That 'EXPECTATION TRAP'!

 

Life is really life.  LIKE we hit the sack tonight, thinking and expecting that tomorrow the sun will be dandy and shining, only to witness come next day, rains that initially irritated you until it worsens to become a heavy downpour that would later cause flash floods along the roads WHERE you need to traverse [regardless if you are a commuter OR a driver].  Too often, we're bombarded with almost 'picture-perfect' highlight reels of morning routines, aesthetic setups [either at home OR at work] OR even 'couple goals'.   WHERE does that lead us to?  You guessed it right dude!  Those 'ideals' can manifest as EXPECTATIONS.  Oh yes, EXPECTATIONS are WHAT we think will happen📗📙📘

On the other hand, before we know it, REALITY kicks in, REALITY happens and WHILE along the way we hoped that both will be the same, we all know that in real life, that script does NOT shape up as you and me thought OR expected. WHAT happens next?  That disparity of EXPECTATIONS versus REALITY can often lead to feelings of discontentment and worse, discouragement that even worsens one's state of unhappiness.  Please DON'T get me wrong.  It is perfectly fine to have hopes and EXPECTATIONS because in truth and in fact, optimism in the face of challenges OR changes can be a good thing💚💛💜

Here's the trap though.  Having a fixed idea of exactly WHAT should happen OR WHAT needs to happen in order for you to be happy can often lead to even more disappointment than IF you faced the situation with an open mind and with the pragmatic understanding that things might NOT work out the precise you wanted💥💥💥

To put things this way, EXPECTATIONS are our beliefs that we hold about the possible outcomes of an event.  WHILE those EXPECTATIONS can play an important role in determining WHAT happens and can contribute to a goal-directed behavior, they can also potentially lead to more disappointment WHEN reality does NOT match up with WHAT we hoped to happen😡😡😡

Our takeaway:  Allow me to make reference in that tough basketball world in the NBA where most players WHO end up being awarded contracts by the ballclubs become the affirmation [and sometimes validation] that a player is talented enough at the level of NBA standards for hoopsters.  Guess WHEN do we witness the gaps between EXPECTATIONS and REALITY?  It is WHEN PLAYERS thought they will have 'x' minutes of playing time, only to end up warming the bench most of the time.  WHETHER the coach is right OR wrong for the player's limited time is moot and academic because the FIX here is for the player to temper his own EXPECTATIONS!!!

Living In A TOXIC Environment?

 

WHO wants to live in the midst of a TOXIC environment?  Of course, no one wants, regardless if it's at home, at the workplace OR in any of the communities we live in.  There is NO sure-fire solution for us to survive a TOXIC environment BUT experts counsel in unison that, first and foremost, we got to develop that SELF-AWARENESS, knowing your own self so that you DON'T take on other people's insecurities and projections.  And YES, the subtle trouble with living with someone WHO may seem manipulative and hurtful is that IF you listen to them that long enough, before you know it, you would have internalized and embedded their own opinions and even criticisms, ouch.  WHAT happens next, even their own harsh words may become your very own inner voice and that's self-inflicting📗📙📘

WHILE it's a given that we are all humanly flawed and even making mistakes may happen more often than we want it to be, experts advise us to believe in our own innate goodness and learn to accept our own self, regardless if it's our good OR our bad qualities.  And it helps to tune other people out by consistently grounding our own self in the knowledge of WHO we are and WHAT our own GOD has made you for HIMSELF.  And WHEN that moment comes WHEN you end up spending time with someone critical and/or manipulative, let us avoid letting them drag us into matters that may trigger us, dragging us.  And I remember reminding myself several times in the past that I am NOT required to participate in anything I choose NOT to.  Experts coined that as DETACHMENT, LIKE steering clear of subjects that may potentially evoke strong and intense feelings, and WHEN your judgment call comes, choose to walk away if you potentially feel that you may get triggered and drawn to💚💛💜

And one key lesson I did learn the 'hard way' in the past is one WHICH I consider as one of the most essential steps to recover and move on in life and that's ACCEPTANCE.  That word itself even WHEN translated into concrete action is tough LIKE that 'emotionally manipulative person' for WHO they are, LIKE your past for WHAT it was, and the relationship for WHAT it is.  As they say, as long as we keep wishing and hoping for any of these to be different, we may end up trapped that keeps us chained💥💥💥

