When Nothing is Going Right ... Go Left

"If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude." - Maya Angelou

They say the definition of insanity is repeating the same action and expecting a different result. It’s so simple on the surface. If the path causes too much struggle, it might be wrong. Reorient yourself, your goals and your expectations. If nothing is going right....go left. Sometimes much easier said than done. 

We are often told change is bad and life is difficult. Good things come with struggle. We are told stories of successful people who struggled for years only to have it pay off in grand fashion. Sometimes struggle, and lots of it, is equated with success. And in a narrative where struggle is success, shifting a goal, changing a path, can often seem like failure. 

Changing course is NOT Failure. And so what if it is perceived as such? Failure is not shameful. It’s life.

So, how do you know when to stop and change course?

Contemplate these ideas:

● Your initial motivation: When and why did you choose this difficult path? Do those reasons and motivations stand up in the fresh light of the now?

● Your state of mind: Are you enjoying the process of life? Do you find joy in the small things, or has it all become overshadowed by what’s “Not Right?”

● Your life after you “Go Left”: What does life look like after you change course? Does this vision excite you? If not, why not? Are you letting fear make your decisions?

● What would you tell your best friend to do if they were in your shoes? 

It’s true. Great things come from hard work. That doesn’t mean life always has to be hard. If you follow passions, understand that success is not linear, and are willing to self correct the course, you can find joy in process and result. If nothing is going right; go left.

-HU