Decision-making can be paralyzing. Be it a career, relationships, or life direction we can often get lost in the burden of choice. Because truly you could go anywhere, literally. But then there are social pressures and generational or cultural education which may instill a mindset of limitation in you. There are lots of gears that move behind these situations. However after having spoken with people whom I would consider successful, truly successful. As in they have reached a place where they are in love with their life. They have all said similar things that I packed into the mantra I have been recently chewing on, "nothing is wasted." Here are what I consider the components of this mantra:
- The hardest part of learning to drive a stick shift is getting it into first gear. Once you can do that, shifting is relatively easy. It is starting that is the hard part. Life is so similar. All of our hopes and dreams and relationships are on the other side of first gear, and to get there you just have to start! I think of starting as a domino line. You don't know exactly what will happen, however, you know something will happen at least if you start moving, start doing, something, anything!
II. Stay Hungry and Foolish
- After you start and try something, be eager to learn. Be excited to learn and demonstrate not that you know so much, instead demonstrate that you are a cup ready to be filled. As you pass through experiences don't judge them as good or bad, see them as assets from which to extract useful tools and lessons that will aid you in your evolution. There are enough self-proclaimed experts who "know it all." Life is much more interesting, and people appreciate much more those who are eager to learn it all and are self-aware enough that the more they learn, the more they realize what they don't know.
III. "You Can Have the Emotion or Progress, but not Both"- Vusi Thembekwayo
- When faced with challenges and limitations, you will come up with excuses. And in all honesty, your excuses are most likely valid. Many deal with social or systemic or cultural pressures and even dangers. Most of us deal with personal or circumstantial barriers that are very real. Vusi Thembekwayo explains that you have the option to be upset and angry and feel hopeless and rightly so. He also raises the point that those emotions, though justified and human, will not change your situation. We read about people who have done the impossible to break free from limitations and barriers both internal and external. We think they are made of different stuff, or that their situation was so unique, but are we not all flesh and blood? Progress is a mindset. It is what has pushed individuals all over the world from all walks of life to solve the equations of the challenges and barriers they face. They found a way. They chose to move instead of simply feel. Of course, they have felt it all, if not more. They don't stand still in the prison of their minds. They can create in the world around them what they dream because they choose progress over emotion. What is your prison? Are you spending time feeling frustrated or are you spending time cracking the equation of your life?
IV. Action Brings Clarity
- You will find as you make decisions and move or even stumble forward, you will see further. Even if you make a decision where you find yourself on another path, maybe you took a career path you realized you didn't want. Don't think of it as time wasted, think of what you have gathered. You now have more skills, you now have more self-awareness, and you now have more of the puzzle of what you truly want. Redirect your trajectory and be ready to learn and uncover more. The fog of life shrouds the path, but actions and decisions made one at a time reveal the next step.
Nothing is wasted. Start, get moving in a direction, and go try things out and on. Be willing to understand new things and always remember there is so much you still don't know, be excited about that! Spend your time and energy figuring out how to crack the equation of your life. Your excuses are valid, but you can choose between emotion and progress. As you move forward you'll figure it out. The path only reveals itself to those who walk.
Everything you gather along the way can be used. It is ok to feel frustrated and annoyed from time to time but never be discouraged. Every experience is useful in some way to help you in your evolution. You know more today than yesterday.