OH YES, one very 'open secret' I've openly practised is journalling.  Journalling my own thoughts and feelings [especially in those struggling times], getting them out all either in hardcopy or e-Notes just makes sense did translate to put my own jumbled thoughts on paper and lately even on e-Notes.  End-result?  I detected the ominous patterns shaping up and in effect, it guided me as to HOW can I start behaving in a way that will help me regain control, and at times in the past, it even helped me to do either a soft reset OR even a hard reboot.  I CAN'T imagine things if I never had that wiggle room to extricate myself out from those quagmires hitting me from time to time❎❎❎

Our takeaway:  TOXIC environments come in various forms and shapes.  LIKE you feel stressed and yet, still forcing yourself to work despite the fatigue you feel.  OR WHEN you feel undervalued OR NOT that appreciated enough by people around you [either at home OR @workplace] despite all the efforts you have exerted to date towards your self-improvements and worse, at times, you might feel NO ONE wants to acknowledge your achievements.  All these leading your discomfort and tiredness?  Let's go back to basics dude, reinforcing our SELF-AWARENESS way before we can consider ACCEPTANCE as a way out.  YES, it's tough if we end up living in a TOXIC environment dude😡😡😡

Avoid Putting Your Foot In Your Mouth [then you'll be fine]

Call it calmness BUT I'll rather call it recklessness WHEN we spew out words that should NOT have happened in the first place because that's nothing less than PUTTING YOUR FOOT IN YOUR MOUTH.  NOT to nitpick, BUT this happens mostly WHEN we are in places WHERE we feel most relaxed, name it, your home OR your office nook.  And then WHAT often times exacerbates this situation is WHEN we are in the company of people WHO either are people we're closest to, OR people with whom we're so relaxed OR worst, people we DON'T care [which is totally wrong, BTW]📗📙📘

Many times in the past, I heard these regretful admissions:

• I KNOW I SHOULDN'T HAVE SAID IT BUT...
• BEFORE I COULD THINK, I BLURTED OUT....
• I WISH I SHOULD HAVE KEPT MY MOUTH SHUT...

BTW, those were the words NOT just of third parties BUT I myself, I was guilty [many times] on that in the past.  True enough, at one time OR another, we have all learned the hard way that our words have that super incredible power, enough to knock off the most stubborn giant, and even a supposedly emotionless person.  WHAT happens next, we often resolve NEVER to repeat that mistake.  Really???

This is WHERE our supposed 'right to speech' gets into the picture.  WHAT we hear is people invoking freedom of expression [especially for us WHO live in these very boisterous democracies].  WHAT happens next many of us engage in automatic critical self-talk and other self-defeating thought patterns.  LIKE we may chide ourselves for being 'stupid' OR 'lazy' WHEN we make a mistake and WHEN we practice that 'right to speech' inwardly, we would tend to train ourselves to notice that habitual thought that loops till we get engaged in.  We then examine those thoughts for truth and helpfulness and in so doing, we learn to avoid that temptation to mindlessly accept such thoughts as truth💥💥💥

Psychologists keep reminding us that that RIGHT to SPEECH comes with it our responsibility to say the right words at the right time.  BTW, there is NO single word has been given that 'blanket' a-ok to be spewed and uttered any day anywhere anyhow.  Telling someone that he's either handsome OR beautiful may NOT be the right words to say especially if the other person is NOT apt OR deserving enough to hear such words, even if words are expressed in good faith.  In the end, you might end up doing 'damage control' instead of that intent and spirit to be nice😃😃😃

Our takeaway:  Looking back, I have this one key realization.  I recall that those times I felt I was a 'loose cannon' were those times WHEN I was facing difficult OR challenging moments, those times WHEN I succumbed to a poor judgment call.  And bundle it with situations WHEN we're either hurt, confused, frustrated OR worst, angry, those are the times WHEN we become most vulnerable to commit those same mistakes [maybe even over and over again].  Our recommended fix:  Let us take a conscious effort to work in cultivating our inner words that are kind, helpful, true and useful.  That way, our words can even help us achieve our goals and become a better person than WHAT and WHO we are now.  YES dude, let us endeavor to AVOID PUTTING OUR FOOT IN OUR MOUTH.  That's certainly doable!!!

Stop Caring About The RESULTS!

