I yam what I yam….

Posted on June 7, 2008

I’m in the wrong age group or I grew up in the wrong country to have seen much Popeye when I as growing up, but he’s a character who’s a part of the cultural landscape that most of us share.

The quote that sticks in my mind most from Popeye is “I yam what I yam!”, and that’s an excuse that many of us seem to use (albeit not in such a cliched manner).

“I yam what I yam!” is a declaration of unwillingness to change, a statement to the universe: “take me for who I am, and screw you, I’m not going to change”

“I yam what I yam” is, at best, a refusal to grow, to change, to better yourself. It’s a refusal to overcome your limitations, a declaration of your past stagnation and your intention to continue doing so.

At worst, it’s an excuse for continuing behaviour that you know is harmful or damaging to yourself or others. It’s the flip side of the battered wife who says “He just gets mad sometimes”. It’s the guy who keeps smoking (me, 3 months ago) because it’s part of his self image, part of who he is.

To my mind, there’s only one valid reason for refusing to change: You’re perfect.

I’m not perfect, so I seek change. Because I am not yet what (or who) I want to be.

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