who I perceive as the best at something. It doesn't even need to be something cool or valuable. If someone were the best at chicken lip shaving, I would envy that. Because, I'll face it, I'm not the best at anything. Even in a field so sparse as blacksmithing, I am not even the best in my little town. In the field of CAD, which is my profession, others nearby leave me in the dust. Now before you think I am on a poor me rant, I am documenting my journey and search for my own exceptionality.