How many times have you heard the statement “life is unpredictable”? Who could count, right? Saying it or hearing others remind you is like a consolation when your plans do not work out, or your efforts do not bring great results. Life’s unpredictability is a known fact that is quite difficult to accept and happens to everyone.

Successful, happy, or fulfilled people all had their fair share of disappointments, frustrations, and quelled hopes. The only difference these people have over those who felt lost after the losses is their drive to adjust their sails.

Adjusting your sails when a storm hits does not mean changing your destination. You could be just changing your course to reach your goal in one piece still. So what should you do when one of your courses of action or your series of plans does not work out the way you want them? 

1. Remind yourself of your ultimate goal. If you are sure and passionate about your greatest goal, you will not be hindered by obstacles from it. It would motivate you to keep moving despite all the challenges you encounter. 
2. Find alternative ways to reach your goal. Almost all destinations have a variety of paths. Your course that did not work is just one of those multiple routes. Therefore, find the best alternative approach for you to continue with your journey. 
3. Embrace the new path you chose. Choosing a new way toward your destination should not be half-hearted. Start the new journey by moving on from the recent failure. Stop fretting about what was and start working on what is. 
4. Equip yourself better. Changing your course should also mean changing or updating your equipment to suit your new circumstance best. Never be afraid of changing because, as people say, it is constant and necessary. 
5. Never allow negativity to reside in your head. One of the reasons people usually find it challenging to transition to a different path towards their ultimate goal is the fear of other people’s opinions. To address this, remind yourself of another fact – people always have something to say no matter what you do. Therefore, never allow any negativity to settle in your mind. Always go back to the first step – remind yourself of your why. 

When you encounter any storm, remember that you have the option and the power to adjust your sails. The choice of whether to take the opportunity is up to you. 

Do you agree?

(Photo by RODNAE Productions)

When the time comes that we would be blessed with a child or children of our own, and there is one thing I could do for them, it would be to help them overcome the tendency to be filled with fear. I would strive to do this because I know that fear could be a huge obstacle for a person in reaching their full potential. Based on my experience and the experiences of the people I conversed with about the root causes of fear in adults, here are the things I will strive hard always to remind my future offspring:

1. “Human beings are not perfect. Thus, it is totally okay to fail or commit mistakes.”
2. “Enjoy the process. Do not spend your time dreading the result.” 
3. “You made a mistake; you did not commit a crime. Try again.”
4. “Did your approach miss? Allow me to help you.” 
5. “What have you learned from this setback?”     
6. “What can you do better next time?”
7. “What kind of help or support do you need from me?”
8. “Can I count on you?”

While rebuking people who commit mistakes is necessary, it should be reinforced with support in most cases. Would you be empowered to try again when you experience an all-out castigation or mockery because of your shortcomings? Unless you are an inherently driven or headstrong individual, it is doubtful if you would. We should not be fooled by the idea that we have helped a person become better because we corrected a mistake and they did not do it again. They did not do it again, and that is a mistake. You caused them to lose opportunities to learn and grow as a person. You limit their capabilities as contributing individuals to the world. You reduced them to someone who would no longer make an impact in the world.

I liken this to someone learning to drive. That person will never learn if you set an expectation for them not to cause damage to the vehicle or other vehicles on the road. Setting an expectation that does not leave room for mistakes can lead to fear, not only of committing mistakes but of trying. Why not convert failures as an opportunity to teach instead? 

Do you think these could help the young generation to lessen their fears? 

(Photo by Eva Bronzini) 

Do you believe that a person can have different roles in one lifetime? I believe that. We ought to assume various roles besides the ones that come with our career choices or source of livelihood. What could be these roles?

1. Supporter. Do you acknowledge that we need other people to accomplish anything – may it be menial or great goals? I do. Without others, I believe it would not be possible for anyone to achieve anything. We all need a support system, even if that means only one person. Since we need other people’s support, we also need to be a supporter of others. We should not just take. We should also learn to give whatever it is we can offer.  
2. Teacher. I believe that each one of us has knowledge or skills that we can share with others. Whatever lesson we learn from training or experience is meant to be imparted because those learning could be what they need to fulfill their respective roles in the world. To help make the world a better place, we should learn to teach others what we know. 
3. Teammate. Regardless of our unifying relationship with any group we belong to, we should be proper teammates. A teammate is not only part of a group but contributes something to keep the group together and strong. As part of a family, for example, whether you are part of the older generation or younger ones, you are responsible for strengthening the unit and cultivating an atmosphere of love and understanding rather than conflict. A proper teammate does not create or help create strains in the relationship between the group members. 

Being entrusted with these roles, we need to embrace the responsibilities that come with them. These roles help develop you as a person, so even if they do not bring you material return for your efforts, you would need them as much as your career. Besides, taking responsibility for those roles is one way of giving back. 

Let us not only work on achieving success in our careers. We should also work on succeeding in the other roles we have to assume as human beings. 

What other roles do you think we should assume?

(Photo by esrageziyor)