You GET What You GIVE

You GET What You GIVE

I believe this is the most effortless one-liner we can raise because by itself, this puts to rest by stating the obvious.  Having said this, you might blurt, WHY bother to have this as our thread for today?  Simple.  You GET What You GIVE has been given lip service more often than NOT.  As much as we all hue to it, in real life, it DOESN'T consistently happen.  If at all, sporadic and random GIVES is the best frequency📗📙📘

As we hear this often, THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS SOMETHING FOR NOTHING.  That old way, old school of thought that other people will help you OUT OF PURE BENEVOLENCE, may be manifestations of our surefire sign of immaturity, to be blunt about it.  We just need to dump that out of the window because in life, relationships thrive WHEN each person gives of themselves to others.  Personally, I witnessed this evolution of human relationships through the years💧💧💧

Through the years, as part of my maturity, I grew to have a much better understanding as to how relationships worked BUT admittedly, I still lacked the requisite self-awareness necessary to provide some value in return to the person giving to me.  NOT surprisingly though, it seemed quite sudden, the kind of 'breaks' and opportunities I was used to receiving seemingly began to 'dry up'.  And then, during those times, I started to wonder, WHY?  Indeed, those were quite harsh lessons for me to understand how the 'WORLD WORKS'.  Fast-forward to today, as we look at ourselves and living the life we desire, let's humbly ask ourselves the question:  WHAT VALUE CAN WE GIVE TO OTHERS [with NO STRINGS ATTACHED, please]???

Frankly, it should be a no-brainer for us all that RECIPROCITY in relationships is the mutual exchange of energy and/or support between people.  Obviously, there are different types and levels of RECIPROCITY but let's NOT discuss from a business or commercial perspective BUT instead limit it within personal relationships.  To quote the late famous singer John Lennon:  WE'VE GOT THIS GIFT OF LOVE BUT LOVE IS LIKE A PRECIOUS PLANT.  YOU CAN'T JUST ACCEPT IT AND LEAVE IT IN THE CUPBOARD OR JUST THINK IT'S GOING TO GET ON BY ITSELF.  YOU'VE GOT TO KEEP WATERING IT, LOOK AFTER IT, NURTURE IT💥💥💥

Our takeway:  WHEN we hear people speak about values like consistency, hard work and perseverance, they speak of these things because these are the attributes required for us to continue honing, cultivating and even elevating our talents in use of your unique gift.  And WHEN we fail to do so, we end up doing more than just damage to our future prospects.  WHEN we let down others, WHETHER we realize it OR not.  WHY?  Because our own talents are MEANT TO BE SHARED.  Chances are, your talent is likely NOT your words-to-minute ratio of the speed and precision with which you send out a text [SMS] message.  At the end of the day, YOU GET WHAT YOU GIVE, dude😀😀😀

Those 'TINY MIRACLES'

Those 'TINY MIRACLES'

WHO DOESN'T believe in MIRACLES?  I do.  I do.  I do.  NOT because everyone loves MIRACLES.  BUT it's because I have been the fortunate recipient of those 'TINY MIRACLES' which very few in us believe, if at all.  BUT, how hard is it to sway and convince everyone that TINY MIRACLES are NOT just a figment of one's imagination?  These are REAL DEALS because they happen.  And as a personal attestation, TINY MIRACLES have happened in my life through the years.  NOT because I am pious [because I'm NOT] BUT because I am one WHO will never miss out to appreciate every single tiny thing, even if it is a single drop of drizzle on a scorching summer.  OR even one short gulp of water WHEN I am so damn thirsty and there's NO water anywhere📘📙📗

