I discuss the topic of self responsibility and resiliency over and over again; yet so many people and job seekers continue to count on everyone and everything else but themselves for their success and happiness. Here is a key phrase to remind yourself and people around you:
“To achieve all that you want to achieve in life, and to be as happy as you wish to be, cultivate your own resiliency.”
Carry an umbrella
We live in a Protean workplace and a Protean world. This simply means that we all must take personal responsibility to recognize what is going on today. We should anticipate what will happen tomorrow in order to determine how we must adapt and acclimate.
Gestalt psychologists provide an example of being self resilient – Protean. They say we are responsible for getting caught in the rain. They say that by deciding not to carry an umbrella every day, we have made the decision to endure an occasional drenching. Translation? By not anticipating and adapting to potential circumstances that are sure to happen in our lives – in other words – by not being prepared – we make the choice of getting caught in some of life’s unpleasant circumstances such as rain, failures, economic losses, relationship challenges, and professional/personal setbacks. By not anticipating and proactively adapting; by not thinking ahead, we have made our very own choices.
By being prepared, we increase our chances of success. We significantly increase the likelihood of seizing opportunities when they come our way. When we take the time to think and rethink what is going on, what is likely to happen in the future, and what we must do and how we must change to meet all that we anticipate, we can position ourselves to take full advantage of unique opportunities and often, once-in-a-lifetime situations.
Are you in or are you out?
I understand that a good number of people will, unfortunately, never take advantage of unique opportunities and once-in-a-lifetime situations. For those of you who are ambitious and desire to live life on your stringent terms, here are a few “stop” tips to help you achieve all that you want and deserve.
Stop:
1) Playing the blame game – blame equals shame and success is not fueled by ignominy.
2) Making excuses – here is no excuse for excuses. Success is not fueled by false pretext.
3) Comparing – compare yourself to who you are and what you demand of yourself. Success is not fueled by envy.
4) Majoring in minor things – Invest your resources in activities that will fulfill your dreams and ambitions. Success is not fueled by wasting time doing trivial and irrelevant things.
5) Giving up control – you can’t change what others say or do, but you can change yourself; how you think and act. You’re the pilot of your own life, so take control. Success is not fueled by giving up your control.
When you “stop” and think about it… you’ll come to understand the truth about your future. And the truth is, that when you cultivate your own resiliency, success is right around the corner!