 

WHAT are you up to?  NEXT task?  NEXT goal?  YES, go for it [and STOP THINKING ABOUT THE RESULTS].  To quote the famous Nike one-liner, JUST DO IT!!!  I heard this a few times and it's amazing:  I STOPPED CARING ABOUT THE RESULTS [AND STARTED GETTING THEM].  Even before I heard all these, I realized that I have been 'walking the talk' through the years, and in most cases, out of habit 📗📙📘

I've witnessed right up front multiple and countless situations WHERE people get so 'hostaged' by the envisioned results of a planned course of action such that they end up stalled, thinking and thinking about the results they should achieve.  Frustratingly, I've seen initiatives suffer through a debacle and fail all because they got so 'hanged up' with the target results, missing out the dire need to thoroughly plan their tasks ahead.  LIKE if one is angling for an ivy League academic scholarship, then you keep asking yourself WHAT IF you stumble across, WHAT IF after you hurdle all the qualifying steps, you DON'T have a place to stay, WHAT IF your family is NOT financially capable to sustain things???

Instead of ending up so glued to the results you want to achieve, WHY can't we prepare a step-by-step checklist of all the pre-requisites even for the initial filing of your academic scholarship application.  WHO knows you'll fall short in the required weighted average for your academic grades?  WHO knows your preferred course/area of interest has additional criteria you are NOT that aware of?  WHO knows their academic terms do NOT align with your local timelines?  In the shortest one word, WHATEVER is your envisioned results down the road, get and be focused with the PROCESS needed to take you from Point A to Point B to Point C etcetera until you reach and achieve your target results.  Instead of fixating on the specific outcomes, let us embrace intertia and once we get going, let's maintain that momentum through consistency and persistence💚💛💜

The late Jim Rohn, the famous American author and motivational speaker, said it all with brevity:  THINK LESS, DO MORE.  In short, let us consider those upcoming results as a 'side effect' and instead, get focused on good planning and reinforce your consistency in your efforts as it will likely naturally lead you to better productivity, real progress in your journey BUT again, view it as a positive effect rather than the sole purpose😗😗😗

Our takeaway:  Let's be openly frank here.  WHAT are the UPSIDEs if we spend the biggest chunk of our time thinking and anticipating with all the "WHAT IF's" for the result we expect and hope to achieve?  True, that could get that goal more embedded within us.  BUT if we factor-in the time spent WHEN we got stalled and 'hostaged' by thinking over and over again the results, can we agree that that impacts our timeline because instead of devoting our time to progress, we got stalled.  Can we proceed with our task execution and STOP CARING ABOUT THE RESULTS, for now dude???

Is Being TOO NICE Manipulative?

 

Is Being TOO NICE Manipulative?  So sorry for bringing up this quite controversial question that may ignite more questions than answers.  BUT given all the technologies and with social media incessantly creeping into our daily lives, this is worth our discussion at least for today's piece.  I stumbled across this research WHICH examined HOW different groups use that 'participatory culture' of the internet to turn strengths into vulnerabilities, WHICH ultimately threatens expressive freedoms.  BUT before I get whacked here, we're here NOT for witch-hunting BUT more to increase our awareness for those NOT so obvious perils and risks brought about by this never-ending creeps of social media into our lives💚💛💜

NOT to be nitpicking, maybe it's worth it for us to exchange notes HOW to possibly detect and identify those 'RED FLAGS' that will lead us towards a manipulation [WHICH is either happening OR brewing].  LIKE WHEN you receive compliments and praise BUT it feels 'OVER THE TOP'.  True, at first glance, excessive praise can indeed feel that flattering.  However, people WHO layer on the compliments too thickly might be doing it as a way to win one's trust quickly.  Those are the moments WHEN we would feel that 'special'  BUT for someone NOT manifesting things in 'good faith', it could be a tactic to lower your defenses so they can manipulate you later much easier [heard of someone worming him/herself to you and much later, he/she approaches you to seek for a short-term loan?]???

WHAT TO WATCH OUT?  Pay attention as to WHETHER 'that' OR 'this' compliments feel genuine OR forced?  And if they seem to be overly flattering, especially in a relationship that is at its infancy stage, BE CAUTIOUS.  LIKE WHEN someone showers you with attention, be incisive if the 'hidden agenda' is to WIN YOUR TRUST as those individuals often make you feel like the CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE initially.  And they will go out of their way to give you all the attention BUT be wary if that is a 'calculated move'.  Over time, that attention may become inconsistent OR worse, even controlling, as their true motives beging to unravel.  WHAT TO WATCH OUT?  Notice if that attention fades once they feel they have gained your trust, OR if they become upset WHEN you set boundaries, ouch😡😡😡

LIKE WHEN one frequently 'plays the victim', one of the clearest signs of manipulation is WHEN someone constantly plays that kind of plight.  You would hear endless 'SOB STORIES' to gain your sympathy and even your emotional investment, making it hard for you to hold them accountable for their actions.  WHAT TO WATCH OUT?  Be wary WHEN they deflect responsibility for an issue, finding a way to shift blame unto others. That's their 'victimhood' goal, ouch❎❎❎

Our takeaway:  The NICE and GOOD things manifested come in various shapes and forms.  And much as we humans have that common weakness for praises and compliments, NOT to be skeptical OR cynical, it behooves that we are able to discern those GENUINE acts versus the NOT-SO GENUINE acts [before we fall prey if such acts end up as semblances of being manipulative!!!

