Feature: A Ray of Sunshine- Continue in the Game

By Timothy A. Edward 

It is easy to steer a boat when the waves are calm. But, when we hit rough waters and when the boat hits a storm, that is when steering becomes difficult. The same is true in life and business. When storms like a business failure, bankruptcy, sickness, or betrayal by friends or by a boss hit our boat, how do we react? Do we sit on the sidelines and mourn our loss, nurse the hurt, and tell the whole world how unfairly we have been treated? Or do we continue to stay in the game, continue to play the game, despite our hurt and feeling hurt?

Navigating Life’s Storms

In other words, it is all about resilience. Our ability to recover from setbacks and adapt well to change. It is under pressure that our life is forced into the open and shows its true colours. So do not try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work. This way we become mature and well-developed, prepared for and responding to unexpected events in life and business.

Staying in the Game Despite Setbacks

Reach out and do good despite your pain. Because setbacks are not the end of life. Wipe those tears from your eyes and get back to work again. Go and find new friends. The right people and brighter opportunities are in the future of your life. If one job or business does not work out well, forget it and find another job or start a new business. Remember, when one door closes, another door always opens at the right time.

As the Grit and Adaptive leadership theories emphasise, perseverance and passion for long-term goals need to be developed with the ability to adapt and thrive in challenging environments. Which means, we need to keep our eyes on long-term goals, where our inner soul is beckoning us onward and believe there is no turning back on that inner vision and mission.

Embracing Change and Moving Forward

Shake off self-pity and do not give in to depression. Do not brood over the wrongs that have happened in your life. If we do so, then depression will take us prisoners, and we will have a tough time breaking those shackles. We cannot wait until wounds heal completely and we are feeling 100 per cent perfect. Forgive those who have wronged you and get back into the game as soon as possible.

Develop an eye to identifying and exploiting new business and life opportunities. Have a Growth Mindset which believes that abilities can be developed through dedication and hard work. Forget about what happened in the past; do not keep going over old history. Be alert to the present. Because brand-new opportunities happen all the time. Size those opportunities, as roads through deserts and rivers along parched land are formed.

Power of Forgiveness and Persistence

When we continue in the game, despite the hurt, pain, betrayal, and adversity, we start to understand the principle of how our scars become our stars. We can be sure the rest of our days will become the best days of our lives.

Herein lies the secret of being kind to oneself in instances of pain or failure. Instead, focus on strengths, virtues, and factors that contribute to a fulfilling life. Make a clean break with all the cutting, useless gossip and defeating self-talk. Be gentle with one another, sensitive, forgiving one another quickly.

Turning Scars into Stars

Promote positive growth following adversity. Become a transformational leader, who inspires and motivates employees and followers to exceed their own self-interests for the good of the organisation and the nation.

In a real sense, these hard times in our lives are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebrations prepared for us. There is far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, yet gone tomorrow. But the things we cannot see now will last forever.

So, the winning secret is when we continue in the game despite the hurt, pain, betrayal, and adversity. Then, we start to understand the principle of how our scars become our stars. Scars cannot hurt us anymore. They are only reminders of our victories. Setbacks are not the end of life; setbacks are setups for growth opportunities and new beginnings. By shaking off self-pity, avoiding depression, and forgiving those who have wronged us, we can get back into the game and find new friends, jobs, or business markets. The right people and brighter opportunities are in the future, and when one door closes, another always opens at the right time. If we believe, the rest of our days can become the best days of our lives.