It's NOT What You Gather. It's What You Scatter.

It's NOT What You Gather.  It's What You Scatter.

Are you feeling like your life is passing by and you're NOT making the most of it?  Do you wonder if there is something more?  Have you asked yourself, IS THIS REALLY ALL THERE IS TO LIFE?  YES, these are normal thoughts.  BUT if you want to try to get the most of your life, WHAT does it mean WHEN we hear:  It's NOT What You Gather.  It's What You Scatter.  So, WHAT does it mean WHEN we hear that IT'S WHAT YOU SCATTER that matters???

IF we ask a million people HOW to live life to the fullest, we could get a million iterations.  For some, it might be raising a family.  For many, it could be having a successful career.  For others, it could be acquiring properties here and there.  WHAT's common amongst all these possible iterations is that each one involves finding MEANING or PURPOSE in WHAT one is doing OR HOW one is spending their time, the life is one that is exciting OR fulfilling for the individual.  IF we are NOT living our life to the fullest, then we're generally feeling dissatisfied with the lack of meaning OR purpose that we are getting from our daily life.  Maybe we DON'T find satisfaction in our daily job.  OR maybe we've been having that UNLI access to social media only to realize that you seem to have wasted time💙💚💛

So, WHATEVER our particular situation is, our life may feel dull, unsatisfying OR uninspiring.  So, before we get buried with all these negativities, can we instead swamp ourselves with everything that's positive.  Can we be thriving, prospering, feeling fulfilled, happy, satisfied, enjoying our own selves, savoring life, relishing life, and delighting in life.  So HOW?  Experts are giving us a very simple YET practical advice and that's for us to FILL UP OUR LIFE WITH THINGS THAT MAKE US HAPPY💧💧💧

According to research, positive emotions may have a big influence on HOW full and meaningful our life feels.  Studies showed that positive emotions experienced in a given day would contribute to a greater sense of meaning that day.  This suggests that we can live our lives to the fullest by making sure that we do fun, exciting OR positive activities daily.  In fact, experts tell us that prioritizing positive activities has been shown in research studies to be linked with greater life satisfaction, more positive emotions and conversely, fewer negative emotions😀😀😀

Our takeaway:  I would volunteer myself as a case study here.  WHILE I may NOT as successful as the business moguls and magnates, deep within, I have that sense of fulfillment because I can rightfully claim that at least for five families, their lives today are 10x better off than 10 years ago and more importantly, till to date, the trajectory of their lives remain on the uptick [and easily for the foreseeable future].  So, IT'S NOT WHAT YOU GATHER.  IT'S WHAT YOU SCATTER, dude❗❗❗

Got To Be DISCIPLINED To Be PRODUCTIVE? Really?

Got To Be DISCIPLINED To Be PRODUCTIVE?  Really?

Mom says, teacher says, my mentor says, my counsellor says that I Got To Be DISCIPLINED To Be PRODUCTIVE.   Really? YES it's true, DISCIPLINE is a key factor in enhancing our productivity as it helps maintain focus, establishes routines, and even ensures tasks are completed consistently.  YES, with DISCIPLINE, individuals can overcome distractions, meet deadlines and stay committed to their goals📗📙📘

Before we all go down the drain in one fell swoop, let's agree here that PRODUCTIVITY simply refers to efficiency.  It depicts the effectiveness in the method of getting a task done and NOT the effectiveness of the task itself.  PRODUCTIVITY is commonly linked to the principle of resource maximization, mostly in terms of time, effort and cost.  This implies that a more PRODUCTIVE individual gets things done faster in a more seamless manner💦💦💦

With my humble sharing from my experiences, I would be quite firm to say that PRODUCTIVITY as a concept is as much a human trait as any other individual trait such as honesty, humility, etc.  Hence, that vice and virtue nature of any human trait as determined by the cause and/or goal to WHICH the trait is exhibited is also applicable to PRODUCTIVITY.  As such, PRODUCTIVITY is susceptible to both positive and negative application✅✅✅

Instead, HOW many of us is aware of the ABCDE Method WHEREIN tasks are tagged as either A [very important], B [important], C [Nice to do], D [delegate] OR E [eliminate].  As things get more complicated, we need to be aware that PRODUCTIVITY can be described in various forms.  Depending on the context, PRODUCTIVITY can be considered as a continuous process😊😊😊

Our takeaway:  Being PRODUCTIVE is NOT being merely DISCIPLINED.  Instead, this all boils down to us, to love WHAT we do.  Without that burning fervor to tackle a task OR activity, no amount of DISCIPLINE can boost our PRODUCTIVITY levels because the latter boils down to efficiency.  You can be DISCIPLINED but if your task execution is either sloppy OR NOT the optimal way, then your PRODUCTIVITY will continue to dip.  So, YES, you got to be DISCIPLINED but you got to be EFFICIENT to be PRODUCTIVE💙💛💚

Should We Forget About Plan B?