How much do ours WORDS MATTER?

 

How much do ours WORDS MATTER?  Although we have always known it intuitively, science has confirmed the tremendous power our words have on our own selves, within business, and even across all our nemesis.  BUT much as we CAN'T be perfect, WHY DON'T we commit to cushion the negative impact of WORDS, running parallel with a serious intent to minimize causing OR creating problems simply because of words📗📙📘

YES YES yow, WORDS HAVE POWER.  More than that, WORDS can literally shape the material world.  The WORDS we speak NOT only reflect BUT it can shape our thoughts and in effect, our thoughts shape the physical structure of our brains.  This cascade was laid out from the researches of experts and even from a recent TED TALK I attended where Dr Mark Pagel spoke of the potency of our WORDS using those catchy, memorable one-liners wherein via WORDS, our ideas can be implanted💧💧💧

To quote one literary piece, WORDS provide the rails on WHICH our thoughts would ride.  The WORDS we use [and even HOW we use them] matter immensely because they shape the way we perceive the world and participate within it.  To add to this understanding is the amplifying effect technology has had on our words.  And today, we are inundated with WORDS through tons of SMS messages and those billions of messages passing through the various social media platforms.  And we can even add the endless carousel of advertisements, we can end up with a COACHELLA-like environment!!!

Allow me to qualify, though, that despite the billions of WORDS sent and received across, it is just realistic to accept the fact that we are NOT intently reading most of these words anyway BUT the point remains that we are assailed with a litany of words and as a result, their perceived power seems to have been diminished, and to put it bluntly, diluted.  Take that and add it to the current state of civic discourse WHERE certain media companies and even political figures have somehow devolved to using WORDS as a sort of 'artillery' to censure and even undermine and worst, destroy the reputation of others and it's NOT hard to believe that WORDS have become cheap💚💛💜

Our takeaway:  At the end of the day, let's recognize that our WORDS provide the basis for our human connections.  And WHEN we share a language, we human beings can be remarkably cooperative and sometimes, ironically even selfless.  Next time around our emotions get the better of us [and even before we spew whatever 'venomous' WORDS may come out, let us be more mindful as to HOW MUCH OUR WORDS MATTER😊😊😊

Burnout Is A Low-hanging Fruit We Can Fix

 

Experiencing OR manifesting burnout?  Probably it's a slight YES or NO.  BUT likely it's a 'PROBABLE' answer because often, it even seems akin to sneezing WHEN catching colds.  BUT in its very essence, it seems to surface WHEN motion replaces meaning.  True, our modern life does reward our 'busyness' especially for those stuff that look productive.  So, HOW's the cycle?  We stay in motion, we meet expectations, then we keep our engine going and throttling BUT eventually our very own purpose falls out of sync with our efforts exerted.  YET, the engine continues BUT the meaning thins out

YET, I believe that BURNOUT deserves to be our thread today because WHEN it does hit us, it could mean we're either exhausted, empty and sometimes, no one will admit it BUT that feeling of 'hollowness' may be creeping even before we would recognize it.  BUT here's WHEN confusion clouds and distorts things.  WHEN someone gets hit with depression, some get mixed up and [wrongly] tag it as BURNOUT.  Experts and psychologists differentiated this by clarifying that BURNOUT is the amalgamation of consequences arising from severe stress, amongst others

BURNOUT was most often heard at its loudest decibels WHEN we got hit by that Covid-19 pandemic.  Doctors and nurses, WHO were at the frontline, were the unsung heroes because many of them sacificed their own health and well-being for others.  As they were clocking shifts that run for consecutive days [WHILE being 'locked' down' within their own medical premises], they ended up exhausted, listless and overwhelmed.  These days, we can hear BURNOUT from many sectors