My grabbed posters here may look redundant BUT please allow me to do so, if only to accentuate that in our daily life, there will always be TRYING TIMES and worst, many times, those TRYING TIMES can lead us to frustrations or worse, even failures.  BUT should we just sulk in the face of all the frustrations OR worse, those failures?  HOW about asking ourselves, 'WHAT WENT WELL TODAY?'  By asking that inquisitive question, it becomes a positive way of looking at things.  It's akin to looking at a glass with half-water as HALF-FULL instead of HALF-EMPTY.  BUT, HOW often do we recognize a glass as indeed HALF-FULL [even in the midst of challenges we face in life]?  Maybe rarely, if at all💧💧💧

In short, NOT to overblow up things BUT in our daily life, there are many more TINY MIRACLES and this is all about opening  ourselves up to seeing those TINY MIRACLES.  In my case, in the past [and till now], I would look for them and focus on them to help me cope up.  Seeing WHAT's going well and finding the GOOD points us in the direction of GRATITUDE.  And GRATITUDE is a huge factor in living well and in our well-being💥💥💥

More importantly, it is our very coping tool that DOESN'T take away the bad BUT instead, it makes it bearable.  So, HOW do we build that 'MIRACLE' muscle, our muscle that can flex toward the things that are going well?  Sadly, we CAN'T see a miracle now if we're worrying about the future OR all the WHAT IFs.  As the literary prose goes, THE FLOWER IS OPENING NOW TO ITS FULL BEAUTY.  TAKE THAT AND HOLD IT.  Let us be present, FOCUS on the HERE and NOW.  We tend to miss out on the FULL now if we're in the TOMORROWs.  WHEN we're in the shower and focusing on the hot water feeling so good as it's streaming down on us, we appreciate having it✅✅✅

Our takeway:  Let's take the cue from psychologists WHO encourage us to write down a few things you're GRATEFUL for to train your mind to bend toward a more POSITIVE bias.  It can be the seemingly smallest and most ordinary things in life.  It could be just a mug of deliciously aromatic coffee OR a conversation with a good friend.  WHEN seeing a rose, do you home in on the beautiful flower OR the prickly thorns around it?  Recently, I drove out 4 to 5 hours to have a whiff of fresh countryside air and on the way home, our host [WHO was financially strapped] handed us small quantities of token foodies.  As they say, IT'S THE THOUGHT THAT COUNTS.  That was the latest TINY MIRACLE I am blessed to receive😀😀😀

Sometimes, CORRECT Decisions Are UNPOPULAR Decisions

Sometimes, CORRECT Decisions Are UNPOPULAR Decisions

Regardless of your calling or vocation, from the time you wake up, experts say that on average we have to make around 35,000 decisions PER DAY, whew!  Assuming people spend around seven hours per day sleeping [and thus, blissfully DECISION-free], that makes roughly 2,000 decisions per hour or one decision EVERY two seconds, whew!  So, can we agree that we have a recurring challenge at hand wherein sometimes, CORRECT Decisions Are UNPOPULAR Decisions📗📙📘

Early in my career, I [absolutely wrongly] thought that a great DECISION was one that attracted widespread approval.   When my expat bosses and even my colleagues smiled and nodded their collective heads, it reinforced [at least within myself] that I was 'spot on' in my DECISION-MAKING.  BUT here's the BUT.  As time wore on, I saw the fallacy of my approach.  Seeking broad consensus requires considerable compromise to incorporate each person's perspective.  The eventual result is a DECISION that is the lowest common denominator, a choice that everyone can live with  BUT no one is really happy with💦💦💦

Worse of worse, consensus-seeking is almost always excruciatingly slow, and the higher up a leader does climb, the less often they are afforded the luxury of time.  Through my years with global and MNC entities, I was often asked to make quick and critical decisions in response to sensitive events wherein the bottom line was NOT to miss out our contractual commitments to our 'encircled' super-valued clients.  After making such DECISIONS, I would do a personal 'post-mortem' and since many DECISIONS were made under pressure, I felt they were 'GOOD ENOUGH' if no better.  BUT to me, 'GOOD ENOUGH' is, honestly based on my stringent standards,  NOT GOOD ENOUGH❎❎❎