Should We Forget About Plan B?

For the longest time, since childhood and even as we speak now, we were all taught and schooled that in life, we got to always have a Plan B?  BUT here's the thing, for the past donkey years I have managed projects even of the most complex magnitude, I'll admit that NOT ONCE did we ever plotted for a Plan B [as part of our program/project management best practices.  So, here's the question:  Should We Forget About Plan B???

YES, most of us would agree that it really makes sense to have a backup plan.  Events NEVER unfold exactly as expected and it makes sense to prepare for contingencies.  BUT a recent study will surprise [or SHOCK us all].  The research showed that just thinking about your backup plan reduces your chances for success.  The research was executed clinically as one group was asked to simply perform a task WHEREAS the other group was asked to think about WHAT they would do if they DIDN'T succeed before starting.  In that research, the group WHO thought of a Plan B were LESS successful.  That became the basis for the researchers to conclude that crafting a backup plan can indeed have harmful effects in our pursuit of our goals OR plan[s].  I believe this is NOT even debatable because this happens in our real life💧💧💧

You might retort, DOES THIS MEAN WE SHOULD NEVER HAVE MULTIPLE PLANS?  Probably NOT.  Sometimes, a particular activity may have different outcomes for WHICH it is only prudent to plan in detail [including a Plan B].  A classic example is a 'Garden Wedding' WHERE you need to have an 'INDOOR' wedding as a Plan B in case of rains and downpour.  BUT beyond those life events, NOT everything in life appropriately deserves a Plan B💥💥💥

That Plan B remains practical and a good practice for activities like starting a business, accepting a new job offer.  In these cases, a high degree of personal commitment is essential for one to succeed.  I remember in some history facts, military commanders burned bridges after crossing them OR even sunk boats that carried them to their destination.  That proved that retreat was NOT an option for that attacking force❎❎❎

Our takeaway:  This is a no-brainer for me because long time back WHEN I took that quantum leap to fly to Singapore, I resigned from my job at that time [and even sold my car before I departed].  Just a solid proof that I NEVER entertained any thoughts that I'll fail in my new pursuit and I had to come back [OR retreat, to borrow the army jargon].  So, SHOULD WE FORGET ABOUT PLAN B?  YES please, except for the practical situations where a Plan B is a must😌😌😌

Those Tides Of Change

 Those Tides Of Change

Mankind has been so fortunate so as to be able to control so many things in life BUT EXCEPT  Those Tides Of Change.  Could be related to relationships, to one's career, to one's health OR even financials.  Let's agree if any of those areas in life are impacted by a change, we can feel the ramifications.  BUT alas, you're NOT alone there because I've been there many times and I did hit 'rock bottom' BUT it was NOT the end of it📗📙📘

And WHILE I confess I am not an SME in counselling with regard life's challenges, this six-letter word spelled C-O-P-I-N-G should be our 'guiding light' BUT here's the catch.  For COPING to be effective, it has to be translated in a concrete action in hundreds of ways.  First things first though, let's ACCEPT WHAT needs to be ACCEPTED.  ACCEPTANCE may sound like a buzz word and yet some reject ACCEPTANCE💧💧💧

Some people look at ACCEPTANCE as giving in BUT it's better to see it as coming to terms with HOW things are for now.  One scenario WHERE sometimes we're unconscious OR unaware is our pacing.  If you just recovered back from an illness or a medical procedure, you may NOT be able to do as much as you used to.  This can be hard to adjust to because we all lead busy lives.  Pacing yourself may actually help you do more rather than having a set back because you've done too much.  And that's WHEN one's support structure kicks in💥💥💥

True, it can be hard to ask for HELP especially if you think you're already a burden because of your condition.  Loved ones often want to help BUT they WON'T know HOW unless you tell them WHAT you need.  Try NOT to think 'if they really loved me they would know WHAT I need', our loved ones are NOT mind readers, after all.  And learning HOW to tell people if the support you're getting ISN'T the support you need❎❎❎