These days, almost everyone of us remains vulnerable to BURNOUT.  Being overworked and over-stressed may lead us towards that risk of depression.  BUT WHAT makes me curious is HOW BURNOUT really develops?  Hearing from the experts, common causes [WHICH should raise our awareness] are as follows:

• Feeling either constantly overworked
• Being under time pressure most of the time
• Dealing with long-drawn conflicts around you
• Extreme commitments to achieve something

Problems caused by constant OR incessant stress at work is one of the most common root causes of BURNOUT.  In the past, I myself had to go through that vicious cycle WHEN I felt drained, exhausted, zapped and YES, BURNED OUT.  BUT this is NOT a hopeless situation to be dealt with proactively.  Instead, we are advised to focus on the very manifestations and work 'backwards' from there.  LIKE exhaustion.  People can feel drained and even emotionally exhausted.  We would hear them NOT having enough energy OR feeling lethargic OR simply put, tired, down and seemingly NOT in his 'normal self'.  BUT dude, BURONOUT is a low-hanging fruit we can fix

What's The Upside Of 'AVERAGE'?

 

Here's a giveaway question:  What's the UPSIDE of AVERAGE?  YES you got it, it means you're NOT an utter failure [YET].  NOW for the downside, can we agree that being AVERAGE means you're NOT really far off from a potential FAILURE?  DON'T get me wrong though.  I'm NOT here to whack AVERAGE people because I'll be the first one to admit that I'd rather tag myself as AVERAGE for now📗📙📘

Growing up, we all aspire to be the best.  I remember during my early years in grade school, I'll hear various career goals from many of my classmates.  One wants to be a scientist, another one's goal is to be a pilot, someone blurted he wants to be an astronaut.  And those were very commendable BUT of course, coming from young and innocent grade school students, it was understandable.  BUT as we mature, we still bear witness to aggressive ambitions around💚💛💜

In short, the school of thought that continues to prevail till now is that being AVERAGE just WON''T do.  It's like a dirty word.  I mean, WHO wants to be ordinary, mediocre OR just plainly regular, just one of the crowd?  YET in striving to be the best, we're often left disappointed WHEN we fail to meet our expectations and those of our loved ones.  We end up feeling we DON'T quite hit the mark❎❎❎

As recent as last month, as the academic school year in our country ended, there were at least 2 breaking news [that seemed to BREAK our hearts] because it reported 2 suicides of 2 students WHO committed suicide, all because they failed to reach their mark, literally speaking.  And for those tragic stories to happen, it really breaks our heart because this brings us back as to this conversation with regard being AVERAGE💥💥💥

Our takeaway:  The mother of all questions is WHO determines WHAT's AVERAGE?  WHO is the 'AVERAGE' Joe?  WHAT's an AVERAGE job?  It's a system of societal measurement that often leaves us feeling worthless instead of being worthwhile.  We measure ourselves against others WHOM we perceive as above AVERAGE without knowing the whole story.  YES, one could excel in one area of his life, such as being unusually kind and empathetic BUT be pretty useless at catching a ball OR solving equations.  Sadly, our societies tend to rate the more tangible skills over the more humane skills.  So, are we part of that diaspora WHO are so glued on anything that's above, way and beyond being AVERAGE?  Poor grief dude😖😖😖

Playing With The Deck You're Dealt

 

YES YES Yow, our LIFE IS LIKE THE DECK OF CARDS.  We can claim to be the most seasoned players in those casinos OR even at the Las Vegas strip BUT the real truth is that we can only play based on the DECK we're dealt.  And this is where we're drawing the parallelism with life itself.  Even for those truly blessed, born with a silver spoon, once the cards on the deck are shuffled, everything becomes an even playing field and WHAT's our only option then?  It is to play the cards right, to the best of our judgment.  In life, that equates to us accepting our situation, per se.  Much as WHAT's happening in the casinos, me and you CAN'T change the hand that dealt those cards on us📗📙📘

In the shortest words, WHAT do we need to do?  It is for us to focus on anything and everything we can control, period.  Problem is, there is that human nature WHEN we [wrongly] feel that we can control way beyond our domain, our turf.  WHAT does that leave us with?  Instead of wasting those futile attempts to focus on those 'uncontrollables', those we either lack OR we CAN'T change, let us redirect our focus on our actions, our attitudes that go along with it.  No less than that💥💥💥

