Let’s face it. In a perfect world, there are a lot of things we would choose not to experience. And yet, we don’t live in a perfect world. We live in the real world where some things simply can’t be avoided. And if they can’t be avoided, they should be faced, and used to your benefit. So here are five things that you can’t avoid, but you can embrace and turn into your advantage.
- You can’t avoid disappointment. To have expectations of anyone or anything at anytime is to set yourself up for disappointment. But that’s ok. Disappointment reminds us what’s important. Disappointment reminds us that we’re not there yet. Disappointment reminds me that I need to grow. It’s a punch in the gut, but if you face it and find out what went wrong, you can face less of it.
- You can’t avoid failing. Again, no one likes to fail. We avoid it at all costs. But it is an essential part of learning, growing, maturing and becoming excellent at something important to you and the world. Failure is when I fail to get back up and learn and grow and become better. Failing is being human, growing and stretching, and attempting to go to the next level.
- You can’t avoid turkeys. I’m not talking about the kind you eat on Thanksgiving. I’m talking about the kind that stand in your way, make promises they don’t fulfill, and oftentimes, outright oppose you. Remember this: hurt people hurt people. And you’re going to find your share of them as you go through life. Be ready to embrace the good and guard yourself against the bad.
- You can’t avoid pressure. The only thing in life that is pressure-free is dead. All things that are growing, moving ahead and achieving, accomplishing and making something of themselves find pressure. The goal is to have the right amount of pressure, to not be under pressure all the time, to find margin, find ways to renew and recharge yourself.
- You can’t avoid waiting. One of the things I’ve struggled with most of my life is waiting. You’re on go, you’re ready to pull the trigger, but the people around you are either slow or disinterested. Waiting is a part of life. It’s what you do while you’re waiting that is most important.
Here are five things you can’t avoid. Maybe you can think of more. Talk to your team about how you deal with disappointments, failing, non-performing people, the pressure of competition and oftentimes the waiting that is involved before something can happen.