Our takeaway:  WHEN stress creeps in, that throws a monkey wrench in your system.  And since there's NO way to avoid stress, the least we need to do is to have a strategy for dealing with stress.  There may be times WHEN you find things hard to deal with.  Learn to recognize WHEN you are becoming stressed and have a strategy that you find helpful.  This can be anything that works for you, BUT some tips that often help are slowing down your breathing OR going somewhere to have that whiff of 'fresh air'.  Yes dude, handling those TIDES OF CHANGE is more important than we thought of😀😀😀

Motivation Is Easier Said Than Done

Motivation Is Easier Said Than Done

Motivation Is Easier Said Than Done.  In fact, it can be uttered almost effortlessly BUT the harsh truth is that motivating our own self is hard.  In fact, even after you kickstarted on something, trying to sustain your drive through that activity, task OR project OR even your career can sometimes feel like pulling yourself out of a swamp by your own hair.  We seem to have that natural aversion to persistent effort that NO amount of caffeine can fix it📗📙📘

One huge disconnect with regard MOTIVATION is the fact that most of us take on MOTIVATION literally.  BUT how far did we appreciate the fact that MOTIVATION is our very tool set to break our OLD habits and to develop new healthy ones.  And WHAT complicates our dilemma is that many of us struggle with getting and staying MOTIVATED, especially if they have mental health conditions such as depression OR anxiety.  So, you might ask, WHAT's so big about MOTIVATION?  YES, it is that big because it is influenced by HOW MUCH YOU WANT THE GOAL?  WHAT YOU WILL GAIN?  WHAT WILL YOU LOSE FROM NOT ACHIEVING THAT GOAL?  And to top it all, WHAT are your personal expectations???

One common refrain we'll hear many times is that, DON'T ever teach me about MOTIVATION because I know it from A to Z.  BUT the biggest stomping questions are:

• WHY does MOTIVATION weaken OR fizzle out?
• WHY will MOTIVATION suddenly evaporate in thin air?
• WHY is it difficult to recoup when we loose MOTIVATION?

The common denominator there is SUSTAINING it becomes our recurring challenge.  First things first, when we kickstart a new initiative, we're so gung-ho, motivated and brimming with overflowing confidence that we'll succeed with our latest endeavor.  UNTIL...

UNTIL things will fizzle out.  Oh Oh, that sounds familiar.  Just like relationships between couples and partners.  That explains WHY the first phase of relationships has always been tagged as that honeymoon period.  BUT down the road, things loose that luster, that excitement.  And even within the workforce, does it sound familiar when, at the project kickoff, everyone was so excited and engaged BUT along the road, that momentum seems to slow down UNTIL sometimes, it even gets stalled.  Too bad, there is no dose of overnight medicine to fix that kind of illness.  BUT it's NOT that six feet deep you'll be unable to extricate yourself from it.  SO HOW???

• Regularly check your progress as by itself, it is a MOTIVATOR
• NEVER stop setting goals BUT tackle it one at a time though.
• Surround yourself with POSITIVE people.  Surely they can help
• Rule of thumb:  While for most people, it takes up to two months to develop a new habit, for some, it can take much longer

Our takeaway:  Akin to the renewed reminders by airlines that all passengers must ALWAYS fasten their seatbelts [just in case of an uncontrollable turbulence], in life, let's NOT be complacent even if while airborne, everything is running smoothly.  Knock on wood, we'll never know if turbulence hits us.  That's WHEN we need to develop that needed RESILIENCE to help us be carried on and continue from WHERE we have taken off.  And here's a no-brainer.  Sometimes, we just need to take a break, reset, reboot and restart.  YES, MOTIVATION IS EASIER THAN DONE BUT IT CAN BE DONE, dude😀😀😀

Wandering Off The Beaten Path

Let's talk about Wandering Off The Beaten Path and WHEN we think of that, how many times did we hear comments up front like, NO WAY OR THAT'S NOT POSSIBLE OR DON'T EVEN TALK ABOUT IT.   Does that sound familiar?  OR does that sound like you?  OR are you someone WHO sees risks for the opportunities they are?  So, this brings me to ask myself, is it good to take risks by taking the road LESS TRAVELLED? taking OFF that BEATEN PATH?  Frankly though, this is a question that CAN'T be answered with a black OR white because in many cases, taking that risk is the key to increasing your self-confidence and opening you up to more opportunities📗📙📘

