HAVE you ever felt left behind? Sometimes we may feel as though our peers are excelling, while we are stuck.
It is normal every so often to feel overwhelmed or left behind.
In these moments, jealousy and envy may visit together with their cousins depression and anxiety.
Instead of opening the door to these wayward emotions, below we will discuss how we can stay focused on our goals and overcome these moments.
As I have mentioned in a previous article, we all have a purpose unique to us.
Mobile telecoms mogul Strive Masiyiwa, the late music grandee Oliver Mtukudzi and lawyer and motivational speaker Arthur Marara are names that many are familiar with.
We do not know Masiyiwa because of his musical prowess, but rather his brilliant leadership and business skills; likewise, Advocate Marara has grown to be a formidable legal giant and not an excellent footballer.
When we try to run a marathon in hiking gear, it is inevitable that we will lose.
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Instead, we should find our purpose and run our own race.
As we run our race, there may be moments where we feel as though we are failing or falling behind. In these moments, it is important to remember why the why behind our actions, the driving force behind our success.
Growth will not always be linear
Most progression lines will have moments of regression and plateaus.
During these moments, instead of giving up, we should stay focused on the goal and figure out what it is we need to do in order to bounce back.
Stay on track
Where no product is being sold, odds are you are the product.
Social media can be a helpful tool if used properly.
Unfortunately, it is easy to get distracted and direct our energy and attention towards other things.
Have you ever found yourself scrolling through reels to only realise you have wasted three or four hours of your time?
Oftentimes on social media, people will share content curated to appear successful even if this is not a true reflection of what is obtaining on the ground.
Check whether you are stuck, or rather if you are comparing yourself to the influencer accounts you follow.
Be patient
Almost everyone knows of KFC, but many do not know that the original recipe was rejected 1 009 times before it was accepted in any restaurant.
Imagine if Colonel Sanders had quit on the 100th, the 500th or the 999th time, the US$8,3 billion company would not have existed.
American award-winning director Steven Spielberg was rejected three times at his dream university.
Today, we all know and have enjoyed at least one of his movies.
These include the Jurassic Park, Saving Private Ryan and Shrek, among others.
Explore other fields
Make failure your friend and do not be afraid of it.
Instead of sticking to one thing that is not yielding fruit, you can try to pursue a different career path.
Although Italian manufacturing company Lamborghini is most famous for its luxurious fast cars, it originally manufactured tractors, heating boilers, air conditioners and water treatment apparatus.
Prolific American author Stephen King initially worked as a janitor before he began writing books.
Walt Disney was fired from being a newspaper editor because “he lacked imagination and he had no good ideas”.
Mickey Mouse is proof that this is false.
Misplaced energy and attention will bear no fruit.
It is never too late to explore other routes to lead you to success.
Practise gratitude
Instead of harbouring jealousy and self-pity, be grateful for where you are and how far you have come.
Be happy with those who are celebrating success.
Befriend them and learn from them.
If you spend time with a group of five millionaires, you are bound to be the sixth.
It is better to be happy for others than to let bitterness and jealousy take control of your soul.
“Remember that growth is not linear. Sometimes you make great progress for a while and then you slide back a little. That’s okay, just don’t give up.”
As we chase our dreams and fulfil our purpose, it is important for us to learn how to navigate through difficult moments in a healthy manner.