Key thing here is HOW to minimize conflict WHEN making unpopular DECISIONS.  WHEN the Covid-19 pandemic hit us all, the typical decisions of leaders have gone overboard, way beyond the conventional areas of expense budget and staff training.  Suddenly, thrown into our laps were DECISIONS about masks, vaccines and testing.  In short, the types of DECISIONS we are making have a broader impact😐😐😐

Our takeaway:  Times have changed way too fast, from complicated to extremely complicated cases.  WHETHER our decisions are for our family OR our organization, we are not shielded from grappling with DECISIONS that even touch on an employee's possible autoimmune disease.  HOW do we then support our family especially when a family member, like a parent at an advanced age, needs your attention?  WHEN do we make exceptions to the rules we agree upon?  Given these realities, it's NOT surprising that those affected by your DECISIONS are more vocal in expressing their opinions and pushing back than in the past.  So, sometimes, CORRECT DECISIONS can be UNPOPULAR DECISIONS❕❕❕

When Was The Last Time You Were 'ON A ROLL'?

When Was The Last Time You Were 'ON A ROLL'?

When Was The Last Time You Were 'ON A ROLL'?  For alignment, let us do a lookup with Mr Webster's definition wherein it means it refers to that process of rolling, just like the wheels [and NOT a bread-roll].  In short, it means moving forward, with a 'streak of success' or an intense activity.  It can also refer to a period of GOOD LUCK or GOOD PROGRESS.  So, back to my question When Was The Last Time You Were 'ON A ROLL'?  Which reminds of this blonde joke from Quora.com posted by Lucia B.  A blonde sits down on a plane and starts to read a book but the guy next seat won't leave her alone.  Then he asks, LET'S PLAY A GAME.  I'LL ASK YOU A QUESTION, IF YOU CAN'T ANSWER, YOU OWE ME FIVE DOLLARS.  THEN YOU ASK ME A QUESTION AND IF I CAN''T ANSWER, I OWE YOU A THOUSAND DOLLARS.  And the blondie says 'OK'.  Guy starts "WHAT'S THE DISTANCE FROM THE EARTH TO THE MOON?"  Without a word, the blondie hands him $5.  She then asks, "WHAT GOES UP THE HILL ON 3 LEGS AND COMES DOWN ON 2 LEGS?"  Guy gives up and hands over $1,000.  Blondie accepts and keeps it in her purse then resumes reading her `book.  The guy asked, "HEY WHAT's THEN ANSWER?"  Without a word, the blondie opens her purse, takes out $5 and gives it to him📗📙📘

And although Physics has never interest me, I remember Newton's first law of motion which states: AN OBJECT AT REST REMAINS AT REST.  AN OBJECT IN MOTION REMAINS IN MOTION AT CONSTANT SPEED AND IN A STRAIGHT LINE UNLESS ACTED ON BY AN UNBALANCED FORCE.   Obviously, he was talking about Physics here but in productivity, people WHO spend time thinking about more efficient ways to get things done have started applyiing his wisdom.  Indeed, this is when you're ON A ROLL💧💧💧

So, WHEN was the last time you were ON A ROLL?  It could be as simple as you started doing 'spring cleaning' at home, till you end up cleaning up the garage, then going over to your garden till it was sunset, till next day.  In life, we need to increase our awareness and frankly, why DON'T we consider applying Newton's law on productivity.  Some researches covered as to how adapting a mindset of getting into and staying in motion can help us to be more productive.  And the studies advise that the trick ISN'T staying in motion BUT getting into it💦💦💦

Heeding the advice of experts, they encourage the "TWO-MINUTE RULE", that practice of immediately doing something if it will take two minutes OR less.  If an email comes in, respond to it right away.  If you need to take thrash out, do it the minute you notice it.  if you have to cancel an appointment, call that very second.  Getting into the habit of doing smaller tasks immediately can help you build momentum.  Yes, IT WORKS FOR ME💥💥💥

Our takeaway:  How IT WORKS FOR ME?  Through the years, I 'front-load' my to-do list with simple tasks instead of option for that 'eat the frog' approach, which calls on you to do your biggest and most demanding tasks first.  True, sometimes I commit hiccup with my task management from time to time but that's far few and in between.  So, WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU WERE ON A ROLL, dude😀😀😀

When Do You 'TURN ON THE JETS'?

