Cowards focus on the adjusting part.
The part that still doesn’t work, that’s not as good as the previous situation. Yet.
They do that, because if they have any chance of stopping you, they have to cut you off at that moment.
Adjusting means usually ending up in a better situation. Maybe you are changing job, girlfriend, or moving to a different country. Whatever it is you are doing, it’s because you consider it the right move.
Cowards see it too, and therefore they acknowledge the little window opportunity that they have to make you stay as one of them. They need the company.
You have two choices: either don’t show them the adjusting part, or realize that most criticism comes at the point where they can still be skeptical.
Adjust accordingly to ignore them.
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
I find that, even more so than adjusting, the skeptics focus on what will go wrong. Sure, the adjustment of change is difficult, but handling the inevitable —wrongness— that will happen is what most people fear. It goes beyond failure, because failure is definitive, a means to an end. Whereas, being wrong or dealing with the things that go awry, are the things most people are terribly afraid of.
What they can’t realize is that things are going to go wrong, shit is going to hit the fan, no matter where you are, even in the safety of a comfort zone. These things are inevitable. One might as well lean into the wrongness, the adjustment period, the inevitable mistakes, and at least live life like we only have one.
What do you mean only one?! I thought I could waste this one being safe at my corporate job and use the next three or four traveling and doing drugs. Oh, well…
Awesome post and comment from Jamie. I am looking down the gunbarrel of change right now, and I am more excited for what could go right than for what could go wrong. I think that we need to realize that what we have no isn’t always that great and it could be a lot better.
To quote Tyler Durden, “It’s only after we’ve lost everything that we’re free to do anything.”
Winning the lottery is a curse. Way too much stuff.
Benjmin, great way to look at it as well. I’m gonna borrow your tyler durden quote.