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.
*********
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.
*********
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.