When Do You 'TURN ON THE JETS'?

So, When Do You 'TURN ON THE JETS'? When your country's defenses detect an aerial intrusion?  And that's the time you SCRAMBLE THE JETS?  The answer for this question is a firm AFFIRMATIVE.  YES and YES, you SCRAMBLE and TURN ON THE JETS at the earliest detection OR even suspicion of a territorial intrusion.  BUT how is it in our personal life?  When Do You 'TURN ON THE JETS'? Is it WHEN your back is against the wall?  Is it WHEN you're up to an emergency situation???

So, WHEN do you exactly kick the sands to the get the most out of your life?  MAYBE you aspire to do a satisfying work that will allow you to gain a head start?  OR MAYBE you're looking for a fulfilling relationship that will bring you that elusive joy in your life?  OR MAYBE you've been dreaming to be fit and healthy and YET you have hardly inched even for an inch of progress?  OR MAYBE you're hoping to eliminate a personal stress that keeps on draining you day-in day-out???

Instinctively, we would think that our problems could be fixed if there was MORE of that one thing in your life.  MORE of WHAT?  MORE money?  MORE things?  MORE food?  Simply MORE?  BUT if you just CAN'T pinpoint WHAT it is exactly BUT you do know that you want MORE of something in your life, it could probably be a case of instincts being OFF.  Boiling it down leads to one thing:  PEOPLE STRUGGLE TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF LIFE!@#$%?

RULES ARE MEANT TO BE BROKEN - decades back when I was taking a huge leap of faith by flying off to Singapore and explore the job market [and yet, tendering my resignation from my local job, for courtesy sake], I DIDN'T mean to break my country's labor laws BUT at that point, I told myself, NO WAY JOSE, I just WON'T like to curtsy because while my country's labor laws require foreign-bound workers to register with the agency, at that point, I was NOT yet a full-fledged foreign-based worker.  So, WHY should I💥💥💥

WHAT were my other 'triggers' that pushed me to TURN ON THE JETS?  First off, I knew that I was INFERIOR to no one.  Others may have more powerful brains BUT I kept reminding myself that they were NOT blessed with a skill set that I myself COULDN'T develop.  So, do you really think that successful people got WHERE they are today by sheer luck?  No sirrrrrrs.  I firmly believe the success stories of today have this singular commonality:  They knew HOW and WHEN TO TURN ON THE JETS😀😀😀

Stop Wasting Our LIfe!

Stop Wasting Our LIfe!

No sirrrrrrs, I'm NOT here to pick up a fight.  Instead, I simply want to scratch the surface to subtly remind us all to Stop Wasting Our LIfe!  NOT to insinuate that we're wasting our life.  NOT to imply that you're hooked up with unhealthy hobbies bordering on addiction.  NOT to mean that you're engaging [a.k.a. WASTING] your time on some meaningless [a.k.a. USELESS] activities [because surely, most of us are mature enough to engage in meaningful day-to-day engagements📗📙📘

Thing is, deep down, we are all conscious and aware that we want our life to be meant for something more.  So, it's NOT surprising if sometimes you self-talk and ask yourself, 'IS THIS ALL THERE IS TO LOOK FORWARD TO IN MY LIFE?'  Of course, at the outset, it seems idle curiosity.  BUT over time, that innocent little thought starts nagging, starts making you doubt WHAT you're doing in life.  Just a little at first and then, slowly, your doubt gradually creeps and spreads out💦💦💦