Of course, there will be times WHEN taking a risk is NOT in your best interest.  So, in that case, steer clear of risks that could harm either yourself OR even others and most importantly, let us NOT take risks that may potentially violate your own personal boundaries OR worse, even endanger your very own mental and physical health.  YES dude, your own personal and mental safety is paramount, BUT most of the risks we avoid in life DON'T really cause that sort of harm.  That's the real score💧💧💧

Head of FEAR of making a mistake.  OR that FEAR of looking silly.  OR that FEAR of people judging your choices.  OR that FEAR of failure.  OR that FEAR of NOT being good enough.  These types of FEARS are WHAT we call emotional FEARS.  And to sound redundant here, NOT all risks are bad.  In all humility, I absolutely would NOT be WHERE I am now IF I DIDN'T take the various risks along the way WHICH, WHEN I recall, many of those roads I did travel were peppered with 'land mines'😕😕😕

I was then a freshman in my country's top law school WHEN I decided to abandon my law studies and did a 90-degree turn and get into the technology space.  The risks were there and if I did an apples to apples comparison, I'll admit that it was a tough call to make because the PROs were as heavy as the CONs.  BUT as in any competitive thing, that cannot remain a deadlock, so I had to make a judgment call💥💥💥

Our takeaway:  WHEN it was time for my judgment call, I asked myself, should I be more conservative [a.k.a. defensive] by NOT taking on the risks?  OR should I consider the probabilities of my own growth WHEN the stars align?  Was I scared then?  You bet.  Did taking those risks challenge WHO I thought I was?  YES.  So, was I taking even the first step towards my goal a risk?  Oh YES absolutely. So, if it worked for me, HOW can risk-taking benefit your life as well?  Remember, risks AREN'T all about jumping out of an airplane OR betting a month's salary on horse racing OR running in front of traffic on a dare.  Calculated risks are WHAT will help you reach your dreams,  YES dude, do WANDER OFF THE BEATEN PATH✅✅✅

Nothing Is OFF THE TABLE

Nothing Is OFF THE TABLE

How often we hear Nothing Is OFF THE TABLE?  Not so often.  In fact, very rarely we hear that.  On the other hand, this is one of the rarest statement ever uttered in our daily lives.  In fact, even during those moments this statement needs to be stated, very often it remains UNSAID.  WHY?  Because sometimes we [wrongly] assume it's well understood.  Because sometimes there are sensitivities we are trying to live with.  Because at times, we tend to paint rosy pictures even of the murkiest waters around us📗📙📘

The thing is, life is not defined by one, single freeway.  Life is made up of CHOICES.  And based on my experiences, life is just a series of decisions we make, and depending on our choice, we must live with the result arising from that decision.  And the choices usually consist of a multitude of possibilities and, whether real OR imagined, we must recognize that in some way the DECISION will change our life forever💚💛💜

Therein lies the rub.  Because there are many factors involved in our DECISION-making and with its unknown result, many of us hesitate to even make a choice, thinking it would be safer and that we'd be better off WHERE we are instead of delving into the unknown.  Just think of HOW many events in history would never have occurred if someone did NOT make the choice to do something different, unknown, unproved OR unexperienced.  How many relationships would never have been realized without making a particular choice?  Many would say that we have no control over our world OR what happens to us.  I say perhaps you cannot control the world  BUT you can certainly control HOW you choose to react to various situations and HOW you will handle them💧💧💧

Good for us, in many situations in life, we have one too many options and choices.  And rarely do we end up with a maximum of two choices.  And it's even an outlier WHEN our choice is limited to just one, singular option [and that's maintaining the STATUS QUO].  Otherwise, depending upon the type of choice it is, if we DON'T have a multitude of options, we seem to be anxious and confused.  BUT it's all about setting expectations😁😁😁

Our takeaway:  Through and through, I always believed that we all have our respective 'DESTINY POINTS' we must live through in this lifetime, which we have designed prior to our incarnation before we ventured back into this three-dimensional world.  BUT with these 'DESTINY POINTS' firmly implanted in our own makeup, we all have that 'FREE WILL' and can choose HOW we will live through the situation at hand.  WHAT we should never loose sight is that NOTHING OFF THE TABLE.  Let us NOT be presumptuous OR prematurely assuming on the basis of the information we have at hand [because there may be a probability that those information we're not aware of could be material enough for us to arrive at an INFORMED DECISION.  NOTHING IS OFF THE TABLE, dude❗❗❗

