Have you heard someone saying this –
“I hate red lights, roadblocks and detours”
Maybe you?
I have felt the same way sometimes. When I am in a hurry to go somewhere I come across a red-light or a detour or an accident. It derails my entire plan. It might have happened to you as well. So, it is logical to wish what obstructs us to go away. Forever.
I don’t blame you.
Is it practical that this wish will ever come true?
Probably not.
So, if that’s the case, should you stop wishing for such things?
Good question.
Red lights, detours and breakdowns are so much part of life. It’s losing on the way, set backs and road blocks along the way to reach your dreams. Honestly, without those, you don’t even feel like celebrating when you reach your destination. After all, you don’t put up a flag and rejoice after you take a walk in the park.
On Losing…
Nobody loves to lose but you know that winning and losing are both parts of life. They are inseparable. If somebody has not lost, it’s just means they have not ventured to tread beyond their comfort zone. If you are reading this blog, I can safely assume that you are not one of those who is happy to be in your comfort zone and maintain the status quo.
If losing is so much part of life, why do you hate losing? There are a number of reasons but the unspoken reason is that feeling
Public vs “Pervasive and Private”
It definitely seems like the red lights, road blocks and breakdowns are very different from the setbacks and failures in real life. On the road, you are like everyone else and you see the same red lights, road blocks and detours like everyone else on the road. Everyone complains about it a bit and life goes on. In other words, what happens on the road is public.
The setbacks and failures in life seem personal. It gives you a feeling that “you” failed and you are probably an exception. Your failures are private, yes, but don’t forget that these failures are pervasive across the world. Everyone privately fails a number of times. Just then, when it happens to you, it hurts.
The trap is that you may be focusing on the “private” and not giving enough attention to the “pervasive” nature of failure. Once you understand that failures are “private and pervasive” you can can bounce back more quickly.
It’s not the falling down…
Since failures are pervasive, it’s never the falling down that brings you down. The real question about failure is how long will you take to bounce back and be on your feet again. If you can master the bounce back, you will be better than most people.
Red lights, roadblocks and detours are not fun. But they are not designed to stop you permanently. It should be the same with failures and setbacks.
Photo Courtesy: johngpt on Flickr