Without raising alarms, like a disease, that tends to contaminate all over your thoughts and leads you to question them too.  Until no longer are you so sure about WHAT you're doing OR the choices you've made OR WHERE your life is heading to.  One moment, you thought you were doing OK in life.  And then the next moment, you seem to be desperately trying to shake this scary thought from your head, like:  WHAT IF MY WHOLE LIFE IS A WASTE?  NOT wasted in the sense like committing a crime and spending the rest of your life in prison, NOT that path💢💢💢

Instead, it is that somewhat insidious wasting of a life that takes place over years with many seemingly small, harmless habits and decisions [and sometimes, INDECISIONS!].  And surely, at some point, we will come to realize that that process of WASTING LIFE is so slow and it DOESN'T happen overnight BUT the long-term implications [call it ramifications] will be seriously impactful at some point down the road💧💧💧

Our takeaway:  TIME FLIES and it does FLY in a fleeting manner.  From my university days [when I was moonlighting in office work to be able to financially support myself] till I finally bagged my first 8am to 5pm job, I thought it was fine that I was "PUTTING TIME"  and simply waiting for something BETTER to come and happen.  BUT here's I'll whack myself.  If that's NOT WASTING life, I DON'T know WHAT it is.  So, could the same thing be happening to you?  Are you WASTING your life?  It's never too late dude for this WAKEUP CALL to let you rise from your deep slumber💥💥💥

Are You In A WRONG FOCUS?

Are You In A WRONG FOCUS?

Many of us WON'T admit it BUT there are nagging questions we need to respond head-on like:  

WHY DON'T WE DO WHAT WE KNOW NEEDS TO GET DONE?  

WHY IS IT SO HARD TO CONCENTRATE AND FINISH WHAT WE START?

Are You In A WRONG FOCUS? Me thinks, we CAN'T get away from all these questions

True, we are all living [and co-existing] in this digital age which we all welcome with open arms for all the benefits and perks we're having.  BUT is there any flickering hope of mustering enough energy to stay FOCUSED on WHAT really matters so we can live the lives we want and we do deserve?  So, let's start off WHY we do we really get distracted, if at all?  All along, the question is "I CAN'T FOCUS.  WHY?"  The challenge is for us to put more efforts to have more intense FOCUS💦💦💦

Thing is, FOCUS NOT only requires the ability to do the tasks at hand BUT also the ability to deal with DISTRACTIONS that may take you off track.  The trouble here is that even though you may have the capacity to complete a task, you may NOT be able to avoid distraction and FOCUS.  True, we are all guilty of the endless smart phone checking is a symptom of the problem and it is NOT the very root cause of WHY you find it hard to FOCUS💥💥💥

BUT hey, we CAN'T ultimately blame your smart phone for that promotion you DIDN'T get OR the fact you stayed in bed scrolling Instagram instead of going to the gym.  To learn HOW to FOCUS, you must adopt new skills as well as understand the most common causes of distraction.  So, WHY don't we agree to figure things out as to WHY you seem to be stuck in an unhealthy rut❌❌❌

Our takeaway:  Let's admit this [just like swallowing a big pill tough to swallow], doing WHAT we know we should do is often hard.  If we fall into a routine of avoiding discomfort by taking too many breaks, we learn it's easier to break our FOCUS than WHAT we know we should.  In the end, we quickly learn HOW to avoid discomfort by changing the game.  The hardest reality to accept is that sometimes, we DON'T know HOW to focus on things we dislike.  Sounds familiar?  If you like doing something, you are more likely to do it.  BUT if you find something to be a burden to do it, you will avoid it UNLESS you got NO choice.  So, ARE YOU IN A WRONG FOCUS, dude???

How Often Do We Say "I'M SORRY"?

How Often Do We Say "I'M SORRY"?

