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Old 10-07-2014, 22:45   #6
Old Dog New Trick
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Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Just above the flood plain in Southern Texas
Posts: 3,611
Quote:
Originally Posted by CSB View Post
I disagree with Number Four.
Gray man?
Don't brag, don't show off, but don't slink away and hide.
Just do it.
I agree 100% with all the rest.
No, I actually agree with the "gray man" theory. Especially when it comes to courses or institutional learning. It's in the 256 shades of grey between black to white (colors people, not races) where a person can camouflage himself between the two extremes. The superstar (black - ever present success = high expectations and hard falls) and the opposite, the slacker (white - always ends up last = not an "if" but a "when"). It's the grey man that succeeds by not drawing any attention to himself by assimilating within the scale.

The grey man achieves success without failure, he may be in the top 20% of the class or he may be in the lower 40% but he will not fail unless he quits or draws unwanted attention to himself. Those left in the remaining ~25% are the true "grey man." They will graduate or finish the course and no one will remember their name.

Speaking of names. Rule #8 if the cadre or other students in class develop a "Nickname" for you during a short course be it selection or phase training you better hope it's a good one because everybody will remember the best and worst long after you have left. (Maverick)
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