Now I Get It!

When I was younger, I thought nothing of rushing headlong into the unknown future to see where it would take me. If I was going into unknown territory, which happened a lot, I didn't always give a lot of thought to the pitfalls or dangers which may lie ahead. In some cases, I just had not lived long enough to have to experience that should have given me a hint that I was heading into danger. Nor had I taken the time to learn from those who had gone before me.

These days, I proceed at a slower pace. Now I know a few things I did not know before. I know myself better. I understand a lot better about how the world works and about the sorts of people who are out there. I give some thought now to what I ought to do next and make sure I have a plan... and that I have the resources I will need to carry out the plan. And now, I have a better sense of what works and what usually does not work in given situations.

Now I know that it doesn't do me any good to get impatient, to set a recklessly fast pace for myself and, as a result, to risk making avoidable mistakes or to be blindsided. It makes no sense for me to set myself for failure unnecessarily.

Also, all the positive thinking and mindless optimism in the world is not going to bring me success in and of itself. Neither do I want to be paranoid and fearful about what the future holds for me. To navigate the days and weeks ahead, I now realize it s really about preparing myself as best as I can for the confrontations I can anticipate. I will need to have worked through the numbers and whatever I am trying to accomplish, I need to do it as right and as smart as I can.

For me the path ahead isn't as mysterious as it used to be. Nor is it that much easier to travel. Nor is the future something that I should have a debilitating fear about. Experience has taught me about the strategies I can employ to grow the plan and to carry the plan out successfully, all other things being equal. I am now able to proceed with a hard-won confidence and with the sense that these days my chances of succeeding are a probably better than they were in the past.

I have learned to pick my battles carefully and I make sure I prepare properly. Neither of these notions is rocket science. They are just plain common sense ideas. In the past, for various reasons, I didn't get it. Now I do and the fact that I do is making all the difference in the world.