Love Conquers All

Love Conquers All

The saying "Love Conquers All" might be known as a feel-good statement BUT really, selfless LOVE is everlasting and can overcome all.  Awhile ago, I came across the Quora post of Bruktawit Abebaw wherein Irish martial arts artist and boxer was sharing his love story with his wife:  "WE HAVE BEEN TOGETHER FOR 8 YRS AND WE LIVE IN IRELAND IN A RENTED APARTMENT WITHOUT WORK📘📙📗

I DIDN'T WORK BECAUSE I SPENT ALL MY TIME TRAINING.  IT'S ALWAYS BEEN MY DREAM TO BE A HERO.  SHE BELIEVED IN ME AND DESPITE THE LACK OF MONEY, SHE ALWAYS TOOK CARE OF ME AND ENCOURAGED ME.  AND WHEN I CAME HOME FROM AN INTENSE WORKOUT, SHE WOULD ALWAYS TELL ME "CONOR, I KNOW YOU CAN DO THIS AND IT WILL WORK.  AND NOW I MAKE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.  NOW  I CAN BUY ANY CAR, ANY CLOTHES, ANY HOUSE AND YET SHE DIDN'T ASK ME FOR ANYTHING.  I GOT THIS PLACE BECAUSE OF HER AND SHE NEVER GAVE UP ON ME AND SHE NEVER LEFT ME ALONE"

Some feel that because relationships founded by 'TRUE LOVE' can end from sexual incompatibility OR because familial bonds break apart over heated arguments that these words cannot be true.  The issue with this type of thinking is that it misses the invaluable lesson hidden beneath those postcard-worthy words.  It fails to comprehend WHAT LOVE truly means.  I was skimming through Quora.com and I stumbled across informal debates over the sincerity of one-sided LOVE.  Many posit that if you've been cheated on, it means LOVE WASN'T enough.  It's true, the person WHO cheated on their partner DIDN'T LOVE enough and neither did the person WHO COULDN'T forgive

WHY?  Because I heard it from idealists WHO proclaim that TRUE LOVE IS SELFLESS.  YES, this ISN'T a new concept either.  Quoting the famous American human rights activist Martin Luther King, DARKNESS CANNOT DRIVE OUT DARKNESS.  ONLY LOVE CAN DO THAT.  These words of wisdom ring loudly today as it did during the time Martin Luther King.  I may sound poetic and emotional here BUT the truth is, the value of LOVE [as a weapon] should NEVER be underestimated.  Regardless if we look at it from a scientific OR even Christian perspective, the underlying foundations point to this same messaging.  SELFLESS LOVE is everlasting and can overcome all [especially the inhumane actions that inhabit our world].  To quote a research I came across, 'THE CHARACTERISTICS OF TRUE LOVE ARE OPENNESS, UNDERSTANDING, NON-DEFENSIVENESS AND RESPECT FOR BOUNDARIES

Our takeaway:  So YES, LOVE CONQUERS ALL.  BUT are we capable of it?  Will we rise to the challenge?  I hope so.  BUT in a world that applauds self-centered tendencies-like excessive consumerism and rat-race competition, more than acts of selflessness, perhaps, we AREN'T off to a good start.  BUT our world needs us to be brave, to be kind, to be forgiving.  Our world needs us to NOT forget that hate forged in the past continues to drag us all into a deeper and darker hole.  If only we can consider to start climbing, towards WHAT we know in our hearts is the better way, we might be able to start anew💥💥💥

Why MEDIOCRITY Creeps?

Why MEDIOCRITY Creeps?

Embracing MEDIOCRITY goes against everything we were taught to believe in.  In fact, hard work has been valued across cultures on the belief that labor was inextricably linked with salvation.  The idea that anyone can succeed in life with enough hard work forms the very backbone of what DREAMS are.  True, the concept of DREAM has evolved over time as in the past, it was often associated NOT with material wealth BUT with furthering the common good, BUT as in the past, striving to be better always exists. BUT Why MEDIOCRITY Creeps???