How often do we hear "I'M SORRY" being uttered?  LIkely a zillion times, right?  Really, How Often Do We Say "I'M SORRY"? EVEN when we're NOT wrong, we'll say "I'M SORRY".  EVEN if WHAT we did was NOT offensive, we'll say "I'M SORRY".  EVEN WHEN we're late for one minute, we'll say "I'M SORRY".  EVEN WHEN you brought snacks in office only for yourself, you'll say "I'M SORRY" to your work mate.  EVEN WHEN you failed to cancel and remove a MEETING INVITE from the calendar [NOT because you wanted to but because someone else advised], you'll say "I'M SORRY"💧💧💧

EVEN when you made a random comment during that healthy brainstorming a week ago, you'll still say "I'M SORRY".  Oh yes for girls, as she was grappling with the Monday RUSH, when she failed to put on make-up, you'll still hear her say "I'M SORRY".  WHEN you DON'T seem to be your 'jolly self' due to some mood swings, you'll still say "I'M SORRY".  WHEN you felt your honest response DIDN'T look like the kind of response your colleague wanted to receive, you'll still end up saying "I'M SORRY".  Hey Hey Hey, are you suffering from this affliction?  This 'SORRY SYNDROME'💦💦💦

BUT hey, were you SINCERE ENOUGH each time you say "I'M SORRY"?  Maybe YES [sometimes]?  Maybe NO [most of the time]?  Either way, have you been through those situations that make you feel like you never hit an acceptable standard of behavior and as such, you must constantly apologize for your shortcomings?  C'mon dude.  The above list of apologies are just a handful of examples of things I have witnessed through the daily rigors of life, more than once, if I may add.  So, am I correct to question if ever we're into this kind of "SORRY SYNDROME"!@#$%?

So, is it a genuine offense to be one minute late?  [Except of course if your appointment was with someone at the CxO-level?  And are you obligated to bring snacks for your work mate?  And should you seamlessly cancel the calendar INVITES if one of the co-organizers advised that it be cancelled?  OR should we make ourselves available for immediate responses to the needs and issues of everyone in our life and make sure to give them the exact response they would like?  Should we comb through the mental transcripts of past conversations to look for everything we said that might have come out wrong or got misinterpreted❔❔❔

For most of my life, I would have answered all these interrogative statements with a loud and resounding YES.  Maybe through all those times, what kept hovering over me was that sense of ACCOUNTABILITY and on the same breadth, the RESPONSIBILITY that goes along with it.  So, yes, I believed then that if you wanted to show respect and love for someone [and then receive it in return], we could align that these are the bare minimum standards to meet.  So, YES, if you DIDN'T meet them, you better damn apologize.  BUT outside and beyond those exceptions, NO WAY, JOSE to say "I'M SORRY"❎❎❎

WHY Go For The SEEN [And Not The UNSEEN]?

WHY Go For The SEEN [And Not The UNSEEN]?

According to the Theory of Human Motivation, we seek to fulfill our basic physiological needs like food, shelter and water [and add safety] before other needs like belonging and self-esteem are given the attention they duly deserve.  And only after these needs are met can we move to the higher level which is called 'self-actualization'.  Visually, it is laid out as a pyramid with the basic needs forming the foundation.  So, the question that keeps nagging me [till now] is really WHY Go For The SEEN [And Not The UNSEEN ]!@#$%?

Problem is, we constantly strive for things that are NOT in our best interest.  We tend to be vulnerable in seeking to fulfill higher levels of needs [just like belonging] while sacrificing the lower levels of needs [like financial security and even safety].  Often, we seek things that DON'T really fulfill our needs and instead and in fact, sometimes we end up seeking out things known to be destructive to us.  So, the biggest question is, WHY do we end up with that kind of predicament?

