Get Up. Dust Yourself Off. And Move The Fuck On…
I’ve discussed this very topic on my podcast before, but I feel it’s important to put into writing too. If you’re like me, you’ve read several leadership books, or books on improving your overall well-being. Some books out there give advice on accepting other peoples actions and behaviors, some say you should take responsibility for such things, etc. I’m going to try and give you a different perspective…
Jocko Willink mentions quite often in his books about taking Extreme Ownership. We have 100% control over our lives. We choose our actions, our thoughts, and ultimately our way of life. Do things happen out of our control? Absolutely. We often find ourselves in challenging situations. Maybe your car was broken into or it just broke down all together. Maybe you lost your job, or your spouse left you. Those things in the grand scheme, are out of your control. Sure there were probably smaller issues that were within your control that led up to those events, but ultimately, the end result was out of your control. Now, the next step of what to do, is entirely up to you. Scream, cry, throw a pitty party and ask why me over and over again. Or get up off your ass, dust yourself off, and move the fuck on. The choice is yours and honestly, it’s not difficult. Execution of the choice can be, but the actual discission making process is not.
Every time something terrible happens in our lives, we are given two options; wallow in self pitty, or shake it off and say thank you. “Why in the hell would I say thank you to something bad that happened to me?” Because it’s a new opportunity. Chances are, whatever has happened, isn’t life altering, and even if it is, it doesn’t have to be the final chapter of your own book. Your ending is written in your own penmanship. No one else can write it for you. They can certainly try, but they are going to have to pry the pen from your cold, dead, hand!
So when life hits you, and it will, take a moment to yourself. Spend a day thinking about it, cry about it, binge watch your favorite TV show while eating a gallon of ice cream, do WHATEVER you need to do in that 24 hour period. Be prepared for tomorrow though, because tomorrow, you’re starting over, and you’re going to hit the ground running as fast as you possibly can. Maybe whatever happened, is a blessing in disguise. You lost your job? Ok, let’s find a new one. Maybe in a different field. Maybe one that’s better paying or has better benefits. You got evicted from your home? Ok, this one sucks, but it gives you a chance to maybe find an apartment to rent, or move back home with your parents. Now you can save up money, pay off debt, and find something better.
Whatever the case may be, don’t let whatever happened to you, ruin you. Recognize it, learn from it, and move past it. Make it part of your story and use it to fuel your fire for the future. Become stronger because of it. Use it to help others. Use it to appreciate the other things you have in life. Ask for help if you need it. You don’t always have to go at it alone.
But Tyler, what if I have no idea where to even begin? Good. Now this will be a learning experience too. Our generation has a habit of doing too much research on something before even getting started. I know this to be true, because I did the same exact thing. I did it with my Podcast, with my current career path, with smoking meat. You name it, I did it. Hell, I even do it when it comes to exercising and watching my macros. The best way to get started, is to just start. Start doing something and learn along the way. Do some research as you go, but at least get started first. We can drown ourselves in YouTube videos, books, magazines, Google searches, etc. All that does is delay the inevitable. You’re going to eventually move on, but the time to move on, is now. So let’s do it.