True, WHEN we look back, things did evolve over time but the default DREAMS remain the same, owning your home, having a nice brand new car, and now, Apple never ceases to push the older iPhones to obsolescence with another upcoming model, and to boot, you always want that Xtra cash to spare for a real holiday come summer.  However, to pursue that in our society, anyone NOT born with immense wealth has to work for it.  So, it's least surprising that every culture lionizes hard work and worse, looks down on leisure.  And WHAT gets embedded within us is that, from an early age, we are taught that we can be ANYTHING we want to be, that with enough 'elbow grease', we can accomplish much more.  And admittedly, for the longest time, I did subscribe to this mindset.  So, WHO gets to be MEDIOCRE?  NOT if GREAT is better than GOOD❎❎❎

Our takeaway:  Checking out of the 'GREATNESS GRIND' often requires a safety net that millions of those living paycheck to paycheck OR in poverty simply DON'T have.  It is one thing to tell someone WHO is already financially comfortable that MONEY CAN'T BUY HAPPINESS .  BUT WHAT about someone struggling to pay the rent OR put food on the table? HOW could anyone tell them to be content with less?  So, WHY MEDIOCRITY CREEPS???

WHY should we have layers in society WHERE some people have to work that hard and STILL live in dire conditions?  Alas, choosing MEDIOCRITY seems to be a privilege.  WHILE the poor and destitute has to work twice as hard as the typical Tom, Dick and Harry, the rest of society has that default privilege to grind half less than WHAT is needed by those at the lower strata😗😗😗

Our takeaway:  Let's face it.  It should NOT be controversial to say that life exists beyond work and achievement, that the way we've been taught to strive are hurting us, in fact all of us, BUT particularly those WHO are marginalized in our societies.  So, HOW can many of the less privileged live a 'GOOD ENOUGH' life WHEN the world ISN'T there yet?  WHY MEDIOCRITY CREEPS???

Is Life That Complicated?

Is Life That Complicated?

Is life that complicated.  My simple but perplexing answer is:  YES and NO.  It is COMPLICATED, no thanks to us.  And it is NOT COMPLICATED, again no thanks to us.  Really, the thing is, we make life COMPLICATED by keeping OVERTHINKING.  BUT hey, no less than the psychologists stated categorically that OVERTHINKING ruins you and that OVERTHINKING itself is NOT a mental illness.  So, Is Life That Complicated?  It simply means THINKING too much about something. And if we want a straightforward definition of OVERTHINKING.  YES, thinking in the past is OVERTHINKING.  And worrying about the future is OVERTHINKING.  That's the long and short of it dude📗📙📘

True, we live in a damn complex world.  NO thanks to mankind though.  Centuries back till to date, designs were pursued with the perspective to create the most attention-seeking product by adding WHATEVER grabs human attention. Ironically, research studies show that human attention is really depleting super-faster than ever.  And here's the number.  Our human attention span has now gone down to eight seconds.  Looking at things, looks like our societies are set up to push people right to the edge💢💢💢

BUT dude, would you agree most of us are just too busy to enjoy the 'business of living'?  One of the most unfortunate examples how even the English language is part of the complication is the way even words have evolved from being deeper to shallower.  WHEN I hear 'LEISURE', WHAT springs up to my mind is someone in a hammock strung between two palm trees sipping Tequila.  OR if NOT that cliche, then of someone engaged in a happy BUT intellectually undemanding activity like gardening or just movie-streaming in Netflix.  At the end of the day, I CAN'T help but to partly blame society itself for being so obsessed with work and output that WHEN we finally have time to slow down and think, we'd rather NOT think at all.  OR not to think too hard💦💦💦

Through the years, I did bear witness to one too many simple situations in life that spiraled upside down even overnight.  A child financially supported by the parents working overseas would end up spending close to ten years in his college studies?  OR a couple having a startup business and the cash register was clicking more often than expected so much so that they got tempted to beef up their manpower until one day, I saw them close their business abruptly💥💥💥

Our takeaway:  Most of the time, we have our best intentions in life, unfiltered and unfettered by any other variables OR wild cards.  BUT along the way, WHEN new variables will get into the equation unexpectedly, we would sometimes end up losing a handle of the situation UNTIL things GO SOUTH, UNTIL things go awry, UNTIL we [wrongly] thought and felt that we were in full control of our situation WHEN in many cases, we were kind of in an 'auto pilot' mode.  WHAT most of us non-pilots are totally unaware of is that the 'auto pilot' mode does NOT guarantee safety because there are scenarios it CAN'T function.  So, IS LIFE THAT COMPLICATED?  YES and NO dude❗❗❗