WHAT else is left with us then?  Plain and simple.  Let us make the best of it, stretching it, flipping it out, making the best of the cards you have at hand.  Let's take a sampling of real-life scenarios.  At the workplace, WHEN we're angling for a job promotion BUT fail to realize that goal, WHAT do we do next?  Obviously, it DOESN'T make sense to simply quit from that organization.  Instead, WHY DON'T we redirect and infuse all our energy and motivation to work harder and prove your value even way before the next future opportunity comes.  Regardless if the decision makers in the future are different, they might see in you WHAT was NOT recognized in your failed hopes in the past💚💛💜

If there is a message that keeps resonating throughout my life, it is the undeniable fact that life ISN'T determined by the cards we are dealt with. Imagine if the cards are shuffled and we end up with a Black Joker card that throws us outright and even punches right through our stomach?  YES, it still remains amazing HOW something as serious as and precious as life is compared to the deck of cards❎❎❎

Our takeaway:  I've heard these statements a zillion times in the past and it's frustrating & pitiful:

"I WAS BORN POOR.  WHAT CAN I EXPECT?"

"EVER SINCE, I'M NOT GOOD AT THAT AT ALL"

"WHAT ELSE CAN I DO, IF THIS MY FATE?"

YES dude, those are pitiful expressions that only lead situations to even go from bad to worse.  Call it mindset. Call it self-motivation.  Call it your attitude in life.  PLAYING WITH THE DECK YOU'RE DEALT is your best option dude💥💥💥

When The Ship Has Long Sailed...

 

WHEN THE SHIP HAS LONG SAILED.  Yes, indeed, do we remember how many opportunities we missed in our life?  Seriously, I never bothered to keep that score in my journal BUT I recall that I missed a couple of opportunities I deem as materially significant and/or impactful.  LIKE that academic scholarship I missed.  LIKE that career opportunity I missed [had I continued my law studies].  LIKE if I didn't resign from my previous organization as that would have positioned me next in the totem pole.  LIKE WHEN I quit the very first pilot Nihonggo class [which could have positioned me well enough for career advancements in a Japanese-centric organization.  Surely, you have your share of SHIPS THAT HAVE LONG SAILED📗📙📘

It's human nature to regret [and even blame our own selves] WHEN we missed an opportunity that would have led you to reap this fruit OR that path towards your goal.  BUT WHAT is often overlooked here is that, sometimes, missed opportunities often end up being the 'course corrections' we need in our lives.  True, in those MISSED OPPORTUNITIES, we are led into serious disappointments, and even rejections, WHETHER those are the top schools in your country OR a 'dream job' WHICH you have literally dreamt and hoped for the longest time.  BUT after having a MISSED OPPORTUNITY, it could turn out to be the best thing that could have happened💚💛💜

Let's listen to WHAT psychologists counsel us, WHICH is, for us to actively process our feelings as the crucial first step for us to reframe our negative feelings into positive action WHEN things DON'T work out the way we'd initially hoped for.  I recall one of my first MISSED OPPORTUNITIES early on, I struggled BUT eventually realized that in the process of NOT getting WHAT I wanted, I had that deep self-reflection about WHAT actually motivated me and WHAT I wanted to do with the rest of my life.  Even relationships, WHICH are sensitive topics to cover, WHEN it leads to a breakup, many researches showed statistical data that such breakups did spark renewed love and even success in one's career.  HOW often do we hear that one MISSED OPPORTUNITY led you to a much better life???

Once I stumbled across this philosophical statement, that is, 'YOUR DESTINY IS TIED TO YOUR INTUITION'.  And on one occasion, someone confided to me that he ignored his intuition and in his post mortem, he learned from that painful experience that bad things result WHEN we would tend to push past our better judgment in pursuit of a goal.  Sometimes, a MISSED OPPORTUNITY becomes a blessing in disguise.  LIKE you joined a new organization BUT after a month OR two, you quit because you thought that the company's values are NOT aligned to you!!!

Our takeaway:  I heard this sage advice a zillion times and allow me to piggy-back on it.  That WHEN you stumble with those MISSED OPPORTUNITIES, two important things to remember.  Firstly, avoid dwelling on the past and instead accept that you cannot change WHAT has already happened.  And instead, embrace the 'NOW' because the present is all you truly have, so make the most of it.  Obviously, we got to learn from the past and alongside it, motivate yourself to gain a new perspective, recognizing whatever past mistakes as they become the very core of your valuable lessons in life.  YES dude, WHEN THE SHIP HAS LONG SAILED, that's NOT the end of the world.  For all you know, that MISSED OPPORTUNITY is, after all, a blessing in disguise, that 'manna from heaven'😁😁😁