So, after months of continuously putting it off, I finally decided to get my drivers' license. I'll admit; I was terrified... terrified of making a mistake, terrified of failing, terrified of causing an accident, the list goes on and on to the moon and back.
But I decided to toss my fears out the window and do it anyway. The phrase that comes to mind when I think about my experience is 'roller coaster ride.' And here are a few life lessons I got from my wise driving instructor.
1. The first step to success is to simply "show up"
You can pray, plan and strategize 'til you're blue in the face, but all the planning and praying in the world will not make you successful unless and until you SHOW UP. Show up for that exam you've been dreading so much. Show up for that intimidating job interview. Show up for your first day of school.
It's wonderful that you've been practising, rehearsing and getting yourself ready all this time - well done! But there comes a time when you must get up, dress up and, you guessed it ....SHOW UP! David would have never killed Goliath if he had decided to stay home or hide behind the bushes like the rest of the Israelite army.
Similarly, you won't get that promotion unless you drag yourself out of bed, take a shower and go to work - even if you'd rather watch TV all day. You won't get into that sports team unless you go for try-outs. Sure, it's scary and unfamiliar, but you can't run from challenges forever. At some point, you need to go out there and face your fears head on.
2. Just because it's right doesn't mean it's automatically gonna be easy
Many of us go through life expecting things to be smooth sailing just because they are right. But the cold, hard truth is: you're bound to face a whole lot more opposition doing the right thing than you'd face doing the wrong one.
Take one of the USA'S greatest Presidents, Abraham Lincoln. In 1832, Lincoln lost his job, failed in business in 1833 and had a nervous break down in 1836.7 years later, he was defeated in the nomination for Congress and lost renomination the following year.
In 1849 he was rejected for the post of land officer and was defeated for US Senate in 1854. He was defeated for the nomination for Vice President in 1856 and was defeated yet again for the post of US Senate in 1858. He finally won the US Presidency in 1860 after a myriad of flops and failures.
Anything worthwhile will never come easy. When the world knocks you down, pick yourself up, dust yourself off and keep going.
3. Don't expect to know everything all at once
One of my greatest flaws was trying to do too much too soon, expecting myself to go from pathetic to perfect in the blink of an eye. Consequently, I'd get frustrated and just about throw in the towel every time I made a mistake. And my driving instructor would calmly say, "It's better to learn slowly but effectively, than to rush and learn nothing at all."
A lot of us have that same weakness. We set unrealistic goals for ourselves and drive ourselves way too hard ...so hard that we soon fall apart. It's important to remember that life is a journey, not a competition. Pace yourself, give it your best shot and enjoy the ride. Life is a lot like a car - if you move too fast, too soon, you'll crash and hurt yourself, and possibly, others too.
4. Don't take correction personally
So you showed up for that first day of work, algebra lesson or audition. You'd barely been in the room for 5 minutes when you were told that you filed the paperwork wrong, your math calculations were inaccurate or your performance wasn't up to scratch.
I'm sure we've all had a few of those days. Days when we just seem to get everything wrong. Days when we're told, "You can do so much better", "You're slacking" or "You really need to pull up your socks."
Before you storm off and quit, remember that correction is an essential part of learning. If at first you don't succeed, try again...and again...and again. Even the Pros were beginners at some point. Ask Beyonce, Bill Gates and even President Barrack Obama. You can either let criticism keep you from your dream or use it as a stepping stone to success - your choice!
Above all, don't let fear keep you from your dreams. Aim high, dream big and work hard. The best in life awaits you!
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