Is it because of VISIBILITY?  Indeed, this makes more sense WHEN we think about our needs as those that are visible and those that are UNSEEN OR hidden.  We then tend to ignore things that are UNSEEN even WHEN they are the most important things in life.  WHAT muddles up things is that this disconnect sometimes tends to distort our own ability to prioritize in a way we would refer to as rational as we naturally tend to address things that are noticeable.  Human frailty?  Bluntly, we tend to peruse the VISIBLE and neglect the UNSEEN.  Frustrating right💥💥💥

WHAT happens next is that the SEEN becomes a proxy OR placeholder for the UNSEEN.  We see something NEW and SHINY and assume it will fill a void somewhere higher on that pyramid [and that distracts us].  And the most obvious way this happens is sacrificing financial safety and health [in the form of NOT working towards a higher degree of financial freedom OR engaging in unhealthy behaviors] in order to purchase or peruse things that we think will bring us our higher level of needs.  And I admit I have witnessed this played out over and over again through the years😓😓😓

Some recurring miscues we can easily rectify:

• I saw foodies so I'll buy more and eat more.
• I'll remodel my house so the world will see eat.
• I may be cash-strapped but I'll buy for me to look good

Our takeaway:  The UNSEEN should never be de-prioritized in favor of the SEEN because that is the worst disservice you can give to your life.  Once you live and lead your life in a convoluted way, you could riding in a locomotive waiting to get derailed and end up off-tracked sooner than later.  It's unfathomable to prioritize the SEEN over the UNSEEN ones.  Let's just put a FULL-STOP to this disconnect that will NEVER bring you a better life❎❎❎

Are You STAYING THE COURSE?

Are You STAYING THE COURSE?

More often than NOT, we would hear the sage advice of STAYING THE COURSE.... BUT is that the best course of action?  At various points in our life, everyone of us will find ourselves at the crossroads, grappling with an idea, a plan OR probably a game-changing decision to make.  In the workplace, it will be more challenging for leaders as it is vital to know WHEN to have the courage to forge ahead despite apprehensions and sometimes dissenting voices around📗📙📘

On either case, it requires a grounding of solid conviction, healthy personal resilience and an unsullied willingness to face the attendant risks and accept the potential consequences of potentially being WRONG.  BUT before we get whacked as to WHY we now seem to be aggressively pushing for ACTION and CHANGE [instead of STAYING THE COURSE], it is imperative that any decision we will arrive at must be an INFORMED decision [based on all valid information that are available.  Better still, if you can consult someone WHO went through that similar situation in the past, picking their brains for their previous experience💥💥💥

Regardless, once you have 'CROSSED THE RUBICON', remember there is NO turning back and instead, you are able to confidently DEFEND [even to your self-doubts] your decision, should you need to.  This should have the effect of giving you confidence in your position.  BUT if it DOESN'T, seriously consider revisiting your original set of options which led you to go through your decision-making process.  It is best to initiate a post-mortem because you'll learn from it💧💧💧

Frankly, let's call a spade a spade here.  Let's keep things simple enough.  Life is NOT to be maintained.  Instead, it is to be taken word.  That just gives life some flavor BUT if you DON'T, it's all like a dish without any taste.  Things can be maintained for sure.  BUT things CAN'T be the same forever.  To quote an anonymous one-liner, STAYING THE SAY IS A NIGHTMARE'.  Even for competitive sportsmen, we could hear them say, "I AM READY TO FAIL A HUNDRED TIMES BUT I CAN'T BE THE SAME AT ANY COST".  Indeed, that is the enviable mindset of HIGH PERFORMERS.  They value progression over stagnancy as it's more of a ritual for them❎❎❎

Our takeaway:  Let us NOT play it safe [unless there are PRESSING reasons to play safe? WHY?  Because by STAYING THE COURSE, you will insist to be on the same place with the same set of opinions.  BUT hey, everyone now should be at a different level of obsession.  It's like hearing, 'CHANGE YOUR CIRCLE'.  The opinions you hear are going to change. BUT if such new opinions sound WISE, it is because it is WISE.  Let's NOT STAY THE COURSE❗❗❗