Things can go wrong

When things are not going like we would want them to go, why do we focus on the outside and spend our energy whining?

We have a limited amount of energy that we can use; it’s up to us to use it wisely. The wise will always invest his time and energy in what he thinks will bring back the best return.

“I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.”

 - Jimmy Dean

Let me tell you a little story.

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Marc was working in a big jeans factory. He was in his 15 years over there and things were great. He was earning a good salary and he spent most of it every month. He did put some on the side for bad time. He was living a good life without much worry.

Joe was also working at the same factory and earning the same salary as Marc. He did not put more on the side and was living a good life without much worry too.

Things weren’t going as good as they did, but the factory was still running at 75% of its capacity. So, Joe and Marc weren’t worried that something bad would happen.

Then someday, the factory closed. Bang! No warning! Joe and Marc just showed up to a lock door with a note indicating that the factory was in bankruptcy. They got a compensation for one month salary and it was all.

Marc got really angry and started a group to protest against the bankruptcy of the factory. He got into the media and worked really hard to build a public response to what they were living. He got a lot of fellow feeling from a lot of people. He got a lot of energy, but he did also spend a lot. He spent also a lot of time. That campaign didn’t bring him anything more then a moment of fame. 3 months later, he was still without a job or income.

Joe got angry about what happened. But he didn’t join Marc on his campaign of sympathy. He took a few days to think about his option and what he could do to find a way to make as much as he did with his old job. Joe started to apply for job the next week. It was hard, he wasn’t alone applying to those jobs, but he didn’t give up. He kept going on, investing a lot of time and energy toward finding a new job. 3 months later, he was still without a job.

Marc found out that he would not get his job back with the old factory. He would not get anything back with his anger campaign. People just got tired of him and he could not find a media to publish anything about his fight anymore. His fame was fading fast. So Marc started to look around to see what he could do to change his situation. He started to apply for new jobs. 4 month later he was still without a job.

Joe didn’t give up and kept applying for new job. He was getting more and more chances to get an interview and sell himself to a lot of good company. He didn’t know what would happen, but he kept on applying daily for new jobs. 4 month later he was still without a job.

Marc didn’t have enough energy to really keep himself motivated. His past 3 month of campaign drained a lot of his energy. He’s doing his best to apply to new jobs, but he’s doing it with what he has left of motivation. 5 month later he was still without a job.

Joe finally found a good job in a good company. He’s motivated and looks behind to what happen as a great opportunity to find a job with this great company. He’s positive about the future. 5 month later he has found a great new job.

Marc just can’t put enough energy into his job search. His results are low and his interview results are even worst. Some of the new employer recognises him for the protest campaign he did for his old job. Some of those new employers didn’t agree with Marc and discard him as a trouble maker. Marc is discouraged; he’s talking all the time about the way he lost his job and how bad it is for him. He wants others to take care of him and give him a new job. He think he deserve it because he lost a lot. 12 month later he was still without a job.

Joe is happy in his new job. He’s investing a lot of energy to make his mark and gain the respect of his fellow worker and employer. 12 months later he’s happy in his new job.

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Marc and Joe are two good people. They didn’t deserve to loose their job. Between the two, Joe got the better.

Why Joe did get the better result?

-          First, he took the time to look around for his options.

-          Second, he chooses the action that would bring him what he wanted (a new job).

-          He worked hard. Investing a lot of energy into that project. He kept himself motivated and positive to reach his goal.

-          He didn't give up even if the result were long to come.

Marc did what a lot of people would have done. He got angry about something that he could not change. He worked hard to change that and he lost time and energy that would have been best invested into something more positive. In the end, he had to take the same road as Joe, but when he got on that road he didn't had the energy he had when he lost his job. With less energy, he couldn't do a good job as did Joe. And it’s the main reason why he never got half of the result that did Joe.

We all have choices to make. We all have battle to choose. What ever you choose, you’ll have to live with it.

Yes, maybe Marc could have won something with his campaign. But let’s be real, the company gave him what the law ask them to give, and it was money because they closed the factory. Bankruptcies are under law. You can do a lot of noise about it, but it will not make much more then that…   noise…

Choose your fight! You are the one to choose where you should invest your energy. And choose wisely, because when your energy is spent, it’s gone. You can’t change the past.

“It is during our darkest moments that we must focus to see the light.”

 - Aristotle Onassis

Don’t focus your energy on negative action.

Look to the future and invest your energy to make it better.